News & Events

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by the UWW/Community Optimist Club.

The UW-W/Community Optimist Club is very proud to host this joyous, all community, event again. Breakfast with Santa will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the Esker Dining Hall on the UW-Whitewater campus. The event will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. Children, young and old, are invited to attend. So grab your family, friends, and neighbors as you will NOT want to miss this holiday tradition! In years past, we served over 750 people and we hope to serve that many or more again this year!

A delicious breakfast will be served that includes French toast with syrup, sausage, donut holes, and a selection of juices, milk, and coffee. The cost is $5 for adults and free for children under 12.

Santa, Mrs. Claus and many of their elves will be there to greet the children of the community and their families, friends and neighbors. Pictures can be taken with Santa and each child will receive a small bag of treats from Santa’s elves. Frosty the Snowman will also be available for another fun photo opportunity. Family and friends are encouraged to bring their own cameras to record the fun. The popular coloring/story book corner will be available and music will be provided by various local groups with the potential for public caroling as well.

The Mitten Tree will also be available for people to donate mittens, hats, and scarves for children and adults. In addition, underwear and socks are also needed as they are used for emergencies for the area children. Donations are used by WUSD, Bethel House, the Community Space, VIP in Elkhorn and Opportunities in Fort Atkinson that both work with people with disabilities to give them meaningful work and an opportunity to procure gifts for members of their families.

Esker Hall, 420 N. Prairie St., is located at the corner of North Prairie and E. Lauderdale Drive, near the Wells Hall complex on the UW-Whitewater campus. There is ample parking available on the north side of the building near the north entrance door. For more information contact Dr. Lanora Heim, lheim@wwusd.org, 262-472-8712.

The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) cautions Wisconsin investors to avoid FTX.US and FTX.COM websites as they may be corrupted by malware and/or experiencing cyber-attacks following the bankruptcy of U.S. based cryptocurrency exchange FTX.US along with FTX.COM and 130+ other businesses (“FTX”) affiliated with founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Investors should also beware of “reload” scams where fraudsters purport to help recoup funds that are locked in accounts or otherwise unavailable.

On November 11, 2022, FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The initial filing claimed between $10 billion and $50 billion of estimated assets and liabilities. On November 17, 2022, the newly appointed CEO of FTX reported at least $372 million in unauthorized transfers were initiated on the bankruptcy filing date. FTX immediately began moving cryptocurrencies to cold storage to mitigate further loss. Further, FTX reported that its official Telegram channel was compromised, and that users should avoid the FTX.US and FTX.COM websites as they may be corrupted by malware and/or experiencing cyber-attacks. Investors who wish to unlink their bank account information from any FTX Apps they have downloaded on their mobile phones, tablets, or other electronic devices can find assistance at https://support-my.plaid.com/hc/en-us/articles/10189531069847.

Investors should also beware of “reload” scams where fraudsters purport to help recoup funds that are locked in accounts or otherwise unavailable. For example, law enforcement in Singapore warned about a fake website pretending to be hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice. The phishing website instructs visitors to log in with their FTX username and password, and falsely claims they will be able to withdraw their funds after paying legal fees. There are many versions of the reload scam and investors should be cautious when interacting with any persons or entities whom they do not know and cannot independently verify their identities and credentials.

The FTX bankruptcy follows on the heels of bankruptcy filings by the crypto-lending firms Celsius Network, LLC and Voyager Digital Holdings, Inc. In addition, BlockFi, Inc. filed for bankruptcy this week and Gemini Trust Company, LLC has paused withdrawals from its crypto-lending program.

“As these cases demonstrate, customers who hold their crypto on either a platform or exchange can lose access to their funds – as happened with FTX, Celsius, Voyager, and now Gemini customers,” said DFI Secretary-designee Cheryll Olson-Collins. “Moreover, tech failures, hacks, and volatility in the market can impact crypto fintech firms and their customers. Given these uncertain times, investors should consider whether they can afford to lose the funds they have before investing in cryptocurrency.”

Before making any financial decisions, the DFI recommends investors do their homework, ask questions, and contact the DFI’s Division of Securities by phone at (608) 266-2139 or by email at DFISecurities@dfi.wisconsin.gov for more information.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by 1820796 from Pixabay.

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Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.

The College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announces the second show of the Theatre/Dance season with “Grounded” by George Brant. Directed by Bruce Cohen, this production will run in Hicklin Studio Theatre from November 29- December 2 at 7:30 p.m. and December 3-4 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale for the performances and can be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. The Hicklin Studio Theatre is located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. 

An unexpected pregnancy ends an ace fighter pilot’s career in the sky. Reassigned to operate military drones from a windowless trailer outside Las Vegas, she hunts terrorists by day and returns to her family each night. As the pressure to track a high-profile target mounts, the boundaries begin to blur between the desert in which she lives and the one she patrols half a world away. Warning, this play contains adult language and themes.

The Pilot will be played by Nadia Wolowik. Nadia is thrilled to be in her second show here at UW-Whitewater and her first one-woman show! This show brought so many new challenges and ways to learn, and she is so thankful for the opportunity. She would specifically like to thank Bruce Cohen for his belief in her ability to do this show justice and his unending advice and support. She hopes you come and enjoy the show!

