The briefs

Buffalo Grove commends officers

The Buffalo Grove Village Board along with Police Chief Steve Balinski and the Buffalo Grove AMVETS Post 255 recognized two Buffalo Grove police officers for their outstanding achievement in performance.

The recipient of the 2007 Special Commendation Award is Officer Frank Horbus. Officer Horbus has distinguished himself through accomplishments in the areas of firearms and defensive tactics. As a member of the Police Department's traffic unit, he is active in the area of crash investigation and is one of the department's motorcycle operators.

The recipient of the 2007 Employee of the Year Award is Officer Bob Sizer. Officer Sizer's career accomplishments include being a member of the Police Department's crisis-hostage negotiation team and a certified less-lethal and AR-15 weapons officer for the department.

These officers were nominated for these awards by a committee of their peers.

Wheeling Garden Club offers help

The Wheeling Garden Club is accepting applications for scholarship assistance for local residents wishing to enroll in classes dealing with horticulture, entomology, trees, landscaping or residential gardening.

Call Joyce Stemp at (847) 537-0567 for an application.

Volunteers sought for art festival

The seventh annual BG Invitational Fine Art Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 19 and 20 at the Buffalo Grove Town Center. More than 150 artists will be on site from around the nation. All media, including painting, sculpture, wood, ceramics, photography, jewelry, glass, fine crafts and others will be featured and available for sale.

Volunteers are needed to help register artists, serve as booth sitters for the artists, help with promotion and marketing, and many other areas.

To volunteer, e-mail BGArts@vbg.org and provide your name, address and telephone number.

Local Toastmaster earns recognition

Mark Groves of Speechmakers Toastmasters Club 4704 of Buffalo Grove took home the second-place trophy for Table Topics at the Area Spring contest for outstanding performance in extemporaneous speaking. The next step in completion is the North Division Contest that will take place at 6 p.m. Monday in the Northbrook Library auditorium.

Speechmakers Toastmasters meets from noon to 1 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month in the Siemens Building, 1000 Deerfield Parkway, Buffalo Grove. Guests are welcome. For details, e-mail tmspeech4704@gmail.com.