From the clubs

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

Kane County Genealogical Society: The Kane County Genealogical Society will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26 in the first floor meeting room of the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St., Geneva. The presentation will be "Sex, Murder and Genealogy" presented by Mike Karsen. Dora Feldman McDonald, the daughter of German Jewish immigrants, made the front page of Chicago newspapers in 1907 when she shot her lover. Dora, who was married to one of the most powerful political bosses in Chicago at the time, used murder to end this affair and her lover's blackmail. But what ever happened to her after her dramatic acquittal the following year? Karsen uses every trick in his genealogical tool bag to set the record straight and follow her trail.

Karsen is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and is the president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois. He speaks on family legacy topics locally and nationally, and is on the faculty of Newberry Library and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago. He is the author of the JewishGen Web site "Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Chicagoland" and has published articles on genealogy.

All are welcome to attend this interesting presentation. For more information, call (847) 697-1029 or visit the society's Web site at www.rootsweb.com/~ilkcgs.

McHenry County Legionnaires: Legionnaires from all county posts are invited to the monthly meeting of the McHenry County Council at 7:30 p.m. today.

The meeting venue will be the Hebron Public Library, 9908 St. Albans St., one block south of Route 173 and two blocks east of Route 47. The host post is American Legion Hebron Post 606.

For details, call Commander Arthur Erickson of Hebron Post 606 at (815) 648-2568 or McHenry County Council Commander, Robert Howe Jr. at (815) 653-6391.

The McHenry County Council does not meet in July. The next council meeting will be Aug. 28 at the Lake in the Hills Post 1231.

South Elgin Lions: South Elgin Lions Club will host its first-ever "Cookin' On The Grill Summer Meat Spin" on June 27 at the South Elgin Lions Club, 500 Fulton St., South Elgin. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the raffle starts at 7 p.m. to benefit the South Elgin Lions and its charities

Among the items to be raffled will be many favorite summer meats, including sirloin, porterhouse, rib-eye and New York strip steaks, pork tenderloin, pork chops, beer can chicken, salmon fillets, chicken breast, baby back ribs and prime rib. One lucky loser will receive a gas grill as a consolation prize. After the meat spin, stick around and enjoy some music and dancing. The bar will be open throughout the night. All net proceeds will benefit the South Elgin Lions Club and its charities. For details, call Lion Mark Dobrzynski at (847) 888-9575.

Elgin VFW: A free public dance will be hosted by the Elgin Veterans of Foreign Wars Post from 3 to 6 p.m. June 29. Music will be provided by Les Pace and the Pacemakers. Light food fare and refreshments will be available for purchase. The VFW post is at 1601 Weld Road on Elgin's west side. For information, call (847) 742-3879.

Golden K Kiwanis: The Elgin Golden K Kiwanis will hold its next meeting at 9 a.m. July 2 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 357 Division St., Elgin. The program will be by Frank Hernandez, Elgin Community College book store manager. His topic will be, "The ECC Book Store." For information, call (847) 741-7176.

Elgin Better Gardens Club: The Elgin Better Gardens Club will meet July 2 at the home of Shirley Minks with Renis Barrett serving as co-hostess. Dessert will be served at 1 p.m. followed by a program presented by the Kane County Extension Service entitled "Double The Fun With Edible Ornaments." Anyone interested in gardening is welcome. Call Shirley Minks at (847) 742-2202 or Marcy Warden at (847) 742-2047 for your reservation.

NARFE: National Active and Retired Federal Employees will meet at 1 p.m. July 8. Chapter 2181 meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month at the American Legion at 820 N. Liberty St., Route 25, in Elgin. Lunch is available in the American Legionˆ lunchroom before the meeting. Coffee and desserts will be served after the meeting.

This month NARFE chapter 2181 will welcome NAIPC which is National Aging in Place Council. Their objectives are to build lasting coalitions of allied business professionals in communities across the U.S. to assist seniorˆ homeowners with pursuing their long term needs and organize educational activities to highlight home and community-based services and products including health care, transportation and housing that enables seniors to successfully age in place.

The NARFE chapter 2181 annual picnic will be on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at the upper level of Tyler Creek Forest Preserve on the west side of Route 31 just south of I-90 tollwayˆ in Elgin.

For details on NARFE call Nick at (847) 741-5772.

McHenry County Chapter of AARP: The McHenry County Chapter of AARP will meet at noon July 10 for its annual luncheon to support the Salvation Army in Crystal Lake at 290 W. Crystal Lake Ave. Reservations will be taken at that time for the August picnic at the Fountains of Crystal Lake. For chapter information, call Glenn at (815) 477-1952.

South Elgin Lions: The South Elgin Lions Club will host a drawdown raffle on July 11. Half of the net proceeds raised this night will benefit the Alexander Leigh Center for Autism located in Lake in the Hills. Doors open at 6 p.m. at the club house, 500 Fulton St., and the raffle begins at 7 p.m. with a dance following the raffle.

The philosophy of the Alexander Leigh Center is that every child deserves a place to learn and develop within a supportive environment. Although every child with autism is unique, they all share several characteristics; sensory integration dysfunction, impaired communication system, and a lack of social awareness. The Alexander Leigh Center addresses these characteristics through a team approach in their intensive year-round therapeutic day school for children between the ages of 5 and 10. The academic environment is adapted to each child's individual communicative and sensory needs and includes occupational, speech/language, education therapy along with support for the families through parent workshops, home visits and consultations with teachers and therapists.

This fundraiser includes the drawdown raffle, dinner and dance for $20. If you do not wish to participate in the raffle, the cost is only $10 for the dinner and dance. A cash bar will be available. For details, call Lion Allan Shelton at (847) 888-9575.

Elgin AAUW: The Fox Valley Garden Walk, showcasing six Elgin gardens west of Randall Road between McDonald and Big Timber roads, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 12.

Ticket booklets, which include coupons from area nurseries, are $10 if purchased before July 12.

They will be available after June 1 in Elgin at: Jewel Foods at 1040 Summit St. and 1660 Larkin Ave.; Al's Cafe & Creamery, 43 DuPage Court in downtown Elgin; and Books at Sunset, 1100 South St.

Tickets can also be obtained by calling (847) 741-9475. On the day of the walk, tickets will be $12 and may be purchased at garden walk sites at 40W639 Russell Road and 8N316 Dittman Road. Tickets are nonrefundable.

Any college graduate with a four-year degree or a graduate with an associate's degree is eligible to become a member of AAUW. Membership information will be available on the day of the walk or by calling (847) 742-4866.

Submit club news and photos of activities to Club News, Daily Herald, 385 Airport Road, Suite A, IL 60123. Or e-mail to foxvalley@dailyherald.com or fax to (847) 608-0849.