DuPage County briefs

Can you spell s-e-n-i-o-r?:

A Senior Spelling Bee, hosted by state Sen. Carole Pankau and state Rep. Franco Coladipietro, will be at 1:30 p.m. June 2 at Windsor Park Manor, 124 Windsor Park Drive, Carol Stream. Anyone older than 50 will have their chance to test their spelling skills and qualify for the finals, which will take place Aug. 17 at the Illinois State Fair. Seniors can preregister by calling (630) 582-0390 or (630) 582-0045.

Canoe race volunteers wanted:

Fox Valley Park District is seeking volunteers for the 48th annual Mid-American Canoe & Kayak Race, which takes place June 7 on the Fox River between St. Charles and Aurora. For the first time, Mid-American will feature two race lengths - a 10-mile route from St. Charles that starts at 9 a.m. and a 6-mile route from Batavia that begins at 10:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed at both start areas to help organize racers and assist with crowd and traffic control. Volunteers also will be needed around the finish area at McCullough Park in Aurora to help as spotters, post race results, and assist park staff during the post-race party and awards ceremony.

And the winners are...

The 2009 Lilac Parade Festival Committee has announced the winners of this year's parade, held May 17. The theme was "Books on Parade," and the winners in the category of civic floats (amateur made) are: YMCA Indian Princess - Comanche, Hopi and Ute, first place for the Wizard of Oz; YMCA Indian Guides and Papoose, second place for Dr. Seuss; Cub Scout Pack 40, third place for Encyclopaedia Brittanica; and Flames Softball, third place for The Book of Softball. High school marching band honors go to Glenbard East High School, first; Willowbrook High School, second; and Kaneland High School, third. Middle-school marching band winners are Marquardt Middle School, first; Westlake Middle School, second; and Dist. 45, third. Next year's parade theme is "Honor Your Heritage."

Wellness for veterans:

Chiro One Wellness Centers of Oak Brook will sponsor "Red, White and Extraordinary Wellness Week" to reach out to returning veterans. The event will include free wellness evaluations. The center will offer a focused exam, two X-rays and a digital orthotic foot scan. The scans will be available from May 26 through May 28 at Chiro One Wellness Centers, 2210 Camden Court, Oak Brook. For more information, or to make a reservation, call (630) 468-1820. The center is open from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.

Wheeling out justice:

The Carol Stream Police Department will hold its ninth annual "Wheels of Justice" event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The emergency vehicle show will be held to recognize the department's DARE program. The vehicles will be displayed at Town Center at Lies Road and Gary Avenue. The day also will include a simulated DUI driving course and child safety seat inspections. Admission is free. For details, contact Officer Chuck Ranweiler at (630) 871-6215 or cranweiler@carolstream.org.