parkrun (spelled with a small p) is the world’s largest organized running activity, in which more than 1 million people participated last month alone. The weekly, free 5K run/jog/walk came to Heritage Harbor, in Ottawa on June 10th, 2017.  In the U.S., parkrun is spreading to the midwest, with arriving in Ottawa after opening earlier this year in the communities of Mansfield, Ohio and Eagan, Minnesota.

parkrun is uniquely inclusive – a free, weekly, volunteer-led event welcoming walkers, joggers, dogs on leashes, families with strollers and people with special needs.   In Ottawa at Heritage Harbor it is being created by local resident volunteers led Pierre Alexander and Tammy Barry.

Every Saturday in 15 countries around the world (and nine locations in the U.S.), 200,000 people or more gather in their local parks, typically at 9 am, rain or shine, for a 5 kilometer parkrun. Participants receive an email with their time results an hour or two afterwards.

The first parkrun was started in a London park by Paul Sinton-Hewitt, CBE, an IT expert and amateur runner, who has received an Ashoka Fellowship for social entrepreneurship and was granted a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth honoring his parkrun achievements.  For Sinton-Hewitt, parkrun is as much about building communities as running. 

As of 2017, 3.5 million people have signed up for parkrun, with more than 10,000 new participants weekly. In the US, parkruns began in 2012 in Livonia, Michigan. By the end of June, there will be 12 parkruns in the U.S., including Heritage Harbor.  

The American Cancer Society is partnering with parkrun US to promote healthy lifestyles. According to the Society, some of the most important things you can do to help reduce your cancer risk include being physically active on a regular basis and getting to and staying at a healthy weight throughout life.  Physical activity is an important component of weight control.  Running has been associated with numerous health benefits, notably, the potential to extend life by seven years.  By removing obstacles that keep people from physical activity and contact with parks, parkrun is helping them live healthier, happier lives.  Therefore, the American Cancer Society has endorsed parkrun to help increase the number of participants and events across the US.

The board of directors invite you and your family for a day of fun and camp activities. See camp for the first time or for the first time in a long time! Pack a picnic; grills and fire pits available. Staff will be around to answer questions about camp and the programs we offer. Tour the cabins, lodge, trails, and campsites. Stay after for an all age bingo night at McAtee lodge!

Reenactment and living history event is at the Reddick Mansion. Tour the mansion. Learn about the Old 11th Illinois regiment, their leader Col. W.H.L. Wallace, and the battles they were involved in. Ask questions of the soldiers about camp life. Watch them as they drill and shoot their muskets. Learn about the foods they ate. See old fashioned spinner and a blacksmith at work.

No advanced tickets sales.  Must purchase tickets at the door. $5/person, $20/family

Proceeds will go toward fixing the cemetery wall.

Get ready for a kite festival of high-flying fun for all ages!  This 2-day event will feature professional kite flying demonstrations from the Chicago Kite Company, a designated area for kids/family kite flying, children’s live entertainment, a candy drop, balloon artist, face painting, dunk tank, food vendors, and more!  Kites will be for sale on-site, but families are also encouraged to bring their own kites to fly the sunny skies.

We’ll be updating our Facebook page with event details and schedules as the date approaches, so be sure to go and “LIKE” our Facebook page!

*Event is subjected to change.

Learn to knit or crochet in a friendly
environment with knowledgeable people.

Events are at the Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum. See displays about Wallace and Dickey history, with a Civil War flag showcase included. Bus tours every 30 minutes will provide a rare opportunity to visit the Wallace-Dickey Cemetery, which is normally off limits on private property. Tour the museum to view the Ottawa History wing; displays include our glass industries, I&M Canal history, Radium Girls, Veterans displays, and more. Also open is the Scouting Heritage wing showing the complete history of world Scouting, with Baden-Powell and Boyce histories, uniforms, handbooks, hundreds of patches, and more.

No advanced tickets sales.  Tickets must be purchased at the door. $15/person, $25/family.

New members are always welcome to join this librarian-led book club. Copies of
the book will be available for check out from the library.
Book Summary: When Athena Liu, literary darling, dies in freak accident, down-onher-luck author June Hayward steals her
unpublished manuscript and publishes it under the ambiguous name Juniper Song.
As evidence threatens June’s stolen success, she will discover exactly how far
she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

Find out what quest your dungeon master has created for you.
Will you survive? Will you accomplish your goals?