July 27, Rock River Trail Founder and Coordinator Frank Schier and Rock River Trail Initiative (RRTI) Council member for Lee County, Debbie Thompson, distributed $4,000 worth of location and safety signs donated by the City of Rockford to three Illinois cities. Byron Forest Preserve District received signs for their new campground created for the trail. Oregon Park District’s Erin Folk (pictured above right) and her maintenance crew received two warning signs, a launch and portage location signs for the dangerous Oregon Dam. (Photos by Debbie Thompson and Frank Schier)

The Quad Cities River Action’s Dan McNeil and Kathy Wine (pictured center right and lower left) also received those signs for the Milan Dam near the mouth of the Rock River. The recipients and RRTI wish to thank Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey, City Administrator Jim Ryan, Public Works Director Tim Hanson, and the great guys who did such great work with the signs: Kwame Calvin, C.J. Jones and Dave Peters. Additional signs were delivered to the upper Rock River in Wisconsin, and sections of the Rock River Trail were opened — more photos next week.