IN OUR COMMUNITY
WCHS Robotics - March Update
The Washington Community High School Robotics Team, Mechanical Monarchy #5442, has been busy working on their robot throughout January and February. The team has been working hard at designing, building, testing, programming, and driving their robot.
This year’s robot design contains an intake mechanism to collect game pieces (6” diameter foam balls) and then transfer them to a shooting mechanism which can launch the balls at different speeds and angles into the scoring target during each competition match.
The community is invited to come learn about the robotics program and see this year’s robot in action at the Mechanical Monarchy #5442 Open House event at Washington Community High School on Saturday, March 14th from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Also, come cheer for all of the area teams as they compete at the Central Illinois Regional FIRST Robotics Competition at Bradley University on March 20th - 21st! Entry into both the open house and the regional competition are free.
Easter Egg Hunt
The annual Washington District Easter Egg Hunt will be held rain, snow, or shine on Saturday, April 4th at 11:00 a.m. at the Washington Park Rotary Shelter.
Food Truck Festival
The largest variety of local food trucks in the area will be set up for business from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 23rd at Connect Center! Tables and chairs will be set up or bring your own chairs and have a great time for people of all ages! There will also be vendors (weather permitting), a balloon artist, and face painting.
Library Fun!
Check out some of these events at the Main Washington District Library!
STEAM: Powered by Air
March 5th I 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Enjoy a different STEAM-inspired activity on the first Thursday of each month.
Axes & Snaxes After Dark
March 13th I 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Compete against other small groups of detectives to complete the mystery while enjoying dinner from Michael’s.
Maximize Social Security
March 26th I 12:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
Cover Social Security basics, important claiming strategies, and answers to your questions.
For more library activities in March, visit https://washingtondl.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/March-Newsletter-2026.pdf
Glo Bingo
Glo Bingo returns on March 6th at Countryside Banquet Facility! Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with bingo to start at 7:00 p.m. The Park District is looking for sponsors, raffle donors, and table groups to help make this year’s event the biggest yet!
Over the past three years, YOU helped make huge things happen in Washington:
• $14,000 raised in 2023 - new pickleball courts
• $13,000 raised in 2024 - upgraded playground equipment
• $9,000 raised in 2025 - improvements to athletic fields
The 2026 Glo Bingo proceeds will once again support playground improvements across Washington so kids have safe, fun, and accessible places to play. To help sponsor the event or purchase tickets, vist https://apps.daysmartrecreation.com/dash/x/#/online/wpd/programs/9/level?facility_ids=1&
Interested in helping or want more details? Email swood@washingtonparkdistrict.com
Bunny Breakfast
Hop on over to the Five Points Banquet Rooms on Saturday, April 4th from 9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. for a fun-filled morning at the Washington Park District Bunny Breakfast! Enjoy a continental-style breakfast with donuts, rolls, bagels, juice, milk, and coffee. The cost is $5.00 per person (ages 1+).
Meet the Easter Bunny! Don’t forget to bring your own camera for photos! Limited seats may be available on the day of the event, so we recommend purchasing tickets in advance at https://apps.daysmartrecreation.com/dash/x/#/online/wpd/activity-finder/programs/9/levels/972?&facility_ids=1
Girl’s Day
Cure this cabin fever with a girl’s day at The Hub at 445 North Cummings Lane from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at The Hub. Back by popular demand is Sun & Strand with her incredible charm bar plus homemade jewelry.
In addition, Abi with Massage by Abigale will be offering 10-minute chair massages for $10.00! Be the first to shop our spring collection, sip on a Limoncello Spritz & enjoy a few hours pampering yourself. We’ve almost made it through another winter.. you deserve this!!
Egg-Streme Adult Easter Egg Hunt
Friday, March 27th I 6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Who said Easter Egg Hunts were just for kids? Relive the thrill of the hunt at the Adult Easter Egg Hunt at American Legion Post 100. This outdoor hunt will feature thousands of eggs redeemable for cash prizes, candy, and more! Price includes two drink tickets per person, pizza buffet, and access to the hunt. Bring a basket for your eggs and a flashlight. Get your tickets early at https://apps.daysmartrecreation.com/dash/x/#/online/wpd/activity-finder/programs/9/levels/973?
