University News

Col. Rock III (Rocky) Fifth Birthday Celebration March 3

February 26, 2015

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MACOMB, IL -- Take a "paws" out of your day Tuesday, March 3 and stop by the Western Illinois University Union Concourse to wish Western's favorite four-legged mascot a "happy birthday." Col. Rock III (aka Rocky), Western's official mascot, will turn 5 years old March 3 and members of the campus and Macomb communities can help him celebrate his day.

On Tuesday, March 3, Col. Rock III will be in the Union Concourse from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. giving out cupcakes and buttons (and posing for photos) to celebrate his birthday.

Rocky joined the WIU family in May 2010 as a 10-week-old pup. WIU alumnus Joe Roselieb, director of residential facilities at Western, is Rocky's "dad," providing him with a warm and caring home, teaching him new tricks (including riding a skateboard, which Roselieb said Rocky loves!), making sure he's healthy and taking him to numerous WIU and community events each year.

"With each passing year, I'm even more grateful to have had this opportunity to train Rocky and have him as a part of my household," Roselieb said. "He's got such a great personality, and he represents all that's wonderful about Western Illinois University. He just makes everyone happy."

The English bulldog was donated to Western by Richard and Beth Siess of the Siess Ranch in Seneca, KS. Dr. Karen Blakeley of Macomb's All Pets Veterinary Clinic and the WIU School of Agriculture, along with other University and community organizations and individuals, make sure Col. Rock's care is tended to.

To help supplement funding for Rocky's care, the Western Illinois University Foundation established the Col. Rock III Fund, which helps meet travel-related, food, healthcare and "clothing" expenses. Donating is simple: text the word Rocky to 84700 to make a $10 contribution to the WIU Foundation. Donations, made payable to WIU Foundation, can also be sent to: WIU Foundation, 303 Sherman Hall, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1390. Contributors who send in donations are asked to include a note that designates the gift for Rocky's Fund.

And for another way to support Col. Rock III, walkers and runners can register for the Second Annual WIU Purple & Gold Day Rocky Run Sturday, April 25. Proceeds from the run, which is sponsored by the WIU Alumnni Association in conjunction with the annual Purple & Gold Day celebration, will go to the Col. Rock III Fund through the WIU Foundation. To register, visit wiu.edu/alumni/saa.php.

To follow Col. Rock on Facebook type Colonel Rock in the search bar or go to his page at facebook.com/Col.RockIII. Recent Col. Rock photo shoots can be found at https://photocart.wiu.edu/index.php?category=19. Archived shoots, taken by his personal shutterbugs (WIU's Visual Production Center photographers), can be found at http://photos.wiu.edu/lightbox/. Click on "Colonel Rock III."

For more information on Rocky's Fund, contact the WIU Foundation Office at (309) 298-1861.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing