ROCKFORD

World Series trophy in Freeport, Rockford

The Chicago Cubs World Series trophy is coming to Freeport and Rockford.

The hardware — won by the Cubs in November with a Game 7 World Series triumph over the Cleveland Indians — will make separate stops in Freeport and Rockford on Sunday.

An appearance is scheduled between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Freeport’s Masonic Temple, 305 W. Stephenson St. It moves to Rockford and the BMO Harris Bank main concourse, 300 Elm St. from 3:30-6:45 p.m. prior to and during the Rockford IceHogs hockey game.

The availability is limited to 1,500 fans who have tickets to that day’s game with the Chicago Wolves as well as a special gold wristband distributed by the team. IceHogs officials said 200 additional fans might also have an opportunity depending on time.

The trophy will also be part of an on-ice ceremony prior to the game. Tickets to Sunday’s game are still available at (815) 968-5222 or online at www.icehogs.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

The World Series trophy makes a suburban Chicago stop on Saturday at Naperville City Hall from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Appearances are also planned in Bloomington, Champaign, Elgin and the Quad Cities along with stops in Indiana and Iowa. It will also be on display during the annual Cubs Convention in Chicago from Jan. 13-15.

The World Series Trophy, also known as the Commissioner’s Trophy, was originally created by Major League Baseball in 1967. Each year, one full-sized trophy is constructed and presented to the winner of the World Series by the Baseball Commissioner.

More information on the trophy tour is available at http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/fan_forum/trophy-tour/

Still time to register for classes at Rockford University

Classes for the spring 2017 semester begin on Tuesday, January 17, at Rockford University and there is still time to enroll. Students in all levels of education are served including first-year students, transfer students, international students, veterans, and adult students.

Spring semester offers opportunities for both first-year students to begin their academic career, and transfer students to advance in Rockford University’s traditional undergraduate programs. Financial aid and scholarships are still available for full-time traditional undergraduate students.

Rockford University is a four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. The University offers approximately 80 majors, minors and concentrations and currently serves approximately 1,300 students.

Visit www.rockford.edu for more information.

REGION

Warming centers open in extreme cold

The City of Rockford Human Services Department, a Community Action Agency, has announced updates to the list of warming centers in Winnebago and Boone counties during the winter season.

These facilities provide safe and warm locations during extreme cold temperatures for those without housing as well as those who may not have the resources to heat their homes adequately.

Winnebago County sites:

The Carpenter’s Place, 1149 Railroad Avenue, Rockford, Monday-Friday, 8:15 a.m.-3 p.m.

Women’s Crisis Center of the Rockford Rescue Mission, 715 W. State Street, Rockford,

Women and Children Only, 8 a.m.-5 p.m./7days a week

Men’s Crisis Center of the Rockford Rescue Mission, 715 W. State Street, Rockford, 7 a.m.-7 p.m./7 days a week, meals served 3 times per day at 7 a.m., Noon, 5:30 p.m.

Pecatonica Village Hall, 405 Main Street, Pecatonica, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m.

Village of Machesney Park, 300 Roosevelt Road, Machesney Park, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Boone County sites;

Salvation Army, 422 S. Main Street, Belvidere, Monday-Friday, 9-11:45 a.m., 1-4 p.m., Belvidere Public Safety Building, 615 N. Main Street, Belvidere, 24 hrs/7 days a week.

Area State Authorized sites:

Illinois Dept. of Human Services, Family Community Resource Center, 171 Executive Parkway, Rockford, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.(except State and Federal holidays).

Belvidere Oasis/Illinois Tollway, east of Belvidere Toll Plaza on Interstate 90, 24 hrs/7 days a week.

STATE

Make a resolution to volunteer in 2017

llinoisans donated millions of dollars to charity in 2016, while also contributing millions of hours of service with a value of more than $7 billion.

The Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (Serve Illinois) hopes to top that number and is asking everyone to resolve to volunteer more in 2017.

Thousands of community organizations are in desperate need for volunteers throughout the year, and many of those opportunities go unfilled. A great way to find a place to volunteer is by visiting www.Serve.Illinois.gov, where you can search through more than 2,500 volunteer opportunities throughout Illinois.

Serve Illinois is a 40 member (25 voting and 15 non-voting), bi-partisan board appointed by the Governor and administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing volunteerism and instilling an ethic of service throughout the state. Serve Illinois is accomplishing this mission through the support of local community-based efforts to enhance volunteer opportunities and the administration of Illinois’ AmeriCorps program.

For more information on Serve Illinois, visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov.