From the clubs

Elgin Knights, Elks: This annual Free Throw Shooting Contest, hosted by the Knights of Columbus Council 654 and the Elks Lodge 737 Elgin, will be held Dec. 29.

For kids who like basketball, this is your chance to test your free throw shooting skills against other kids your age.

This free event is open to boys and girls from the Elgin area, ages 8 to 14. It will be held in the school gym of St Thomas More School, Highland Avenue and St. Thomas More Drive in Elgin.

The contest will take place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Sign up anytime between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to participate in the contest.

Kids will compete against others in their same age, and gender categories. Each contestant will shoot between 15 and 25 free throws. Contestants with the best shooting percentages will be awarded prizes and be eligible to move onto the district finals for a chance to move on to state, regional and even national competitions.

Both Council 654 of the Knights of Columbus and Lodge 737 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks have been part of the Elgin community for more than 100 years.

The annual hoop shoot contest is just one of the many community programs that these organizations sponsor. If you have any questions regarding the contest, call Bruce Martens at (847) 695-5308 or Larry Smith at (847) 608-6577.

Baby Boomers Singles Club: Being a mature single whether through divorce or death, can at times, be lonely and frustrating and you don't know where to go to meet others in the same situation. That is one of the reasons why Jean Steffens, 56, of Crystal Lake, has started Baby Boomer Singles Club.

The club for singles age 45 and older will generate activities such as wine tastings, restaurants, theater and sports activities. More will be added.

There are no membership fees and participants can pick and choose their outings based on their schedules and interests. The upcoming event is a singles dance at American Legion Hall, 1101 W. Algonquin Road, Route 62 and Pyott Road, Lake in the Hills, from 8 p.m. to midnight Friday, Dec. 30.

Admission is $10. The event is non-smoking and dress requirement is no jeans or gym shoes.

Well-known DJ Scott Pastorino will play songs from the decades that Baby Boomers love to hear and dance to.

Raffle prizes include a hair makeover by Sassy Kathie of Island Lake and a restaurant gift certificate.

Other social activities are now being planned and will be announced soon.

For details, check the Web site www.babyboomer singlesclub.com or call Steffens at (815) 529-8138.

Audubon Society: The Kane County Chapter of the Audubon Society meets for programs and activities.

On Jan. 1, join a New Year's Day Bird Walk at 8 a.m. at Nelson's Lake. Meet in the parking lot by the silo, which is west of Nelson Lake Road, and about three-quarter mile south of Main Street, and 2 miles west of Randall Road in Batavia. For information, call Rhonda Nelson at (630) 879-1387.

On Jan. 9, the meeting night will be at 7 p.m. at the barn at Park Farm Park at Peck and Kaneville roads, about one mile west of Randall Road in Geneva. Another of the group's world travelers, John Baker, will present "The Joy of World Birding." Baker will share photos and anecdotes from his birding tours of "six or seven" countries. Also included will be the latest bird sightings, chapter news, a raffle, refreshments, and the opportunity to meet and socialize with other birders. For information, call Bob Andrini at (630) 584-8386.

Or visit www.kanecountyaudubon.org. For information on the Illinois Audubon Society, call Tom Clay at 217-544-BIRD (2473).

Henpeck HEA: The Henpeck Unit of Kane County Homemakers Education Association will meet at noon Jan. 8 at Papa G's Restaurant in Elburn. Mary Ebert volunteered to bring dessert. A lesson titled, "Where Do You Want To Live When You Grow Up?" will be presented by Betty Rylko. Guests are welcome; call Peggy Gross at (847) 683-3826 for details and directions.

With an eye on the sky, watching for predicted snow, seven members of the Henpeck Unit met on Dec. 4 at Sorrento's Restaurant in Maple Park. After lunch, a short business meeting was held to discuss plans for the next few months. It was also the Unit's Christmas party so some discussion centered around which local charity would receive the Unit's donation this year. For the past several years, the Unit has donated to the School Children's Shoe Fund in lieu of exchanging personal gifts. Since it has been discontinued, the Unit needs to find another recipient. Discussion was tabled until next meeting.

The February meeting will be held Feb. 12 at the home of Mary Ebert in Kaneville. The hostess also will present the lesson, "Microwave Cooking for the 21st Century." The meeting will start at noon with lunch prepared as part of the lesson. Guests are welcome; call Mary at (630) 557-2137 for details and directions.

Membership in HEA is open to men and women of any age regardless of race, creed or national origin. For information about the organization and a free one-year membership in the Henpeck Unit, call Peggy Gross at (847) 683-3826 or Mary Ann Harter at (847) 683-3632.

McHenry County Chapter of AARP: The McHenry County Chapter of AARP will meet at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Fountains of Crystal Lake, on Route 31, one mile north of Route 176. The program will be on identity theft.

February's program will be about safe travel. The group meets the second Thursday of the month and refreshments are served.

For chapter information, call Glenn at (815) 477-1952 or Fran at (847) 658-7222.

League of Women Voters: Candidates vying to replace Dennis Hastert in Congress as representative of the 14th Congressional District will be featured in a League of Women Voters candidates' forum at 7 p.m. Jan. 8 in St. Charles.

The public is invited to attend the forum. Both Democratic and Republican candidates who are running in the Feb. 5 general primary will participate in the event. The forum will be held at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles.

The forum is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Geneva-St. Charles and the League of Women Voters of Batavia in cooperation with the Daily Herald, Beacon News, and Kane County Chronicle.

Within a moderated format, a panel of reporters will direct questions to the candidates, followed by questions from the audience. Immediately after the forum, the audience will be invited to an informal "Meet and Greet the Candidates" session.

