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Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by the UW-W College of Arts and Communication, Department of Music.
The College of Arts and Communication at UW-Whitewater announces that the Gala Benefit Concert by the Department of Music will return to a live audience in Young Auditorium. The largest fundraiser of the year for the department, all proceeds benefit the Music Scholarship Fund. The Gala will take place on Saturday, December 4 @ 7:30 pm in Young Auditorium with socially distanced seating. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. In addition to tickets, the Department is raising scholarship funds for students through the Berres Brothers Coffee Fundraiser on behalf of the Delta Omicron student organization. Orders are due by November 12th through the online order form located here: https://uwwhitewater.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_02IZEJoYiZAvYkC.
Masks are required for anyone entering a campus building. Do not come to campus if you are ill. For the most up to date campus safety information, visit the Warhawks are Back webpage at the link below. uww.edu/warhawks-are-back.
Now more than ever, both students and faculty are profoundly grateful for music and performing live for audiences. An annual tradition, the Gala Benefit Concert features works from nearly every student ensemble in the department, from the Whitewater Symphony Orchestra to the Clarinet Ensemble. This year’s program will include selections from “The Nutcracker” arranged by Duke Ellington, “Polar Night” by Nebojsa Macura, “Festiva Fanfare” by Brian Balmages and more.
Performers are happy to return to the stage with the safety measures put in place by UW-Whitewater and the events team. Seating for the Gala Benefit Concert will be sold in seats of two with one seat left open in between. Attendees in larger groups will be able to move closer to each other during the performance to form their own “pod” section. In a typical year the Gala Benefit Concert produces over $20,000 in scholarship funds for the department. Last year, donors were to be thanked for the funds raised. “The financial impact of the pandemic has not been lost on us,” says department chair Mike Dugan. “For last year’s event we were still able to raise funds through the recorded event and the immense generosity of our supporters. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank each and every single person who made a donation for scholarships last year – our students are grateful and we couldn’t have done it without you.”
This year, in lieu of a silent auction at the event, the Department is holding a pre-order coffee fundraiser on behalf of the student organization Delta Omicron. Organization President Dayna Hubbarrtt states “It’s important to our organization that we support the efforts of the department in raising funds for our own scholarships. As students, these funds are critical to ensure that we are able to remain focused on our educational experiences. We are proud to be part of this year’s Gala fundraising efforts.”
The Gala coffee fundraiser offers 10 oz bags of Berres Brothers coffee, 2 lb bags of cappuccino flavors, hot chocolate and more. “It’s a great opportunity for family and friends of the department and beyond to get their holiday gift shopping done early,” says Dugan. “In considering the safety measures during the pandemic, this was a great alternative to our usual silent auction. With a caffeine habit of my own, I think it has a big appeal to a pretty wide audience. For those non-caffeinated folks, decaf and hot chocolate are available; orders are due by November 12, 2021.”
Under sunny skies, the Whippet CC teams competed in the Rock Valley Conference Championships at UW-Whitewater. With the recent rains it made for pretty soft conditions, even muddy in some areas, but a great atmosphere for high level racing.
Caelyn Caputo 
Jack Hefty
The boys’ team shot off the line first and battled their way around the 3.1-mile course. Jack Hefty crossed the line first again for the Whippets as he secured his first all-conference honors as a freshman to seal off 17th place, good enough for a second-team all-conference honor and to bring home a medal. Jack finished his race in 19:37. Cooper Hammond ran a gutsy race and showed tremendous grit as he crossed the line in 26th with a time of 20:16. CJ Tomomitsu finished just outside the top 30 with a 33rd place showing in 20:42. Nate Holden was the team’s fourth runner placing 37th in 20:50. The team’s fifth runner was Miles Nickelsburg, finishing in 54th with a time of 22:09. Ben McCulloch was 61st in 23:10, followed by Andrew Rollette in 66th with a time of 24:40. The varsity team finished in 7th out of 10 schools competing.
In the JV boys’ race, the team was led by freshman Onyx Thompson, who ran his second-best time of the year on the grueling UWW course to finish in 23:56, good enough for 31st. The boys’ JV team also finished in 7th place.
On the girls’ side, the Whippets were paced by Caelyn Caputo, who finished in 17th place to not only earn her first ever medal at a CC meet but at the same time earned a second-team all-conference honor! Caelyn looks strong and confident in her races, and it was nice for her to finish in an all-conference position after continually making small gains throughout the season. Sophie Walton ran a strong race and was just a few places off her goal of earning all-conference by placing 27th with a time of 25:15. Emma Weigel and Nola Coburn ran stride for stride much of the race and found themselves in 29th and 30th place with times of 25:28 and 25:29. Olive Coburn and Gwen Truesdale came home in 34th and 35th places with times of 25:55 and 26:30. Isabella Aranda rounded out the top 7 varsity runners in 43rd with a time of 28:09. The girls’ team finished in 6th place out of 10 teams.
