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Today is Monday, May 11, 2026
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TIME TO PLAY AGAIN!
The University/Community Band starts tonight, Monday, September 11! Dust off that instrument and have fun in a wonderful community of fellow amateur musicians aged 18-80. Come to the Greenhill Center of the Arts room 1005 (enter the main entrance and turn right)
Please arrive by 6:30 p.m. and park in Lot 1. Rehearsals end by 8:45 p.m.
Questions – contact Glenn Hayes at hayesg@uww.edu
Have your or your family’s name engraved on a beautiful tile wall that will be part of the library’s renovation and transformation. You can see it every time you visit the library.
A Small Tile is $250 and a Large Tile is $500.
There is a special section for local businesses to include your business name and logo; this is permanent advertising. The Business Tile is $1000. Thousands of people will see your business name.
Information about the expansion/renovation may be viewed here. We are near the end of the campaign. Please help us meet our goal.
The deadline for Wall Tiles is October 30, 2023.
The flyer with a QR code is included, and you can get additional information on the library’s website www.whitewaterlibrary.org OR by contacting the library at 262-473-0530. A fillable copy of the flyer may be obtained here.
Editor’s note: The above information was provided by the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library.
Steve Watson writes, “Thursday morning Sept. 7 on Cravath Lake, the local flyers put on an air show for me.”
Our thanks to prolific nature photographer Steve Watson for sharing more of his work.
— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share. Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage. Thanks for thinking about this!
UW-Whitewater Continuing Education presents an online digital photography mini-series.
Tap into your creativity and learn the basics of composition and lighting so that you can take better photos of your family and friends.
This class is designed for adult learners 18 and older.
Fall 2023 | Three Sessions Available
- Composition and Light | Tuesday, November 7 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. (CST)
- Portraits | Tuesday, November 14 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. (CST)
- Storytelling | Tuesday, November 21 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. (CST)
Limited to the first 20 registrants for each session.
More information and registration is available here. Cost is $25 per session. Registrants can receive $5 off each registration, if they register for all three sessions. Discounts cannot be applied after you register and pay. You will be charged $15, if you do not attend all.
Editor’s note: The above information was provided by UW-Whitewater.
The Whitewater Volleyball team traveled to Dodgeland for a tournament this past weekend. Teams we played were Naconia, Cambridge, Belleville, and St. Mary’s. Our win loss record (1-7) did not tell the story, however.
“This was by far the best we have played to date. We are so strong defensively and in serve receive, we just don’t have enough offensive threat yet to win the battles. Our defense and serve receive kept us in games all day, and we battled with every team,” commented Coach Mary Kilar.
We have so much to be proud of on the day. Ella Spear was an absolute defensive threat at libero all day. “Ella has been working so hard in practice to learn and fine tune the technique and mindset of a libero. She passed an outstanding 2.4 on the entire tournament and had 34 digs, 5 assists, and an ace. She is such a student of the game, and I love to see when it comes together for her!”
Other outstanding passing performances came from Falyn Krahn, Zoe Kohl, and Ava Alvarado. Falyn and Zoe passed a 2.0 and Ava passed a 2.7! Falyn added 9 kills, 25 digs, and an ace, Zoe had 16 digs and an ace, and Ava added 15 digs. “The collective defense of Ella, Zoe, Ava, and Falyn brings us so much in the backcourt. They are beginning to read hitters at a higher rate and it is fun to see their grit on defense.”
Marina Linos played a solid tournament and dished out 36 assists, 2 kills, 3 aces, and 12 digs. “Marina just continues to work hard. She knows her strengths and understands where she needs to continue to give effort to get better. She continues to lead positively.”
Calli Grosinske led us throughout the tournament in many statistical categories. She finished with 27 kills, 6 aces, 10 assists, and 35 digs. “Calli knows the game, and how to help us get a side out offensively. Her shot selection continues to improve, and when she gets a ball she can connect on, she puts it away with force. It is nice to see the hitter/setter connection continue to improve.” Calli battled through a slight blocking injury and was out for two sets. Stepping in for her was Kaia Jones. “Kaia had a tough role; she was pulled off the bench for an injured player to play outside hitter, and she did so with confidence. Kaia hit and served for us with 100% accuracy. We were all proud of Kaia’s efforts!”