The League of Women Voters also will sponsor a public forum focusing on local contested Kane County board and state legislative races at p.m. Jan. 10 in the city council chambers at Batavia City Hall, 100 North Island Ave.

Candidates for county board chair, county board districts 14 and 26, state legislative district 49, and state legislative district 50 have been invited. Questions from the audience will be presented to the candidates.

Information is available at www.lwvgenstc.org.

Zonta Club: At 6:30 p.m. Jan. 8, the Zonta Club of St. Charles-Geneva-Batavia presents an evening with Gary Quigg, an archaeologist, historian, museum professional and television documentary producer.

He is a member of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, the world's leading aviation archaeological foundation. A full-time professional staff guides an international membership of researchers and supporters in the non-profit organization's efforts to find, save, and preserve rare and historic aircraft.

The program for the evening will focus on the sharing of stories and artifacts from his recent expedition to the island of Nikumaroro in the Phoenix Islands southwest of Hawaii.

This fourth journey as they continue their archaeological search for Amelia Earhart. During a previous visit to Nikumaroro, another team found aluminum that might have come from Earhart's Lockheed Electra and parts of a shoe like those worn by Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, when they disappeared in July 1937.

Through groundbreaking historical research in material culture, he has led the development of numerous one-of-a-kind restorations and accurate reproductions of long-lost artifacts to create interactive and engaging visitor learning experiences in museums. As founder of Dancing River Productions, he has written and produced several award-winning historical and environmental documentaries for local and statewide PBS audiences.

Amelia Earhart was a fellow Zontian and thus this subject holds special meaning for the club. Zonta International each year awards scholarships in Amelia's name to women throughout the world who are pursuing graduate degrees in aerospace related sciences and engineering. To date, more than $5 million has been awarded.

All community friends, supporters and aviation enthusiasts young and old are welcome to attend. Space is limited so call in your reservation to Carol Patterson at (630) 377-7192 by Jan. 2.

The Zonta Club of St. Charles-Geneva-Batavia meets the first Tuesday of each month at Prairie Landing Golf Course in West Chicago. The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 8 with networking at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. Dinner costs $25. Zonta International is a worldwide service organization, working to improve the status of women.

For information about Zonta, contact Colleen Lang, club president, at clang7872@yahoo.com or (630) 377-6449. Or visit www.zonta.org.

Fox Valley SHRM: On Jan. 17, the Illinois Fox Valley Society of Human Resource Managment welcomes Patricia L. Mehler of Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

Mehler will look at the reasons why employees bring charges or lawsuits against their employers and how employers can take some proactive steps to minimize those claims. They also will discuss recent amendments to the Illinois Human Rights Act, including a major change in where such claims can be filed and how that will affect employers.

Illinois Fox Valley SHRM meets the third Thursday of every month at Hennessy Restaurant, just north of I-90 off Randall Road in Elgin, for a luncheon with versatile programs directed toward the human resource professional. Registration is at 11:15 a.m. and the meeting adjourns at 1 p.m.

Interested parties can call (847) 289-7170. The cost for Illinois Fox Valley SHRM members $20, $40 for non-members.

Friends of the Fox River: The largest environmental film festival in North America is coming to McHenry and Kane counties.

Join Friends of the Fox River as they host the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival Tour at McHenry County College from 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 31 and Elgin Community College from 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 2. Different films will be featured at each venue; consider attending both.

The Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival Tour brings together award-winning environmental films in the spirit of inspiration and education.

On Jan. 31, doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts 6:10 p.m. at McHenry County College Conference Center, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake.

On Feb. 2, doors open at 2 p.m. with the show starting at 2:05 p.m. at the Advanced Technology Center auditorium, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $15 at the door. For more information, visit friendsofthefox.org.

Pack 457: Cub Scouts from Cary Pack 457 are seeking alumni scouts and leaders to help celebrate the pack's 50th anniversary during various scouting activities throughout 2008.

The oldest Cub Scout pack in Cary, Pack 457 was formed in June 27, 1958. Since then, hundreds of children and adults from Cary have participated in scouting activities through the pack.

The pack wants these alumni to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the pack by participating in 2008 pack activities, including the 50th Pinewood Derby and the 50th Blue and Gold Banquet.

Those who have previously participated in Cary Cub Scout Pack 457 as a scout or a leader are urged to contact Teresa Sheehan, chairman of the Pack 457 50th Anniversary Committee, at (847) 639-3601 or Sheehan.scouting @comcast.net.

Elgin American Legion Auxiliary: The Elgin Unit 57 American Legion Auxiliary will not meet in January. There is no meeting held in January. The next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at the American Legion Post, 820 N. Liberty St., Elgin.

All Auxiliary members are invited to attend by calling unit secretary Helen McCulloch at (847) 741-0386. New members are welcome.

Families of Military Personnel: Families of Military Personnel meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at American Legion, 1101 W. Algonquin Road, Lake in the Hills. Families with a loved one enlisted in the uniformed services gather together to learn how to cope with the changes and challenges with military service. Those with loved ones on deployment are especially encouraged to attend. For more information, call (847) 515-7878 or (847) 658-9241 or e-mail to keepitsharp@dis.net; or jake@aap.org.

Fox Valley Astronomical Society: The Fox Valley Astronomical Society welcomes anyone interested in the night sky, telescopes, amateur astronomy. Meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. every second Monday of the month. Meetings take place at the Peck Farm Park Orientation Barn at Peck and Kaneville roads, about one mile west of Randall Road in Geneva. For information, visit www.fvastro.org.

Gazebo Quilters Guild: The Gazebo Quilters' Guild usually meets the second Tuesday of the month. For more information, call co-presidents Charlene Kelly at (847) 669-7024 or Betty Casey at (847) 515-3775.