Briefs: Safety awareness at Ela

The Ela Area Public Library hosts an open house today that highlights safety and disaster awareness. The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the library, 275 Mohawk Trail. Representatives from the Lake Zurich Fire Department, Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods and Kildeer police departments are among those represented. Festivities also include free Culver's custard from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., free key chain flashlights for the first 500 attendees and hourly raffles.

A shower for kittens

Save-A-Pet's annual Kitten Shower is today from noon to 2 p.m. in Grayslake. Stop by to meet lots of new kittens, enjoy refreshments and raffles and help the kittens with donations of kitten formula, kitten bottles and other much-needed supplies. Save-A-Pet is a no-kill adoption center at 31664 N. Fairfield Road.

Help out the animals

Orphans of the Storm will hold a fundraiser by selling handmade bookmarks today in Libertyville. The bookmarks and other craft items will be on sale from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Crocodile Pie Children's Bookstore, 866 S. Milwaukee Ave. All proceeds go to Orphans of the Storm, a no-kill animal shelter in Deerfield.

Police to hold open house

The Vernon Hills Police Department will host its 12th annual open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the police station, 754 Lakeview Parkway, a block south of Route 60. Demonstrations from police K-9 units, McGruff the Crime Dog and a puppet show for children are among the activities. Refreshments and snacks will be served. There will be giveaways, photos and buttons for the youths as well as other safety and security material.

Rabid bat found

The Lake County Health Department is urging residents to avoid contact with bats after a bat found in a Lake Villa yard May 11 tested positive for rabies. There was no human contact with the bat. It is the first bat that tested positive for rabies in Lake County this year. Last year, nine bats tested positive. The health department urges anyone who has direct contact with a bat, notices a bat acting in an unusual manner, such as flying in daylight or lying on the ground, or finds one in a home to call (847) 949-9925.