Sydney Schilt is playing opposite hitter for us and has really improved her knowledge of the off-blocker defense and making smart shot selections. “Sydney wants to soak in as much training and feedback as she can, and it shows. She works hard and is putting it all together on the court.” She posted 4 kills and 6 digs for us.
Our middle blockers Emmanuella Mbifi and Meg Roselle continue to work hard in the middle for us. “Probably the hardest position in the front row is middle blocker; you are asked to laterally block every hitter and run a fast offense. Manny and Meg are becoming great forces for us! Meg posted 3 kills and 3 blocks, and Manny added 7 kills.”
Savannah O’Neal “serves” her team as a serving specialist and posted 2 aces and only 1 error serving 96% accuracy. “This is the leadership in serving we need. I was proud of Savannah’s focus behind the line!”
I was so proud of our team today. We battled through some ups and downs and played some solid team volleyball. Playing tough offensive teams sets us up to be prepared for future matches. I am looking forward to continued progress!
Next up, the Whippets travel to Monroe for a conference match up on Tuesday and travel to Jefferson on Thursday.
Article and Photo Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org
Join us for a community showing of the compelling documentary, “The Truth About Reading,” on Thursday, September 14 at 4:30 p.m. This documentary looks at the literacy problem in America, highlighting people who learned to read as adults, and sharing proposed solutions for working towards a future where every child learns to read proficiently. This will help you with an understanding of our elementary reading adoption planned for this year. You may watch a preview of the film here.
This event is free, sponsored collaboratively by WUSD, UWW, and the Greater Whitewater Committee. Dinner and discussion will follow the film. The documentary will be shown at Summers Auditorium in the University Center at UW-Whitewater. Parking will be free only in Lot 12, which is the first one on Prairie Street to the north of Main Street (not Lot 12A, which is closer to the University Center.)
This invitation is open to all staff, parents, and community members. Attendance is limited to 240 people due to the capacity of the auditorium. To RSVP, please visit www.bit.ly/TTARSept14. (Although it’s indicated that the deadline was August 15, space is still available.)
For more information about the film, please check out the webpage.
Después de la película se proporcionará un grupo de discusión bilingüe.
Long time resident Cliff Witte will be celebrating his 102nd birthday on September 13. His family and friends wish him a very Happy Birthday!
Editor’s note: This announcement was submitted by Karla Schurman.
Obituaries
Leo E. Wurzer, 65, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at his home. Leo was born on April 15, 1961 in Kenosha, Wisconsin to Cyril and Shirley (McNeil) Wurzer. He grew up between Pleasant Prairie and Antigo, spending his childhood summers on his uncle’s farm where he discovered his love for all things tractors. Although he never had a farm of his own, he was able to partially fulfill his dream by working as a driver for Robin’s Trucking in Whitewater, WI in his last days and collecting miniature Tonka toys. He began his career … Read more
Lois Cummings, 99, of Fond du Lac, WI (formerly of Janesville, WI, Fort Atkinson, WI, Fountain Hills, AZ, and Green Valley, AZ) passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026 at the Meadows Senior Residence in Fond du Lac surrounded by family. Lois was born on February 17, 1927 in Fort Atkinson to Edward and Clarice (Roseth) Stevens. The middle child of 9 children, she attended Fort Atkinson schools and graduated in 1944. On September 11, 1948 Lois married Grant Cummings at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Delavan, WI. Together they had 3 children, Gary, Colleen (Tom) Sabel, and Patty (Paul) … Read more
Come celebrate William Kincaid’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 30th at 1 pm at Trippe Lake Park Pavillion in Whitewater. He truly enjoyed gatherings where his favorite foods and music could be enjoyed with some of his closest friends and family. We will honor him by carrying on one of his favorite traditions. Please bring your own beverages and chairs. There is limited seating. See you all there!
