Rockford University will host a series of summer sports camp next month, with locations mostly on campus.

ROCKFORD

Summer meal program runs June 13-July 11

Rockford Public Schools will provide free weekday meals for kids 18 and younger June 13-July 11. 

Children don’t have to be RPS 205 students to receive a meal. RPS 205 will offer meals at the following sites: Barbour, Ellis, Gregory, Rolling Green, Summerdale, RESA, Wilson ASPIRE, Roosevelt and Welsh.

Meals are also offered at Auburn, Guilford and Jefferson high schools.

For more information, call the Nutrition Services Department: 815-966-3033 .

ROCKFORD

Register now for RU sports camps

The Rockford University Athletics Department is hosting Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball youth sports camps. All camps are run by University coaches, players and staff members. Registration is currently open for all camps. Camps include:

Rockford Area Summer Baseball Camp

• Thursday-Friday, July 26-27, 2018
• Time: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Grades: 3rd-8th
•  Location: Smith Athletic Field – Rockford University Campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford

Regents Youth Basketball Camp

• Monday, July 23 – Thursday, July 26
• Grades: 3rd-8th (Boys and Girls)
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 
• Location: Seaver Center – Rockford University Campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford

Regents Youth Soccer Camp

• Monday, July 16 – Thursday, July 19
• Grades: 5th-8th (Boys and Girls)
• Regular Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ($100)
• Extended Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ($120)
• Location: Smith Athletic Field  – Rockford University Campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford

Rockford University High School Soccer Clinic

• Monday, July 16 – Thursday, July 19
• Grades: 9th-12th (Boys and Girls)
• Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ($60)
• Location: Smith Athletic Field – Rockford University Campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford

Volleyball – Hosted at UW Health Sports Factory

• All Skills Camp: June 11-14, 2018 (grades 3-8)
• All Skills Camp: June 18-21, 2018 (grades 3-8)
• All Skills Camp: July 16-19, 2018  (grades 3-8)
• Select Volleyball Camp: July 23-26, 2018 (ages 12–18)

FOREST PRESERVES

Agency announces fall scavenger hunt

The Forest Preserve District of Winnebago County will host a 24-hour event that takes visitors off the beaten path to discover the wild, weird, and wonderful secrets of Severson Dells and other sites.

Forest Quest begins the evening of Friday, Sept. 14 and wraps up the evening of Sept. 15 with a celebration featuring food and music at Severson Dells Nature Center.

Participants will be  hiking, talking to forest preserve staff, looking for clues and working as a team to answer about 75 questions related to Forest Preserves of Winnebago County. The team with the most points wins a fabulous grand prize! Second place prizes will also be awarded.

There are two categories for participation this year: Adults Only groups and Mixed Aged groups. The price starts at $50, but the scavenger hunt will be a bit harder for adults. groups. First and second place awarded in each category.

Register at http://www.seversondells.com/scavenger-hunt/

STATE

Governor candidates contribute mansion fix

After an almost $15 million renovation, Gov. Bruce Rauner and his wife, Diana, have moved back into the Governor’s Mansion in downtown Springfield. Rauner and his opponent in the November election, J.B. Pritzer, have both donated to the effort. So, whoever is the mansion’s next occupant, he has helped in the effort to make the mansion livable again.

Diana Rauner, the governor’s wife, has co-chaired the non-profit Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association, which raised the money for the work from private donors.

And, it turns out, a couple of those donors are Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker, and his wife, M.K. The Pritzker campaign says M.K. Pritzker was on the mansion association board before her husband’s bid for the office. A list of all donors is expected to be released this week.

The Rauners do not live in the mansion full time, but use it when they are in Springfield and for governmental social functions.

–Winnebago County News Briefs–