This has been reposted to reflect the updated date and time after the event was rescheduled. The event will happen on May 4.
URBANA, Ill. – The University of Illinois Police Department is collaborating with the Illinois Army ROTC, Chez Veterans Center, Urbana Park District and the YMCA to invite community members to family-oriented event to support wounded veterans.
The event – called “Cherries and Berries” in reference to the red and blue lights on police cars – will happen from noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign South Quad.
Attendees can expect a series of fun events, including opportunities to take pictures with University Police patrol vehicles and ATVs, inflatables, and other games and activities. The event will also feature a dunk tank where participants can pay $1 per attempt to dunk an Illini All-Star. All proceeds will go to the Chez Veterans Center Fund.
Those scheduled to take a seat in the dunk tank include:
- University Police Officer Pete Milinkovic
- A veteran from the Chez Veterans Center
- Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean of Student Support and Advocacy Stephen Bryan
- University Police Sergeant Ryan Snow
- UIPD Crisis Counselor Becky Rowe
The event is open to all members of the community and is, in part, an opportunity to engage with University Police officers, veterans and other community partners.
“Genuine relationships with our students and community members enable us to provide the best service possible when it comes to campus safety,” said University Police Chief Alice Cary. “Recently, we have sought to really step up our outreach efforts, and that has created thousands of positive community interactions in the past year. Even better if we can do something like the Cherries and Berries event and support a worthy cause while developing those positive relationships.”
