News & Events

UW Oshkosh launches national honor society chapter for first-gen students, inducts first members

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh inducted 18 students into its new chapter of Tri-Alpha, a national honor society for
first-generation college students, during its recent celebration of First Gen College Week.

To qualify for the honor society, the students needed a minimum of 30 credits, a 3.2 GPA and a recommendation of a
faculty or staff member.

Those inducted included:
 Megan Bartkowski, Crivitz, senior, special and regular education major
 Gillian Bellman, Oshkosh, senior, history major
 Lauren Blume, Waukesha, senior, psychology major
 Ashton Campbell, Burlington, senior, nursing major
 Yanet Fernandez, Oshkosh, senior, mathematics major
 Nallely Galindo, Berlin, senior, psychology major
 Ethan Groshens, Kaukauna, senior, chemistry major
 Hallie Lemke, Mount Calvary, senior, social work major
 Tannyr Locy, Hortonville, senior, special and regular education major
 Selena Perez, Green Bay, sophomore, mathematics major
 Jazmine Peterson, Whitewater, sophomore, psychology and criminal justice major
 Elijah Plonsky, Oshkosh, junior, English major
 Nayma Salazar Flores, Beaver Dam, senior, nursing major
 Anise Madeline Shipley, Oshkosh, senior, sociology major
 Claire Stone, Lockport, Illinois, senior, Japanese studies major
 Sheiana Taylor, Oshkosh, senior, biomedical science major
 Lauren Terrill, Oconomowoc, senior, radio TV film major
 Mai Xee Yang, Milwaukee, junior, human services leadership major

Moving forward, the new inductees will work to plan and promote future first-gen celebrations on campus.

Click here for further information and registration. (The “sign up today” button below is nonfunctional.) Cost is $75. Please note that there is already a waitlist for the beginners session; there is still space available for the intermediate session.

The League of Women Voters-Whitewater Area Holds Making
Democracy Work Award Ceremony Honoring Lynn Binnie and Patrick Singer on December 4

The League of Women Voters-Whitewater Area invites community members to celebrate the recipients of the Making Democracy Work Award. We are excited to announce Lynn Binnie and Patrick Singer as this year’s award recipients. This event will be held at the Prairie Village Community Center from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the award presentation commencing at 4:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

The League’s annual Making Democracy Work Award, established in 2010, recognizes individuals who have shared and implemented a vision of making Whitewater a safer and fairer place in which to live and highlights those who have mobilized others to work with them to affect positive change in our community. These values exemplify the spirit and the mission of the League. Nominations are submitted from the League’s membership to the board, which through consensus makes the final selection. Honorees Lynn Binnie and Patrick Singer are influential and integral parts of the Whitewater community, history and government, both serving as members and eventual presidents of the Common Council.

During his time on the Council, Patrick Singer, who held the Common Council presidency for an impressive twelve years, was an effective leader and visionary, furthering a number of initiatives, including passage of the Transparency Ordinance, establishment of the Finance Committee and Public Works Committee. Lynn Binnie also accomplished many impactful feats during his time on the council. He contributed to numerous Municipal Boards including the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Library Board. Additionally, Binnie promotes the blood drives at the Armory and serves as the Lay Leader at First United Methodist Church.

Please feel encouraged to attend this wonderful event and celebrate these two pillars of the Whitewater area.

Directions to the Community Center located on Burr Oak Trail, Whitewater, WI 53190: Take Fremont Street north to County U highway, turn left (or west). Turn left again (or south) at the first street, onto Burr Oak Trail. The Community Center is the first building on your left. There is plenty of parking available.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook!

On Saturday, November 26th, students from WHS Choirs and their friends sang Christmas carols at the first-ever Whitewater Holiday Market and Tree Lighting. The event was held at Cravath Lakefront Park. WHS students who sang were Payton Bunger, Meridyth Cashion,  Lucy DiFiore, Josh Kirley, A’lani Ross, Skylar Staebler, Julie Torres, and Deven Wheeler-Bawden. The students sang at the market and then led the crowd to the tree where Santa was on hand to light it. Thank you to our fantastic students who helped make the event a success! 

The City of Whitewater – Department of Public Works will deliver sand on Monday, December 5.

Residents who wish to receive a quantity of sand for placement on public sidewalks during the winter months are asked to have a sturdy container at the curbside by 7 a.m. on Monday, December 5. City officials stress that a cardboard box is not considered a sturdy container.

If there is a snowstorm or some other unpredictable occurrence that prevents delivery that week, the sand will be delivered as soon as weather permits.

As a reminder, the owner, occupant, and person in charge of any building or lot fronting upon or adjoining any sidewalk shall remove all snow and ice from the sidewalk no later than twenty-four hours after a snow or ice event. When any ice is so formed on any sidewalk that it cannot be removed, then the responsible party shall keep the same sprinkled with salt or sand.

For additional questions or concerns contact the Streets Department at (262) 473-0560.

Kelly Freeman
Superintendent – Streets/Parks/Stormwater Utility

For 28 years, UWW/Community Optimist Club has been hosting the annual Mitten Tree collection during the holiday season for needy people in our community!