George Brant has many other works such as Marie and Rosetta, Into the Breeches!, Elephant’s Graveyard, The Prince of Providence, Tender Age, The Land of Oz, Dark Room, Grizzly Mama, Good on Paper, The Mourners’ Bench, Salvage, Three Voyages of the Lobotomobile, Any Other Name, Defiant, Miracle: A Tragedy,  Ashes, NOK, The Lonesome Hoboes, All Talk, One Hand Clapping, The Royal Historian of Oz, Lovely Letters, Three Men in a Boat, Borglum! The Mount Rushmore Musical, Tights on a Wire and Night of the Mime. His scripts have received awards like the Lucille Lortel Award, an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award, a Scotsman Fringe First Award, an Off-West End Theatre Award for Best Production, an NNPN Rolling World Premiere, the Smith Prize, the Keene Prize for Literature, a Theatre Netto Festival Prize, a Creative Workforce Fellowship, the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center and three Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Awards.

Join Ashley Dimmig, Director of the Crossman Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, on Dec. 1. for a free talk prior to the performance. The talk will take place at 6 p.m. in the Barnett Theatre, and Dimmig will discuss contemporary art made in the Islamic world, or by artists whose heritage is linked to Muslim-majority cultures that responds to the violence and loss resulting from war. Whether facing the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan or the destruction wrought by Al-Qaeda, the fatal drone strikes in Pakistan or the annihilation of cultural heritage treasures by Daesh (ISIS), people have wielded the power of art to combat and process the death, violence, and destruction plaguing their countries in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Ashley Dimmig is the Crossman Gallery Director at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and teaches in the Department of Art and Design. After completing her PhD in the History of Art at the University of Michigan (2019), she served as interim curator of Islamic Art as a postdoctoral fellow at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Her art historical fields of specialization include the art and architecture of the Islamic world, particularly Turkish and Persian spheres during the early modern and modern periods. With a fine arts background in fiber arts and weaving, Dimmig is especially interested in textiles across the Islamic world. She has published numerous scholarly articles in various venues and her research has been supported by nationally and internationally competitive awards, including from the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

“Grounded” will run in Hicklin Studio Theatre November 29- December 2 at 7:30 p.m. and December 3-4 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale for the performances and can be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. The Hicklin Studio Theatre and the Barnett Theatre are located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. 

The Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) will offer Welcome to Medicare workshops on Thursday, December 1, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. This popular educational session will provide information about Medicare for individuals turning 65 years of age, those over 65 and planning to retire, or individuals with disabilities that have received Social Security Disability benefits for 24 months or have End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

“It is vitally important that individuals eligible to receive Medicare are aware of the different parts of Medicare, including Part A and Part B, as well as the prescription drug coverage,” says Elder Benefit Specialist Julie Juranek. “Being knowledgeable about premiums and penalties for not having creditable prescription drug coverage will help people make sound choices when exploring available plans.”

The Welcome to Medicare workshops will be held at the Walworth County Health and Human Services building, 1910 County Road NN, Elkhorn. RSVPs are highly recommended by calling (262) 741-3366.

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About the Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center: The ADRC provides information and assistance to older and disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the public. We can assist by evaluating your current needs and providing options available to meet the needs of your personal situation.

We are announcing The Community Space is going to OPEN in its entirety on Saturday, December 3.  Hours remain the same…
Tues. 8:30 -11:00 a.m.
Wed. 3:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:30 a.m. – Noon                

We will be limiting the number of guests shopping and the amount of time allowed. There will be helpers available throughout the building, including several who are bilingual (a big plus). There will be no carts allowed and strollers only with a child on board. The Food Pantry will continue to be available for all. 

This is a move of confidence. PLEASE help to show us it can work.

 See you soon,

THE COMMUNITY SPACE CREW 

The Whitewater Community Foundation is proud to support the WUSD
Robotics Program. There are currently robotics teams at all buildings in the
District. The WCF recently presented a $1,500 Community Action Grant that
will provide funding to purchase an additional Spike Prime robot for the First
LEGO League (FLL) programs in all three elementary schools: “Lincoln Brick
Layers” (Lisa Kaminski, Advisor), “Washington Brick Layers” (Chris Nate and
Valerie Troxel, Advisors) and “Lakeview Bricklayers” (Sara Brautigam,
Advisor). The students build their robots from kits called Spike Prime but
have to stylize them and build additional mechanisms from LEGOs to complete
assigned tasks. The students must then program the robots to give their
robots movement directions. The High School students from Ferradermis
Team #6574 act as mentors for the younger students in the program. The
High School program began with some financing from the School District but
most of their money comes from grants, corporate sponsorships and
donations. If you would like to donate to this amazing program, you may do so
on the Foundation’s website at www.whitewatercommunityfoundation.org by
clicking on the “DONATE” tab and scrolling down to “Ferradermis First
Robotics Team #6574”. With your help, this wonderful program will continue
to grow and thrive.

About WCF: The Whitewater Community Foundation’s mission is to “Enhance quality of life in the Whitewater area via educational, cultural, charitable or benevolent expenditures” through scholarships and community action grants. To donate and support the continuation of the Whitewater Banner, simply send a check made out to Whitewater Community Foundation to P. O. Box 428, Whitewater, WI, 53190, or donate online at whitewatercommunityfoundation.org by hitting the “Donate” button on top of the contact page. For tax purposes, the Whitewater Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Corporation.