Fox Valley clubs briefs

To list your club's meetings, e-mail to foxvalley@dailyherald.com, or fax to (847) 608-0849.

McHenry County AARP: The McHenry County Chapter of AARP will meet on at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Fountains of Crystal Lake on Route 31, one mile north of Route176. Speaker will be chapter member Frank Kajihawa on internment during World War II. Refreshments will be served. For chapter information, call Glenn at (815) 477-1952 or Frances at (847) 658-7222.

Plato Center HCE: The Plato Center Unit of Home and Community Education will meet at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15 at the Plato Township Hall, 10N924 Rippenburger Road, Elgin. The hostesses are Jackie Anderson, Kay Muehling and Donna Zierer. The Lesson for Living is "Talking about Tough Topics," presented by Jackie Anderson, Shirley Petersen and Joan Rossi. They will be making plans for Fun Day/Fine Arts county meeting at St. Gall's Church in Elburn on Feb. 10. Reservations are required. Cost is $15 and due by Feb. 1. There will be entertainment and guests are welcome. The annual Christmas meeting on Dec. 4 at the Golden Corral was great fun. Everyone enjoyed themselves and a good time was had by all. Guests are welcome at this meeting, call Joan at (847) 931-8120 or to attend any of the 10 units in Kane County, call the Extension Office at (630) 584-6166.

Audubon Society: The Kane County Chapter of Illinois Audubon Society invites the public to these programs and activities.

On Saturday, Jan. 16, join Jerry Hope as he leads a car caravan on the rural roads of Kane County. Target birds for the day include snow buntings, horned larks, Lapland longspurs - birds not usually seen in town. The caravan will depart the Peck Farm Park parking lot at 8 a.m. It's a fun way to see the birds while staying warm. For details, call Jerry Hope at (630) 377-1444.

On Saturday, Jan. 23, join a road trip to "Bald Eagle Watch Weekend" at 8 a.m. at Starved Rock State Park. This event, hosted by Illinois Audubon Society, features live birds of prey presentations along with eagle viewing. If you have been wanting to see bald eagles, there will be plenty of mature and immature ones to see. More information is available at the IAS website. Contact Tim Balassie, the trip leader, at (630) 513-7345 if you have further questions.

Visit kanecountyaudubon.org. For information on Illinois Audubon Society, call Tom Clay at 217-544-BIRD (2473) or visit illinoisaudubon.org.

Elgin Area LWV: The League of Women Voters of the Elgin Area and Gail Borden Public Library will hold a candidates forum at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17 at the library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. This forum prior to the primary election is open to the public.

Only candidates with a primary opponent will be featured. The offices invited are the Republican candidates for the Kane County Sheriff and Treasurer's offices, Democratic candidates for District 17 of the Kane County Board and Democratic and Republican candidates for the 16th Circuit judicial race.

County board candidates will appear at 2 p.m. and judicial candidates will appear at 3 p.m.

Candidates will make a statement and then take questions from the audience. For information, call (847) 697-0988.

VFW Men's Auxiliary: The Elgin Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1307 Men's Auxiliary will host an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 17. Advance tickets are $5 for adults. Tickets at the door are $6 for adults and $4 for children age 12 and younger. The VFW is at 1601 Weld Road. Advance ticket sales end at noon Saturday, Jan. 16.

League of Women Voters: The League of Women Voters offers a candidate forum for contested races for the 14th Congressional District at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18 at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles. Contested candidates for state Senate District 25 and state Representative District 50 also will participate in this forum. This forum is sponsored by the Leagues of Geneva-St. Charles, Batavia and Elgin. The public is invited and will have an opportunity to submit questions for the candidates. The forum will be moderated by a member of the League of Women Voters. The forum also will include a panel of representatives from the media. At the end of the forums, audience members will be invited to meet informally with the candidates. Visit lwvgenstc.org.

Elgin American Legion: American Legion Post 57, 820 N. Liberty St. in Elgin, hosts a variety of activities and events which are open to the public. The American Legion Hall is available for rental for any event. For details, call (847) 741-1684. Stop by for its weekly Family Burger and Steak Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays. Or enjoy the weekly Friday Night Fish Fry from 4 to 7 p.m. at the post home. It features your choice of haddock, perch, catfish, and shrimp with all the trimmings.

