Park District's Website Overhauled

The Mokena Community Park District's website received a total revamp this week, with a brand new layout, links to every event and online registration now available.

The Mokena Community Park District's website looks a little bit different following a total facelift this week. The website, which now features photos, a full events calendar and more went live late this week. Gone is the old, mainly white page with a simple links bar in the middle, and in its place sits a highly interactive site full of information about all activities, classes, parks and more. On the homepage sits a scrolling photo box with pictures from around Mokena parks and facilities, next to an interactive upcoming events box which has fully click-able links to specific events pages. Along the top of the site sits the main navigation bar, which will allow residents to peruse several areas of the park district, including the ability…

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Training For Your First 5K

From spring to fall, you can typically find at least one 5K race in every town. This year, you can participate in the races by training now.

Tomorrow begins what I like to refer to as a never-ending stream of 5K runs and/or walks that continue through autumn. First up is the Dollars for Scholars 5K Run & Walk, which raises money for Joliet Junior College’s student scholarships. Like most 5Ks, this run takes place at an early hour of your Saturday morning. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with a race-day entry fee of $30, and the race begins at 9 a.m. The run loops through JJC’s Main Campus and Will County Forest Preserve trails. If you ignore every mention of a 5K -- like I did for years -- it’s time you consider participating in one. No matter how old you are, 5K events usually offer the choice of running or walking, and they usually donate the entry fee money to good causes…

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Parenting Parley

From Foreign Languages to Forging Relationships: Choosing the Right Preschool

How do you choose the right preschool for your child, or do you even send them at all?

The Illinois Early Learning Project lists five factors that parents should consider when choosing a preschool: teachers, curriculum, safety, happiness of the students and expected level of parental involvement. These were not exactly the factors I was looking for when I chose a preschool for my children. I would have to say cost was at the top of my list, followed...probably...by cost...and then safety and then happiness and so on. Luckily, as errant as my methods may have been, after just one year of floundering about the preschool wilderness, I stumbled onto one that fit all of our needs. The teachers were kind and willing to explain the curriculum. The kids were behaved and involved, and the place was locked up like Fort Knox during …

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New Mokena Community Park District Program Helps Disabled Veterans Stay Healthy

Disabled Veterans can soon enjoy one free year of membership at The Oaks Recreation and Fitness Center and 15 personal training sessions through the new “Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies” program.

Marty Hand of Mokena has lived an active lifestyle. In his youth, Hand partook in an array of sports. From 1974 to 1977, he served on a base in the U.S. Army. But he said he has also "experienced a lot of wear and tear" in his life, which has resulted in 11 to 13 surgeries, including two shoulder surgeries, two back surgeries, two Achilles surgeries, knee surgeries and "a bunch of other minor ones." Recently, Hand read in a local paper that the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association (LWSRA) is beginning a veterans fitness program, "Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies," at the Oaks Recreation and Fitness Center in Mokena. "We like to be on cutting edge with new programs," said Keith Wallace, superintendent of recreation with LWSRA. After …

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Stockings For Our Troops Takes an Emotional Turn

Turnout at annual holiday stocking-decorating event sees increase in turnout for fourth straight year.

Mike Schatzman, clad in his standard-issue U.S. Army fatigues, caused all eyes to turn in his direction when he entered the Oaks Fitness and Recreation Center's field house Thursday to decorate a stocking with his fiancée, Cassie Fremouw. Schatzman has been serving with the U.S. Army for two years and is on leave until Sunday. "If I do this, while I'm overseas, someone will do it for me," Schatzman said. The event, Stockings For Our Troops, has been hosted by the Mokena Community Park District for the past four years. The event partners with Operation Care Package in Joliet to send custom-made stockings filled with donated personal items, from razors to playing cards to drink mixes, to U.S. service members overseas.  Mary Beth Windberg, …

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Costumed Kids Flocked to Halloween Hollow

With so many activities to choose from at this year's Halloween Hollow, kids of every age found something enjoyable.

Families flocked to the Mokena Community Park District's 29th annual Halloween Hollow. Saturday morning began with a costume parade and costume contests for each grade level, preschool through junior high, best group costume and best overall costume. Afterward, children participated in a variety of activities, including a petting zoo, horse riding, pumpkin decorating, face painting, carnival rides, pumpkin patch, candy eating, mini golf and more. Adults could also find activities to keep them busy, such as looking at arts and crafts, voting on the haunted woods walk's scenes, creating a scarecrow out of straw and old clothing, enjoying treats from the food vendors, listening to live music and more.

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