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Happy birthday, Colonel Rock IV! Let’s paw-ty! Western Illinois University mascot Colonel Rock IV, aka “Ray,” will turn five Tuesday, Feb. 14. To celebrate the special day, a birthday party for Col. Rock IV will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the University Union Concourse. Participants can grab a quick photo with the birthday boy, enjoy cupcakes, grab a few freebies and sign Col. Rock IV’s official birthday card.
To commemorate the legacy of the late Col. Rock III (Rocky), who resurrected Western Illinois University's live mascot program when he joined the Leatherneck family on May 18, 2010 as a 16-week-old puppy, Rocky's face is now on an officially licensed and limited edition bobblehead, produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. Col. Rock IV's (Ray) bobblehead was unveiled on Jan. 7, 2022.
It's a grand day for Col. Rock IV (aka Ray) as his sweet face now graces an officially licensed and limited edition bobblehead, produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, and today's unveiling happens to be on National Bobblehead Day.