In the JV race, the girls featured Jenni Villarreal who battled her way through a combined boys’ and girls’ field to take home the title of JV conference champ! Jenni completed her 5K race in 26:47. Running strong races on the JV team were Sami Van Daele who took 4th, Lucy Troxel in 6th, Evie Troxel in 8th, and Izzy Dieter in 13th. Once the team scores were revealed, the JV girls won their meet with 21 pts versus Brodhead/Juda’s runner up score of 34. What a race by these girls!
The team will now shift their focus to the WIAA Sectional Meet on Saturday, October 23rd, hosted at UW-Parkside. The boys will race at 12:25, and the girls will be at 1:10. #1Family
Full Results: https://my.raceresult.com/183490/
Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Bob and Peter Mischka
It’s time again for #FlashbackFriday from the Whitewater Historical Society!
The weather is getting colder and in the mid-20th century, when many more people had oil furnaces, it was time for a call to the local fuel oil company to top off the tank. One of those companies was the Whitewater Oil Company, located on Whitewater Street near the railroad depot (demolished).
Bill Thayer founded the Whitewater Oil Company in 1946 and for many years, the company was located in this mid-19th century building constructed for Newton Littlejohn’s lumber company. Later it was a wagon repair shop. The Whitewater Oil Company remained here until 1986, when it moved to Wisconsin Street.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society collections!
(3704P, Whitewater Historical Society)
Whitewater Volleyball traveled to Clinton last night and came home with a 3-0 victory (25-23, 24-14, 25-19). This marked the end of regular season play. Saturday, October 16, the Whippets will compete in the Rock Valley Conference Tournament up in Edgerton, and then they will host Big Foot at 7:00 pm in the first round of WIAA playoffs Tuesday, October 19th.
Stat Leaders against Clinton:
ACES: Cali Kopecky- 5
KILLS: Kindyl Kilar 24
BLOCKS: Jenna Pope and Aidyn Amundson – 1
DIGS: Avery Hintz 10
ASSISTS: Avery Hintz 14
Article submitted by Kathy Bullis
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
kbullis@wwusd.org
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the City of Whitewater.
The City of Whitewater – Department of Public Works will collect leaf and yard waste during the established dates in October and November.
Residents may place their bagged yard waste on the curb no earlier than Saturday, October 23, for collection
during the week of:
• October 25 – October 29, 2021
Residents may place their bagged yard waste on the curb no earlier than Saturday, November 6, for collection
during the week of:
• November 8 – November 12, 2021
• November 15 – November 19, 2021
However, all bags must be brought to the curb for final collection on November 17.
*Dates may be subject to change in the event we experience accumulating snow during this time.
For residents who miss the deadline of November 19, a dumpster will be available at the City garage (150 E. Starin Rd.) between November 22 – December 3, between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please note our facility will be closed on Thursday, November 25, and Friday, November 26. Spring collection will be dependent on weather conditions.
Yard waste is defined as leaves, weeds, grass clippings, and yard and garden debris. Yard waste must be bagged in 30 gallon or smaller biodegradable, clear or transparent bags only. Yard waste will not be collected if not property bagged or placed in non-transparent or black bags. The City offers Bio-Bags, in the fall only, at the Finance Department.
Residents may also use the compost site to dispose of leaf and yard waste. The compost site is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. until a closing date is determined.
Residents requesting brush collection should call 473-0560 to make an appointment for pick up on Tuesdays.
For additional questions or concerns, contact the Streets Department at (262) 473-0560. For other requests, visit
https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/RequestTracker.aspx.
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by UW-W.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams begin their first full season in two years this week as they host Illinois Tech for a dual meet at the Williams Center.
The Warhawk men and women competed last spring in an abbreviated 2021 season, facing all four of its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents in duals spaced out over five weeks.
Head coach Elise Knoche returns for her fourth season at the helm of the two programs.
The Warhawks continue their slate with WIAC duals in November at UW-Oshkosh (Nov. 6), home against UW-La Crosse (Nov. 13) and home against UW-Stevens Point (Nov. 20).
UW-Whitewater closes the calendar year Dec. 3-4 at the Wheaton (Ill.) Invitational.
The New Year begins Jan. 22 with a triangular against Lawrence and Lake Forest (Ill.) at the Williams Center. UW-W visits UW-Eau Claire Jan. 29 to finish out the regular season.
