Congressman Sorensen tours Lockwood Park, discusses Stellantis

ROCKFORD (WREX) — Congressman Eric Sorensen made several stops around his hometown of Rockford Tuesday, starting off with an inside look at the Perks Family Equine Center at Lockwood Park, a Rockford Park District facility slated to open this spring. Children and young adults with mental, social and emotional challenges will be able to receive Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in partnership with reputable mental health providers. Sorensen has seen how the mental health crisis has affected not only his hometown, but also the entire country, and is proud to see a facility like this coming to Rockford.

"Kids on the other side of the pandemic are struggling," Sorensen said. "And this facility here today with equine therapy will help to lift up these kids before they enter a crisis. We have to understand, yes we have to solve the mental health crises in our country. This is a huge step to be able to do that."

The center aims to use horses to help kids with treatment, or just give them an outlet to get away from the things they struggle with in their daily life.

"This isn't about giving riding lessons to kids," Sorensen said. "This is about kids understanding they can open up to adults around horses."

Jennifer Winberg is the general manager of Lockwood Park. She's seen firsthand what horses can do to help someone through difficult circumstances. As someone whose been through that, she can't wait to bring this resource to the community.

"Our youth are in such crisis that we need all the resources we can get through support, whether that's coming and helping or financial support," she said.

More funding is needed to help the project meet its goal, but it is on track to open this spring. Having someone like Sorensen come see what it can do brings a deep sense of pride in what the project is bringing to Rockford.

"He was such a good listener and understood exactly what we were doing," Winberg said. "It was fantastic to have those conversations and have him pass those on."

13 WREX also asked Rep. Sorensen about the recent announcement of potential layoffs at Stellantis this week. The layoffs would be for workers who returned to the job just a couple of months ago at the Mopar Parts Distribution Center.

"You have to understand, especially when we look at the facility in Belvidere, this is a long-term solution," Sorensen said. "There are going to be hardships that we have to get through before we can get the new cars off the line there."

The plant will take a few years before it's slated to be back up and running later this decade.