Lenten Mission Speaker
Monday, March 9th I 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church
GIVE UP WORRY FOR LENT presented by GARY ZIMAK
“In the Bible, the Lord tells us many times to “be not afraid.” Jesus knows that fear will keep us from drawing close to Him. But with His help, it is possible to break free from worry. God loves us and wants us to be at peace. All we have to do is let Him help us!”
Gary has led thousands of people closer to Jesus Christ through his parish missions. This Lent, be challenged to change your life.
Youth Sports Registrations
The Washington Park District now has open registration for tee ball, lacrosse, baseball, and softball. Find all the details and registration deadlines at their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WashingtonParkDistrict
A Washington Community Cookbook!
Celebrate the flavors, families, and traditions that make Washington home. Roots & Recipes: Tales and Tastes from Washington’s Kitchens is a community collection honoring the stories and recipes that have been shared for generations.
Available for purchase in person at the Washington Chamber of Commerce office at 105 S Spruce St., on the 2nd floor of the Washington Park District, only during office hours of Monday-Wednesday 9:30am-11:30am. For quick pick-up downstairs, please submit the below form or call (309) 444-9921 to place an order. Quantities are limited – secure your copy today at https://washingtonilcoc.com/cookbook/
Meet Belle
Bring your kids to meet their favorite princess! Belle will be posing for pictures and signing autographs from 5:30pm to 8:00 p.m. at the Original Festival of Food Trucks at the Connect Center in Washington on Monday, March 23rd.
Donate Sports Equipment
Branches of Washington is holding a Public Giveaway of used sports equipment on Saturday, Marcy 21st from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Sunnyland Chistian Union Church.
They are looking for donations! Currently accepting sports equipment, that still has some life left, in our collection bins located at Washington Park District, Five Points Washington, Team Works by Holzhauer, Inc., or arrange porch pickup.
Entertainment & Technology
Writing AI Prompts
Here’s a guide to writing better AI Prompts to optimize your results. A good prompt can be the difference between getting what you want and getting frustrating, irrelevant answers: https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/prompt-engineering-101-the-secret-formula-for-writing-ai-prompts-that-actually
Tech Tip
Do you wish your social feeds showed what you want? Use these steps to clean up your social media feed and cut the noise: https://cyberguy.com/tech-tips-tricks/clean-social-media-feed-cut-noise/
How AI Has Quickly Evolved
2018
- Google releases BERT, helping
computers understand sentences more
like humans do.
- Search engines and voice assistance
begin to feel noticeably smarter.
2019
- Apps like YouTube and Instagram vastly
improve recommending videos & posts.
- Phone cameras use AI to improve
photos automatically.
2020
- Early AI writing tools appear in emails
and apps.
- AI becomes better at fixing blurry photos
and enhancing images
2021
- AI models start powering chatbots,
writing helpers, and coding assistants.
2022
- People realize AI can write essays,
explain ideas and answer questions.
2023
- AI art and coding become common for
students and professionals.
2024
- AI becomes better at planning tasks and
analyzing documents.
- Governments and companies start
creating rules & safety guidelines for AI.
2025
- AI continues to become stronger and
awareness shifts from “AI can write” to
“AI can think through problems.”
Pokemon Day
Pokemon has announced that in honor of the 30th anniversary of the franchise, players will be able to enjoy Pokemon FireRed and Pokemon LeafGreen on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The release is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27th at 4:00 p.m. CST. Full story at: https://gamerant.com/pokemon-firered-leafgreen-switch-release/
Tax Season Scams
Every new tax season brings new tactics from scammers so be aware!
Refund Alerts
The message usually states that your refund has been delayed due to a verification issue and asks you to confirm your information. Do not click on the link provided, it will lead you to a fake government or tax filing site where they will capture your identity.
Fake IRS Emails and Texts
“Your account is under review. Immediate action is required to avoid penalties.” It may look real, but if you click and enter your social security number, date of birth, etc., the scammers have the information they need!
Verification Scams
The goal here is to make you panic by saying you need to act to restore an account or confirm if unusual activity took place. Be sure to slow down so you can realize that it is very likely a scam.
TV Sun Outages
Spring TV sun outages began on Wednesday, February 25th and are expected to last through March 10th. You can expect to see video issues these days between the hours of 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Video outages will range from a few blips of interrupted video to channels that may go dark for several minutes.
Sun outages are a natural phenomenon that occurs in early spring and fall when the sun lines up directly behind the satellites that deliver TV signals. The sun’s energy interferes with the satellite’s signal and affects the signals received by the earth station.