The WIAC Championship is set for Feb. 16-19 at Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis. The NCAA Championship is slated for March 16-19 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Seniors Jaclyn Fohlmeister (Lakemoor, Ill./Wauconda), Abby Thompson (De Pere, Wis./De Pere) and Anna Yeazel (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) look to lead the Warhawk women into 2021-22 on the women’s side.
Yeazel, a fifth-year senior, placed sixth in the 400-yard individual medley and seventh in the 200-yard breaststroke at the 2020 WIAC Championship. She is among the top 10 in program history in the 400 IM. Last winter, Yeazel led the team in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and the 400 IM, and owned the top split in the 50-yard breaststroke.
Thompson is a two-time WIAC podium finisher in the 200-yard butterfly, and she placed seventh in the conference in the 400-yard individual medley in 2020. She led the team in the 100-yard butterfly last winter.
Fohlmeister was among the team’s top three in the 50-yard freestyle last season. She was also third in the 50- and 100-yard butterfly.
Makenna Clark (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West), Morgan Nabors (Spring Green, Wis./River Valley) and Leanne Stigler (Beloit, Wis./Muskego) enter their third seasons with the program.
Clark competes primarily in the backstroke and freestyle events. She ranked second on the team in the 100 back in 2021. Nabors led the 2021 Warhawks in the 100-yard freestyle.
Stigler is a five-time WIAC medalist, including runner-up finishes in the 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard medley relay in 2020. She holds top-10 UW-W personal bests in the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke and 200 IM. She finished second to Yeazel in the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke events last winter.
Kayleigh Denruiter (Brantwood, Wis./Phillips), Amanda Harper (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly), Ciara Hynes (Eureka, Mo./Eureka), Gabby Sponseller (Goshen, Ind./Concord), Meadow Warren (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) and Brianna Zimdars (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) comprise the team’s sophomore class.
Zimdars held the team’s top split in the 50-yard freestyle and led UW-W in the 200- and 1000-yard freestyle and the 100 and 200-yard backstroke in 2021.
Sponseller posted the team’s best time in the 200-yard individual medley. Hynes recorded the team’s best split in the 50-yard freestyle in 2021.
Harper and Denruiter competed as freestyle sprinters during their rookie campaign in 2021. Harper finished fourth on the team in the 50 free.
Warren recorded three season bests in freestyle events at the team’s final meet of the 2021 season.
Newcomers to the program include Emily Connell (New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower), Morgan Galloway (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine), Gianna Gnewuch (Madison, Wis./Verona Area) and Gabby Hayes (New Berlin, Wis./West).
The following UW-Whitewater student-athletes from your coverage area are members of the 2021-22 Warhawk women’s swimming and diving team:
Anna Yeazel of Whitewater (Whitewater High School), a senior majoring in physical education.
Brianna Zimdars of Whitewater (Whitewater High School), a sophomore majoring in general business.
Banner note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce. UPDATE: The Chamber indicates that they have decided to make all events free, with the opportunity to make a voluntary contribution at the information booth for those who would like to support the growth of this festival for years to come. Please disregard any references to “ticketed sessions.”
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Whitewater Democrats.
Banner note: The following information is found on the pantry’s website.
The UW-Whitewater Warhawk Pantry was established in 2018 to provide a respectful, safe, and inclusive environment for students and others to obtain food, toiletries, school supplies, and information about other resources available to them.
The pantry is staffed by a pantry coordinator, student assistant, and volunteers. A steering team of faculty, staff, and students researched and planned for the pantry and are responsible for its oversight, including representatives from Student Affairs, the University Center, Sustainability Office, the Department of Social Work, and other areas concerned with student success.
The Warhawk Pantry is located in Drumlin Dining Hall, room 143 or entrance 2 next to the loading dock. 1010 W Starin Rd, Whitewater, WI 53190
We accept donations of non perishable food, toiletries, and other items, such as school supplies. Donation bins are located in the University Center at the Information Services Desk on the first floor and the HawkCard Office on the second floor. To arrange a drop off of a larger donation, please contact foodpantry@uww.edu.
For suggestions on what to donate, check out our Facebook page–facebook.com/UWWWarhawkPantry — where we post an updated list weekly.
