Briefs: ECC offers tours
Elgin Community College will give tours to prospective students from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. Tours begin in the college's Visual and Performing Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. For details, call (847) 214-7385 or visit elgin.edu/visitecc.
Learn 'green' remodeling
A new one-night class called "Green Remodeling -- Using Products that help the Environment" will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive. The class will cover flooring, fabrics, furniture and finishes that are environmentally friendly. Samples of products will be displayed along with literature. Cost is $35. Call (847) 622-3036 to register.
Lions club to get cookin'
The South Elgin Lions Club will host its first Cookin' On The Grill Summer Meat Spin at 6 p.m. Friday at 500 Fulton St. Prime cut meats and a gas grill will be raffled off to raise money for Lions charities. The night also includes music, dancing and a cash bar. Call (847) 888-9575.
Songwriting contest
The "Art in Your Ear" songwriting contest is open for entries. The contest, held in conjunction with Batavia's Art in Your Eye festival, has categories for pop/rock, country, folk/protest, hip hop/rap and Christian/inspirational songs. Winners will get prizes and a chance to perform at the festival. Applications are $20 and available online at www.artinyourear.com. They need to be postmarked by July 15. Entries are judged on songwriting and not on the performance of the song.
Kids golf tournament
The 2008 St. Charles Little Guys and Gals Golf Tournament is planned July 15 and 16 at Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Ave. The competition, sponsored by Klinkey Heating and Sheet Metal, is open to children 11 and younger who have a St. Charles mailing address, live in the St. Charles Park District or have a season park pass. The deadline to register is 8 p.m. July 12. The entry fee is $24. Call (630) 584-8356.
Field trip to garden
The University of Illinois Extension offers a field trip July 9 to Rotary Gardens in Janesville, Wis. Rotary Gardens covers 20 acres of themed plantings including Japanese, Scottish, French, formal, rose, Italian and English cottage. The bus will also stop at The Flower Factory, a nursery in Stoughton, Wis. The trip includes a guided tour at Rotary Gardens, lunch, an afternoon beverage, and transportation leaving from the Extension office, 535 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Cost is $75. To register, call (630) 584-6166 and ask for Rosa or visit web.extension.uiuc.edu/kane and click on "Discover Rotary Garden" under "Program Registration" in the right-hand column.
Park pass discount
The Fox Valley Park District is offering coupon booklets that provide passes to aquatic parks and Blackberry Farm for low-income resident children. Each booklet has a value of $324 and can be purchased for $10 by families that are at or below the poverty level. The booklets contain four daily admission passes to Splash Country Water Park, Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center and Blackberry Farm. Application forms are available at any community center. To purchase a booklet, parents must apply in person -- with a completed application and proof of need -- at the district's administration office, 712 S. River St., Aurora. Call (630) 897-0516 for more.