Newsroom

AURORA – In honor of all community members who have served in the Armed Forces, the Fox Valley Park District is hosting a Veterans Day Luncheon from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 9, at the Prisco Community Center (150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora).

The luncheon is free to veterans and will be catered by Upper Crust. Also, Honor Flight Chicago will share information on its program and the many benefits it provides veterans. Prize drawings and entertainment are included as well.

Visit the Vaughan Center any day of the week, any week of the year, and you get the feeling that life is a 24/7 celebration.

That’s because it is – at least for the 11,000-plus members who utilize this fantastic facility on a regular basis. Being active and enjoying exercise not only makes for a healthy body, but a sharper mind as well. Each workout is an exercise in mood elevation.

AURORA – The Fox Valley Park District will celebrate the Halloween season with its annual marquee event – Halloween Family Fun Night – from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, at the Prisco Community Center (150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora)

A Line Dancing class for beginners will be offered at Blackberry Farm beginning Oct. 10.

The six-week class will meet for two hours every Wednesday through Nov. 14 and is taught by veteran dancer and choreographer Dan Lovellette, a well-known instructor who taught popular Country Line Dancing classes in North Aurora for over 10 years.

AURORA – The Fox Valley Park District will hold a free “Paws in the Park” festival from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7, at Lincoln Park in Aurora.

We all enjoy a walk in the park, but there’s somebody who likes it even more than we could possibly imagine.

OK, technically, they’re not people, but we won’t let details get in the way of the great relationships we share with our dogs.

AURORA – Blackberry Farm will celebrate the fall season throughout the month of October with its popular Pumpkin Weekends beginning Saturday, Oct.6.

Each weekend – and Columbus Day (Oct. 8) – Blackberry Farm will be festively decorated in the spirit of pumpkin season. A picnic area will feature an assortment of pumpkins for purchase, and a decorating station with painting supplies is provided.

The fall season is the best time of year, at least in my autumn-loving opinion. Mild days and cool nights – not too hot, not too cold – combine with the brilliant fall colors and wall-to-wall football on the weekends to make this the sweetest season of all.

Whether you’re an experienced runner who trains regularly – or the casual type who only runs between the couch and fridge – a common trait runs between.

We all run faster when we’re chasing something – or being chased.

Throw in a little fear, anxiety, adrenalin – three powerful motivators – and it can feel as though you’re running for your life.

They were founded during different eras, but their commonalities are many. A river not only runs between them; it binds these agencies together.

In 1947, the Fox Valley Park District was created as a governing body that would preserve and protect scenic vistas along the Fox River. The vision was for all residents to enjoy this precious resource, the recreation it afforded, and the natural beauty it brought to the communities it unites.