Our Early Explorers Preschool students celebrated the arrival of cooler fall weather with a fun-filled field trip to Roca Berry Farm!
The children spent one of the first cool days of the season exploring the pumpkin patch and enjoying all the exciting activities the farm had to offer. From racing down slides and bouncing on giant jumping pillows to exploring the farm and picking out their very own pumpkins, there was no shortage of smiles, laughter, and excitement!
One of the highlights of the day was watching each child search for that perfect pumpkin to take home. It was a wonderful opportunity for our preschoolers to enjoy the outdoors, explore the sights and sounds of fall, and make special memories with their friends.
Field trips like these are an important part of our Early Explorers program, giving children opportunities to learn, explore, and experience new things beyond the classroom.
Willard Community Center would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Nathan family for their generous donation of learning materials and toys to our Early Explorers Early Childhood Program!
These wonderful additions will provide our youngest learners with new opportunities to explore, discover, and develop important skills through hands-on learning and play.
Donations like these help us continue to create a fun, engaging, and nurturing environment where children can learn and grow.
We are incredibly grateful to the Nathan family for their kindness, generosity, and support of our Early Explorers program. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of the children we serve!
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Willard Community Center invites area adults and seniors to join us for our October Potluck on Wednesday, October 21, beginning at 10:45 AM.
This month, Willard will provide spaghetti and meatballs as the main dish. Attendees are encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert to share and enjoy a morning of good food, conversation, and community.
Our monthly potlucks are a great opportunity to meet new people, catch up with friends, and learn more about the Adult & Senior activities happening at Willard Community Center.
We hope you’ll join us on October 21!
Willard Community Center is excited to announce the return of the annual Schroder Park Wellness Campus Trunk-or-Treat on Friday, October 30, from 6:30–7:30 PM!
This year, we’re making the event even bigger by partnering with Lincoln Industries, and we have a new location! The 2026 Trunk-or-Treat will be held at Lincoln Industries, located at 600 West E Street, just a few blocks from the Schroder Park Wellness Campus.
Families are invited to dress up in their favorite costumes and join us for an evening of trick-or-treating and Halloween fun. We look forward to welcoming our community for another great year of this popular fall tradition!
Interested in hosting a trunk? Local businesses, organizations, and community groups are invited to participate by decorating a trunk and handing out treats. Contact Sarah Reinke at Willard Community Center at 402-475-0805 by October 10, to reserve your spot.
Save the date, spread the word, and we’ll see you on October 30!
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Willard Community Center is hoping to add a new opportunity to our growing Adult & Senior Program: Hooks & Chatter Class!
We are currently looking for a crochet instructor who would be interested in sharing their skills with others and helping us get this new group started. We hope to create a welcoming, social environment where adults and seniors can learn the basics of crochet, work on projects, visit with others, and enjoy creating together.
Whether you have years of crochet experience or simply have the skills and patience to teach beginners, we would love to hear from you!
If you are interested in becoming our Hooks & Chatter Class instructor, or know someone who might be a great fit, please contact Maureen at Willard Community Center at 402-475-0805 or maureenb@willardcommunitycenter.org
Help us spread the word as we continue adding new ways for adults and seniors to learn, connect, and create at Willard!
Willard Community Center kicked off our first intergenerational activity of the school year with an afternoon of creativity, connection, and a sweet treat!
Children and adults came together to create sunflower crafts before enjoying ice cream sundaes. Activities like these provide a fun opportunity for different generations to spend time together, build relationships, and learn from one another.
One of the things that makes Willard special is the many generations we have under one roof each day. From our youngest children to the adults and seniors who participate in our programs, we love finding ways to bring everyone together and create meaningful connections.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make our first intergenerational activity of the school year a wonderful one. We look forward to many more opportunities to connect throughout the year!
Willard Community Center was grateful to welcome Michelle from Nelnet as a volunteer during Nelnet’s All In Week!
Michelle spent her volunteer time helping prepare fresh baby food for the infants in our Early Explorers Early Childhood Program. Together, we prepared a variety of foods and combinations, including banana and pumpkin, banana and peanut butter, steamed squash, green beans, berry blends, squash and pumpkin, steamed sweet potatoes, and steamed carrots.
Providing our infants with a variety of fruits, vegetables, flavors, and textures gives them opportunities to explore new foods and helps encourage healthy eating habits from an early age.
We are thankful to Michelle for sharing her time with Willard and helping us stock up on nutritious options for some of our youngest community members. We also appreciate Nelnet’s All In Week for encouraging employees to give back to organizations throughout our community!
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Willard Community Center has been incredibly fortunate to receive so many thoughtful donations throughout the summer and past few months. From books and toys to meals, fresh eggs, school supplies, and classroom materials, these donations have directly supported our programs and the children, families, and community members we serve.
We would like to extend a special thank you to:
We are grateful to have so many individuals, families, organizations, and community partners who think of Willard when they have items to share. These contributions help us stretch our resources further while providing new experiences and needed supplies throughout our programs.
Thank you for the generosity and support you continue to show Willard Community Center. We appreciate all the love our community has shown us!
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Willard Community Center invites area adults and seniors to join us for our September Adult & Senior Potluck on Wednesday, September 16, from 10:45–11:45 AM.
Come enjoy a delicious meal, friendly conversation, and time spent connecting with others in the community. Willard will provide the main dish, and attendees are welcome to bring a side dish or dessert to share.
Please RSVP by calling the Willard Community Center at 402-475-0805 so we can plan accordingly.
We hope you’ll join us for another great potluck!
Great news! Due to the popularity and continued interest in our American Mahjong classes, Willard Community Center is excited to make Mahjong an ongoing weekly offering.
Join us every Tuesday from 3:30–5:30 PM for an afternoon of Mahjong, conversation, and fun. Whether you’ve participated in one of our previous classes or are interested in learning and playing with others, we’d love to have you join us.
American Mahjong classes are part of Willard’s Adult & Senior Program and are a great opportunity to stay active, learn something new, and connect with others in the community.
Classes are held at Willard Community Center, 1245 S. Folsom Street.
