Guest speaker at meeting discusses solar energy proposal
Benjamin Butke, the son of Tanya and Dan Butke, and Maira Leep Simental, the daughter of Maria Simental, were selected as the Delavan Rotary Club students of the month for February.
Butke participates in, basketball, baseball, football (two years) and was a representative at Badger Boys State.
He volunteers with the Delavan youth basketball program, the Delavan-Darien Athletic Booster Club’s fair booth, the Comet Care Center at the high school, the Delavan Legion haunted house, Delavan Lanes (new lane installation), set-up at the LaCrosse America tournament, gym floor installation at St. Andrews church and has volunteered with the Delavan Area Youth Service foundation.
After high school Butke will attend UW-Whitewater and plans to study psychology and photography.
Simental participates in tennis, orchestra and is a Comet Mentor. She is a member of the National Honor Society.
She volunteers at Phoenix Middle School concerts, helps with childcare at Turtle Creek Elementary and previously at Wileman Elementary, volunteers with the Delavan-Darien Athletic Booster Club’s fair booth and the Wisconsin Education Fair.
After high school Simental will George Williams College – Aurora University and major in nursing.
As recipients of this award they were escorted by an administrator from DDHS to the Rotary Club’s luncheon, held Feb. 12 at the Delavan Lake Store.
In a press release, school officials congratulated Benjamin and Mairi on being selected for the prestigious award.
Solar energy discussed
Also at the Feb. 12 meeting, the Rotary heard from Stacey Kincaid of Invenergy, Darien’s Solar Energy Center. It’s a new proposed solar power generation facility in Walworth and Rock counties.
According to Kincaid, the hope is to bring clean, renewable solar powered energy to local towns and as of now, it’s one of the lowest cost energy sources available.
The center, whose home base is in Darien, will be able to power roughly 50,000 homes, will offer career opportunities, emission reductions and will help support local farmers, education and more.
Kincaid explained that the timeline for the proposed project is: 2019-20, development; 2021-22 construction; 2022-23, operation.