The American Legion serves lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. There are miscellaneous lunch specials on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and spaghetti and roast beef sandwich lunch on Thursdays, and fried chicken or fish fry lunch on Fridays.

Post 57 also invites the community to bingo every Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m. with Early Bird Bingo, and regular bingo at 2 p.m. It is also offered on Fridays with Early Bird Bingo beginning at 7 p.m. and regular bingo at 7:30 p.m.

DAR: Kishwaukee Trail Chapter, National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, representing McHenry County, will hold its next gathering Jan. 18 at Home State Bank's Community Room in the lower level, 611 S. Main St., Crystal Lake. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. followed by a program "Revolutionary War Era Clothing" presented by Donna Finegan of Palatine, a colonial-era textile expert, www.donnafineganantiques.com After the meeting and program, the group will gather for a brown bag or box lunch.

The DAR, founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education. For more information about the DAR, call Cathy Carlton, Regent, at (815) 337-1818. For DAR membership information, call Marcia Flanagan, Registrar, at (815) 648-4941. To order a $10 box lunch, call Kathy Hartke at (847) 639-4205.

Elgin Genealogical Society: The Elgin Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 in the first-floor meeting room of the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave. in Elgin. After a short business meeting, society member Becky Higgins will present a program on "Getting Organized." Visitors and guests are also welcome. Get tips to start off this year's work with family documents and research. Visit elginroots.com for information and helpful links for genealogical research.

Carpentersville-Dundee LWV: The Carpentersville-Dundee League of Women Voters has invited candidates who are opposed in the Feb. 2 primary to a candidates forum on Thursday, Jan. 21. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Dundee Township Park District Senior Center, 665 Barrington Ave., Carpentersville. The candidates who have been invited are: candidates for Kane County Treasurer David J. Rickert and Bob Kovanic; candidates for Kane County Sheriff Robert Russell and Donald E. Kramer. Also invited are Candidates for Kane County Board District 21 Lee Barrett and John P. Fahy; and for District 23 Maggie Auger and Donald J. Moore. In addition to the county candidates, the candidates for the Illinois 25th Senate District, Chris Lauzen and P. Sean Michels, have been invited to participate. All of these candidates are on the Republican Party ballot. There are no candidates in these races facing opposition on the Democratic Party ticket in the Feb. 2 primary election.

WIM: Life coach Victoria Cook will be the featured speaker at McHenry County Women in Management's luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 at the Shah Center for Corporate Training and Illinois Small Business Development Center, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, McHenry. Her presentation will focus on setting achievable personal and professional goals for 2010.

Cook draws upon an 18-year career in the corporate world and her training as a professional, certified life coach to help clients achieve their dreams. As a professional woman, wife and mother, she is passionate about helping others find harmony, success and live guilt free.

A McHenry County resident, Cook is a member of both the Chicago and International Life Coaches associations, the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce and the Barrington Area Professional Women's Group.

Cost per person is $20 for members, $25 for guests. Cost per person is $20 for members and $25 for guests. To make a reservation or for information, call (815) 363-2693, visit wimonline.org or e-mail mchenrycounty@wimonline.org.

Blackhawk Residents Association: The Blackhawk Residents Association will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the New Covenant Fellowship Church, 865 Parkway Ave. in Elgin. They will meet at 6 p.m. for a potluck dinner. Bring a dish to pass and your own plates and table-service. Water, coffee and soda will be provided. A business meeting will follow. The next general meetings will be March 31, May 19 and Sept. 29. For details, call Dana at (847) 741-4498 or email DanaS@Freelife.com. Or visit www.natsysinc.com/blackhawk.

McHenry County Legionnaires: McHenry County Legionnaires from all county posts are invited to attend the monthly meeting of the McHenry County Council at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28 at Henry F. Miller American Legion Post 482, 6517 Main St. in Union. For details, call McHenry County Council Commander Robert Howe Jr. at (815) 653-6391.

Elgin Woman's Club: The Elgin Woman's Club begins the new year with its first meeting in 2010 on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at the Holiday Inn, 495 Airport Road, Elgin. It will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a program and luncheon. Presented by the club's health department, the program will feature a presentation on mental health by Greg Harlan, director of behavioral Health at Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin. Hostesses for the February meeting will be members Tracey Varney, Linda Fagan and Georgia Ross. Reservations should be made no later than Friday, Jan. 29, by calling the club hotline at (847) 622-3614. Cost of the luncheon meeting and program is $15 and may be paid by check the day of the meeting.

