Oct. 8 correction: In an Oct. 3 article titled “Rec center rewards visits,” the Northern Star incorrectly reported that when a participant reaches 25 points for the Rec Rewards program he or she earns a water bottle and when participants reach 50 points they earn a sports bag. The sports bag is earned after accumulating 25 points and the water bottle is earned after accumulating 50 points. The Northern Star has left the online version of this article unedited despite this correction to show our mistakes as they appeared in print.

Students can win free sports gear with the Rec Rewards program at the Campus Recreation Center.

The Rec Rewards program awards points for different activities, according to the Recreation Center’s website. Once a participant accumulates enough points, they will reach milestones where they are awarded free items.

Participants receive one point every time they exercise in the recreation center, the Chick Evans Field House or the gym in the New Residence Hall Complex, according to the Recreation Center’s website. Participants in other activities, like Outdoor Adventures, intramural tournaments and club sports, are awarded a variety of points.

Once a participant reaches 25 points, they are awarded a water bottle. At 50 points, participants win a sports bag and at 80 they win a T-shirt.

The Rec Rewards program gained over 740 participants in less than a month this year, said Greer Blaustein, marketing and public relations coordinator for the Recreation Center.

“We’re really excited about that,” Blaustein said.

There are over 350 people actively participating and counting their points, Blaustein said. She said students can fill out a card at the front desk and then sign in each time they visit.

The Recreation Center tried to get more people involved by making Rec Rewards more student-friendly this year, Blaustein said.

Kassandra Salgado, sophomore family and child studies major, said she hasn’t heard about the Rec Rewards program before.

“That’s weird because I’m at the Rec every day,” Salgado said.

Mitch Kazuk, senior broadcast journalism major, said he heard about the program as a pool lifeguard at NIU last year. No one seemed to care then, but this year the Recreation Center is strongly emphasizing signing up new members, Kazuk said.

He said he didn’t know his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club could earn points until recently.

“It’s not very well-publicized,” Kazuk said.

Kazuk said he would appreciate it more if he could substitute Outdoor Adventure trips for prizes. He said the Recreation Center could make Rec Rewards more student-friendly by linking the program to OneCards.

The Recreation Center will host a Homecoming 5K on Oct. 13. At the 5K, students can earn three extra Rec Rewards points by volunteering, running or walking. Outdoor Adventures is also offering a Thanksgiving trip that will offer bonus points, Blaustein said.

“There’s really nothing to lose,” Blaustein said. “It’s completely free, we’re just rewarding you for making healthy life choices.”