John Newhouse, a Co-Founder of the Whitewater Community Foundation, passed away on February 2, 2022. John was born on December 4, 1931 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin and graduated from Rhinelander High School in 1949. John earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education at UW-Oshkosh in 1954 and a Master’s Degree in Secondary School Administration at UW-Madison in 1960. John joined the Whitewater community in 1968 serving as Principal of Whitewater High School until his retirement in 1987. John continued to serve the community through volunteerism on the Library Board, the Historical Society, the Whitewater Breakfast Kiwanis, the American Legion, the VFW, Fort Healthcare partners and served as an usher at the Irvin Young Auditorium.
Seeing a need to provide scholarships to support Whitewater’s graduating youth, John wrote a letter to the local newspaper which would serve as a catalyst to the formation of the Whitewater Community Foundation. In 1993, a key group of people came together to form a framework that would enable the community to raise funds to provide opportunities for graduating seniors to continue their education. In 1995, the IRS granted the Foundation 501(c)(3) status enabling the Foundation to receive tax deductible donations. The first two decades were spent building and enhancing scholarship funds. The Foundation currently provides financial stewardship for 23 scholarships totaling over $1.9 million. Beginning in 2013, the foundation expanded their vision to create community action grants awarded twice a year in the Fall and the Spring given in support of projects by many community organizations such as Bethel House, New Beginnings, the Whitewater Fire Department, the Whitewater Food Pantry, The Community Space, Studio 84, Whitewater Parks & Recreation, and many others. The WCF awards grants twice a year in the Spring and Fall and has awarded over $110,000 in Community Action Grants. The Foundation also acts as a fiscal sponsor for organizations through conduit accounts that provide a vehicle to collect donations for larger community projects such as the Whitewater Aquatic Center, Treyton’s Field of Dreams, the Frawley Family Cravath Lakefront Amphitheater, the Community Space, the Kiwanis All-Inclusive Playground and many others.
John’s family has requested that memorials be directed to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund or to the John Newhouse Memorial at the Whitewater Community Foundation (WCF). WCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Checks made payable to the Whitewater Community Foundation can be mailed to P.O. Box 428, Whitewater, WI 53190. Donations can also be made on-line at www.whitewatercommunityfoundation.org by clicking on the “Donate” button and selecting the designation for the John Newhouse Memorial. Donations will be used to fund a specific community project (yet to be determined by the family).