Popular items include:
- Tuna in cans or packets
- Pasta sauce
- Nut mixes
- Peanut butter
- Breakfast cereal
- Soup
Obituaries
Marion Jauch Burrows (Feb. 2, 1930 – June 5, 2026) Her sparkling eyes, warm laugh, and generous ways were gifts Marion brought into this world, touching family members and friends alike over the ninety-six years of her life. She was born and raised in Lombard, IL, and in the course of her life lived with her husband and growing family in Abilene, TX, St. David’s, PA, Arkadelphia, AR, Ada, OK, and Colorado Springs, CO, before settling in Whitewater, WI, in 1965. Generosity of heart, compassion toward those in need in and beyond her community, and an unwavering commitment to fairness … Read more
Patricia “Pat” Lynn Bailey, age 70, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2026 with her daughter by her side. Pat was born February 21, 1956 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to John and Ruth (Hudock) Prentice. After a brief time in Ann Arbor, the Prentice family moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin, where Pat grew up as part of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater community, where her father served as University Registrar. Pat attended the University School and later graduated from UW Whitewater with a degree in Elementary Education. Although she did not pursue teaching, she built a meaningful career in Human … Read more
Gemelino Paris Esperante, 83, long time resident of Whitewater, passed away on Thursday, June 4th, 2026. He was born on January 10, 1943, to his late father and mother, Evaristo and Carmen in Spain. In 1973 he moved to the United States as a sheep herder. On August 21, 1981, he was united in marriage to Cyndie Esperante in Colorado. Gemelino also worked in Mining and construction for many years. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, raising sheep and growing things in his garden, and flowers. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife … Read more
Mary Ann Warner died peacefully on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at Crestridge Assisted Living in Dodgeville. Her physical heart failed, but her actual, loving heart never did. Ann was born June 28, 1939 to Mary and Charles Kearns in Iowa. She moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin and graduated with many dear friends in the class of 1957. Ann married John Warner on September 19, 1959. They lived in Whitewater, Sturgis Michigan, and finally settled in Janesville where they built a beautiful life and raised their family. Together, they ran a business, traveled, played cards, and enjoyed their lives. When they became … Read more
Patricia Ann Jacobson (Bureau), age 81, of Whitewater, WI, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI. Born on September 2, 1944, in Marquette, MI, to the late Donald and Margaret Bureau, Pat grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She graduated from Graveraet High School, attended Michigan State University, and later earned her bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University. Pat dedicated her professional life to shaping young minds, working as an elementary and junior high school teacher in both Flint, MI, and Whitewater, WI. At the heart of Pat’s life was a beautiful, … Read more
In loving memory of Lois Lauritzen, age 92, who passed away on June 1, 2026 at Lakewood Memory Care in Brookfield. Lois led an active life full of devotion to family and friends. Born July 14th, 1933 in Silvis, IL, daughter of Harry and Elsie Wilson, she grew up in the Quad Cities with older brother Harry Wilson Jr. Lois graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with a degree in physical education. She met her husband Paul Lauritzen on the college tennis team. Their marriage on June 12th, 1955 lasted 59 years until Paul’s death on September 26th, … Read more
Donald Walter Triebold passed on to his eternal home on May 21, 2026. Don was born on April 23, 1935, in Evanston, IL, to the late Frederick W. and Mildred (nee Stecher) Triebold. Through his teen years, Don lived and worked on the family’s dairy farm, where he developed a life-long work ethic. His first eight years of education were in a one-room country schoolhouse, in which all eight grades were taught by one teacher. He graduated from Whitewater City High School in 1953 and then graduated from UW Whitewater in 1958 with a degree in Business Education. He continued his education, and earned a Master’s … Read more
William Kincaid Davis, age 84, passed away on Tuesday, May 19 at Agrace Hospice Center in Fitchburg. He was born on November 1, 1941, in Madison, Indiana, the second son of Salvation Army Officers Agnes (Dixon) and William C. Davis. He attended several schools in Indiana and Illinois, including University of Illinois Experimental High School (Champaign), and graduated from Galesburg High School in 1958. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UW-Eau Claire in 1964 and his master’s degree from UW-Whitewater in 1972. He had an expansive career in education, beginning as an English teacher in Whitehall, Thornton Township (IL) and … Read more
Magdalene “Maggie” Stetter (nee Fritz), 79, of Whitewater, Wisconsin passed from this life onto the next on Monday, May 4, 2026. She was born on January 16, 1947, to the late John and Mary (Presser) Fritz in St. Stefan, Austria. Maggie immigrated from Austria with her parents and brother, became a US citizen, and grew up and attended school in West Allis, WI and then graduated with a teaching degree from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Maggie served as a substitute, English, and German language teacher in the Whitewater, Elkhorn, Delavan, and Palmyra schools and at Divine Word Seminary. Maggie … Read more
Lawrence “Larry” C. Hartung, a proud Marine Veteran of the Vietnam War, and longtime resident of Fort Atkinson, WI, passed away peacefully at his home on May 1, 2026. Larry was born June 7th, 1949, to Levon and Charles Hartung in Chicago, IL. Larry enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1968 and served 3 consecutive tours in the Vietnam War. During this time, he became pen pals with his future wife, Candy, via a connection through his father. In 1970, he came home on leave to marry Candy. They celebrated 55 years of marriage on October 31st, 2025. During … Read more
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