Zonta Club: Looking for some fellowship and networking opportunities with professional women in your community? The Zonta Club of St. Charles-Geneva-Batavia will meet Tuesday, Feb. 2 at Prairie Landing Golf Club, Route 38 and Kautz Road in West Chicago. It is a local organization of professional women working to improve the status of women in the Tri-City area. Networking will be at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Dinner costs $25. This month, Diane Pavoris will be the guest speaker. This professional organizer of Getting It Together will give you strategies and suggestions that you can use to reduce clutter in you life. Learn ways to keep your life organized so you can find what you need, when you need it, and eliminate wasted hours trying to find things. Reservations may be called in to Christie Plotzke at (847) 931-2292 no later than Jan. 26. For information about Zonta, contact Bobbie Gerbrecht at bobbie@bobbiegrayson.com or (630) 879-7889.

Boy Scout Troop 2: Boy Scout Troop 2 invites you to their annual pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7 at St. John Lutheran Church, 115 N. Spring St., Elgin. The menu includes all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, French toast, sausage, fry bread, cereal, coffee, juices and more. Cost is $6 per person, $4 for seniors, and $20 for the family. Children under 3 are free. Proceeds from this event provide the Troop with summer camp expenses, equipment and community service projects and many other volunteer efforts. Join them for breakfast and celebrate with Troop 2 and the Boy Scouts of America's 100th anniversary. For details, visit Troop2.com.

Elgin Elks: The Elgin Elks Lodge, in cooperation with the Illinois Elks Children's Program and Sherman Hospital, will sponsor a free orthopedic diagnostic clinic for children on Monday, Feb. 8, at the hospital, 1425 N. Randall Road, Elgin. The clinic will be conducted from 2 to 5 p.m. by Dr. Vincent P. Cannestra of Orthopedic and Spine Surgery Associates. He has worked with the Elks program for several years, conducting free clinics four times a year for children, infants to age 21. All diagnostic services, including X-rays, MRIs and other tests, are paid for by the Elks program. Financial assistance with treatment for a diagnosed program may be available through the Elks charity.

This clinic is especially for children who complain of frequently occurring leg, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, back or wrist pain. The clinic is also for children diagnosed with, or suspected of having, back curvature, or who seem very clumsy or fall frequently. The clinic is by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling the Elks program at (800) 272-0074 from 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays. Family physicians are welcome to refer children to the clinic, but no referral is necessary to obtain an appointment. The Illinois Elks have made working with physically challenged children their major project for 81 years. Each year, the 74 lodges of the fraternal order raise about $500,000 to support their efforts throughout Illinois. The charity conducts no public fundraisers and does not seek or accept any government funding.

HCE: The fifth presentation in the Home and Community Education series, "Personal Safety," will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8 at the University of Illinois Extension Office Conference Room, 1102 McConnell Road, Woodstock. A representative of the Woodstock Police Department will be on hand with tips on personal and home safety, with an emphasis on preventing identity theft and avoiding too good to be true "get rich quick" scams. It is free for HCE members or $10 for nonmembers. You may register online at the University of Illinois McHenry County Extension web site: www.web.extension.uiuc.edu/mchenry/ or call the University of Illinois McHenry County Extension office at (815) 338-3737.

Valley Model Railroad Association: The Valley Model Railroad Association will have a portable layout at the monthly DuPage Train show. The show will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 14, March 14, April 11, May 2 and June 6 at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, County Farm and Manchester roads in Wheaton. Admission is $7 or free for children under 12. The layout is HO scale, runs Digital Command Control, and has working signals. The public is welcome to run trains on the layout. For information about the show visit www.dupageshow.com. The model railroad club invites the public to view the layouts from 8 to 10 p.m. on various Fridays of the month at the club house, 33W519 Kenyon Road, off Route 25 in South Elgin. See the HO layout in progress and watch the trains run. You can run one of the club members trains for a donation. Reservations are required by contacting Steve Foglio at (847) 530-6039 or fogs13@comcast.net.