Gladys Jean (Riley) Hildebrandt, age 89, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 23, 2026. Gladys was born on December 26, 1936, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Theresa Egnoski Riley. She was married to Walter Sobolik Sr., and later married James A. Hildebrandt in 1976. Gladys was a hardworking woman who spent her life caring for others. She worked in school kitchens, restaurants, factories, and cleaning services. She concluded her working career as a full-time nanny. In that role, she lovingly cared for Andrew, Daniel, and Kaitlyn Drzewiecki, who became part of her chosen family. Gladys is survived by her sons, Wally … Read more
WHITEWATER – Nan Rowley died on April 15, 2026, at the age of 90. She was born on September 4, 1935, in a little house on the prairie in the Town of Johnstown, Wisconsin, the daughter of Wayne L. Wilbur and Florence (McQuillen) Wilbur. Nan attended primary schools in the towns of Johnstown and Richmond and in the City of Whitewater. Nan graduated with honors from Whitewater City High School. On June 19, 1954, Nancy and Ken Rowley were united in marriage in Whitewater and went to live on the Rowley family farm in Richmond. Over the years, Nan served … Read more
Marion H. Gorniak (nee Pfeiffer), 74, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026. She was born on October 24, 1951, to the late Harvey and Loraine (nee Drifke) Pfeiffer in Fort Atkinson, WI. On June 2, 1969, she was united in marriage to Alan Gorniak. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, and cooking, especially her rhubarb pies. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends and will be missed by all who knew her. Those Marion leaves behind to cherish her memory include her husband, Alan Gorniak; stepson, Alan Bauer; sister, Sue Ann Schultz, other relatives and friends. … Read more
Ruth Irene (Phelps) Justis, 88, of Appleton City, Missouri, passed away Friday morning, April 10, 2026, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, MO, with her family by her side. Ruth was born June 3, 1937 in Janesville, Wisconsin, to Charles and Ada Mae (Maly) Phelps. She joined the Marine Corps in 1956. During her time there, she met and married her husband, Forest Wayne “Wayne” Justis in 1957. They shared 62 years of marriage and to this union, 2 children, Charles and Dorene, were born. Ruth grew up in Whitewater, WI., the oldest of three children. Ruth graduated from … Read more
Dorothy C. Kau, age 101, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at Fort Memorial Hospital. Dorothy was born on March 18, 1925 in Eagle on the family farm, the daughter of John and Katherine (Faestel) VonRueden. Dorothy was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School. On May 21, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage to Alvin E. Kau at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Eagle and the Lord blessed their union with 8 children. Alvin and Dorothy enjoyed 50 years of marriage together until Alvin’s death in the year 2000. Dorothy enjoyed being a farm … Read more
Dorothy E. McCracken, 95, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida. Born on April 14, 1930, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Carl and Joyce Meyer, Dorothy grew up in Whitewater and graduated from Whitewater High School. She then worked for a photographer and hand painted his first colored portraits, until she got married. She and her first husband, Bernard Wafle, owned and operated a 179-acre dairy farm in Helenville, Wisconsin, for 25 years before relocating to Ocala, Florida, in 1979. Dorothy later married Earl McCracken, in Ocala, Fl. She also shared a special companionship later in life with … Read more
Carol Ann Seebruch, 88 of Whitewater passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 3, 2026. Carol was born July 12, 1937 in Chicago IL to William and Ann Borovec. She married Marvin Seebruch on June 9, 1984. Carol and Marvin enjoyed traveling the United States making it to 48 of the 50 states. She also enjoyed her time with the Red Hat Ladies. She loved taking pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Carol is survived by her three children; Bill Anderson of Fort Atkinson, WI, Terri Laban of Whitewater, WI, and Donna (Mike) Jones of Crivitz, WI. She … Read more
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