As we are all grateful for the downturn of infections from the COVID-19 virus pandemic, it has allowed us to once again enlist two specific places to serve as collection sites. First Citizens State Bank and the Whitewater branch of Fort Community Credit Union’s lobbies will be open, and they will serve as collection sites for the public. Donations will be accepted now through Thursday, December 8th by 4 p.m.

Our main needs are mittens, hats, and scarves; however, underwear and socks in all sizes, but especially in children’s sizes, are encouraged as they are used for emergencies for area school children and residents throughout the year. Gift cards are also valuable and will help our local agencies to purchase items as needed throughout the winter season.

Many thanks to both collection sites for continuing to sponsor this worthwhile program. For more information, please contact project co-chair, Rick Fassl at 262-473-4906 or jnrfassl@hotmail.com

Help out the UWW Warhawks this giving season! The University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Career Services and the Warhawk Food Pantry are teaming up to collect resources for students Monday 11/28 through Friday 12/2. Career Services runs the Warhawk Success Closet, a professional attire resource for students to use for interviews and work wear. We are looking for gently used professional clothes, specifically men’s suit jackets, dress pants, dress shoes, ties, dress shirts, women’s blazers, dress shoes and dresses. The Warhawk Food Pantry is looking for all types of toiletries, canned food items, and more. Please consider helping the Warhawk community! For ways to donate use this link (or see below): https://tinyurl.com/WarhawksDonate

Thank you for your interest in donating to the Warhawk Success Closet and/or the Warhawk Food Pantry during the Warhawks Donate drive!  We have multiple ways for you to donate your items:

• Drive-Up Donation Hours at the University Center Parking Lot:  We will be staffing a drop-off point in lot 12A (between the University Center and McGraw) on select days where you can drive up and we will pick up donations directly from your car.  Drive up to the purple arch between the UC and McGraw Hall and put on your hazard lights.  Our staff will meet you at your car to take your donation with a cart.  Dates/Times:
  • Tuesday 11/29 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday 11/30 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Friday 12/2 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Schedule a Drop-Off Appointment:  If you are unable to stop by during our scheduled drive-up donation hours (above), you can call our office to schedule an appointment to drop off your donation. 
  • We typically offer appointments Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., but can potentially accommodate other hours upon request.
  • To schedule a time, please call 262-472-1471.

Directions to the Drive-Up Donation Location:

• From Main Street, head South on Prairie Street.
• Turn left into the second driveway for Parking Lot 12 (next to the Alpha Gamma Delta house)
• Follow the road down the hill and around the curve to Lot 12A (between the University Center and McGraw Hall)
• Pull up to the curb between the Universtiy Center and McGraw Hall.  Look for our Warhawks Donate signboard.  Please stay with your car with your hazard lights on to avoid a ticket.
• A staff member will come to your car with a cart to collect your donation items.

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Whitewater’s effort to develop an arboretum within the 35-acre campus area Starin Park took a major step forward in November with the erection of a new Welcome and Education Center building courtesy of Generac, one of the city’s largest employers.

The 320 square foot structure was donated by Generac and erected by Generac staff volunteers, Urban Forestry Commission members, and community volunteers.  The excavation and pouring of the stamped concrete pad were completed courtesy of Ross and Russell Walton with the roof installation contributed by Serenity Concepts. City crews laid out the site and delivered the materials. The project was initiated and overseen by the City of Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission and the Whitewater Parks & Recreation Department.

As a living outdoor classroom, the arboretum demonstrates the essential value to humans that trees and shrubs provide by beautifying natural areas, enhancing air quality and helping tamp down the effects of climate change.  Educational workshops held at the arboretum for students and adults provide insights into the essential interrelationships between humans, plants, birds, insects, and animals.

The Arboretum at Starin Park (AASP) hosted three adult workshops in late October and November along with hosting a hands-on learning session for 45 Whitewater Middle and High School students on November 2.  Kids were guided in identifying tree types by leaf shapes, were instructed in how to estimate the age of a tree by measuring its circumference and took part in planting shrubs that are a part of the nearly 200 trees and shrubs added to Starin Park in 2022.

Adult education workshops included an “Interactive Introduction to the Arboretum,” “Remarkable Trees: Tales From Wisconsin and Beyond” and “Back to the Ice Age, Dig Into the Geologic History of Starin Park.”

Development of The Arboretum at Starin Park is a multi-year project launched earlier this year and funded in part by a WI Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry Grant which will reimburse up to $25,000 worth of city and volunteer efforts. 

The Starin Park Arboretum also received funding from local individuals and businesses as well as the Whitewater Community Foundation and Starin Park Neighborhood Association. The success of the effort relies heavily on the active participation of City of Whitewater staff and equipment.  The proceeds of an annual April Arbor Day week citywide tree sale also help provide essential funding.

The Arboretum has established partnerships with UW-Whitewater, the Whitewater Unified School District, and the Starin Park Neighborhood Association as well as a growing number of interested businesses and individuals.  It has successfully obtained formal accreditation by ArbNet, the international arboretum accreditation agency.

Volunteers are always needed to maintain plantings, to clean up fallen branches and debris and other tasks.  Interested volunteers are asked to contact the City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Dept.  at 262-473-0122, or go to the AASP webpage at http://www.arbatstarinorg.