Community Calendar

The Northwest District Elks Lodges in cooperation with the Illinois Elks Children’s Care Corporation will sponsor a free children’s orthopedic assessment clinic on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Rockford. The clinic is from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and is by appointment only. To make an appointment call the Illinois Elks Children’s Care office at 1-800-272-0074 between the hours of 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. There are no charges for any services at this clinic.

The Elks will hold the clinic at the Ortho Illinois office of Dr. Scott Ferry. The office is located at 324 Roxbury Road, in Rockford. The hours for the clinic are 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

No medical referral is necessary for the clinic, but physicians are welcome to refer patients to the clinic for a specific reason or second opinion. School nurses are welcome to refer children and families to the clinic. The clinic is an ideal time to have a child reviewed for bone and joint development.

Get ready to tee off for a cause at RAMP’s Bad Pants Open, a wildly fun 9-hole golf scramble at Timber Pointe Golf Course in Poplar Grove! Mark your calendar for a day of golf, laughter, and impact—all while rocking your most outrageous pants.
Gather your team and compete for individual and team prizes (the bolder the pants, the better!). Enjoy contest holes, a delicious dinner, and an exciting silent auction, all in support of RAMP’s mission to empower individuals with disabilities.
Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just in it for the fun, your participation helps create a more inclusive, accessible community where every story matters. So dust off those bad pants, bring your best game, and join us for an unforgettable day on the course!

Draw, craft, or make-and-take and display your creativity at Teen Art Club! We’ll have new projects and art materials to try at every meeting.

This program is intended for teens in grades 6-12. No registration is required but this program is first come, first served as supplies are limited.

For additional information, please contact Jesus at juanb@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3401.

Speakers:

Amin Vahedian, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems, NIU College of Business

Doğa Murat Kürkçüoğlu, Ph.D., Staff Scientist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Join us to learn about the current state of computing, as well as the social impacts and ethical challenges presented by developments such as large language models and quantum computing.

Amin Vahedian is an assistant professor of Operations Management and Information Systems (OM&IS) in the NIU College of Business. He’ll talk about Deep Learning, which is the underlying technology of Large Language Models (LLM), the latest (and perhaps most impressive) manifestation of Artificial Intelligence in the public sphere. Dr. Vahedian will explore the ethical challenges and shortcomings inherent to Deep Learning and what those shortcomings mean for users of technology. For example, one surprising feature of LLMs is that they are not necessarily trained to be correct in their responses.

Doğa Murat Kürkçüoğlu is a staff scientist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory whose research includes designing new algorithms for the particle accelerator technology, devising quantum simulations of condensed matter and high-energy physics theories, and developing machine learning algorithms. Dr. Kürkçüoğlu will talk about the status of quantum technology today, what quantum computing promises for the future, and what is hype and not hype about quantum computing. He’ll explore the importance of quantum computing not only for science, but also for national security and society more broadly.

Spring is here and NIAAA is having our 2nd photo contest. We hope to have all nine counties we serve represented. We are looking for an iconic photo to represent each county: it should be something easily recognizable, a hidden treasure or notable view.

Please remember, this contest is open to everyone so please feel free to submit your own entries.

Spring is here and NIAAA is having our 2nd photo contest. We hope to have all nine counties we serve represented. We are looking for an iconic photo to represent each county: it should be something easily recognizable, a hidden treasure or notable view.

Please remember, this contest is open to everyone so please feel free to submit your own entries.

Severson Dells staff lead this engaging program that introduces children and their parents to great nature books. After the story, participate in an outdoor activity that relates to the book's theme. Ages 5-9. FREE!

Lean into your creative side and learn to draw woodland animals and plants with the guidance of local artist Pete Stasukevich. This weekly series is geared for ages 6 through adult. Participants can pay a one-time $10 fee to receive a drawing book and erasable pen, or participate for free and bring their own drawing materials.

Author and presenter Cyndee Shaffer uses excerpts from her mother’s letters written home during WWII to provide a romantic yet frightful glimpse into the life of a woman in uniform during this crucial time in history. Cyndee will detail her mother’s experiences from basic training in 1943 to a dramatic image of seeing the Statue of Liberty in the midst of darkness in November 1945 when she returned home.

This event is FREE and open to the public – no library card required to sign up. Registration is required. Thank you to Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speakers Bureau for sponsoring this event.

Join us for the longest day of the year as we wander through the woods and prairie with short stops to read select excerpts of poetry and books that celebrate the sun. All ages!