Briefs: $425,000 for the troops

Operation Support Our Troops Illinois recently raised $425,000 during its annual Rockin' for the Troops benefit concert. More than 12,000 people attended the event that featured Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band, American English, Tom Dreesen and Dick Biondi. Proceeds will help fund postage for gift packages shipped to troops overseas.

Beautify Geneva

Volunteers are needed to plant fall flowers in the flowerbeds throughout downtown Geneva Saturday. New volunteers should report at 8 a.m. to the beds by the Geneva Post Office, James and Third streets, to be assigned a location. Bring garden gloves, rakes, pruning shears, brooms and trowels. If there is a thunderstorm, the planting will be done at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Call Ald. Dorothy Flanagan at (630) 638-2475.

Fulks at benefit concert

National recording artist Robbie Fulks headlines the Saturday Concert for a Cure, which raises money for the Paul Ruby Foundation. The concert starts at 5:30 p.m. at Tanna Farms Golf Club, 39W808 Hughes Road, Geneva. The foundation supports the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The concert will also feature HOSS, Noah Gabriel and the Gaddis Girls. Lisa Dent of radio station US99 will emcee. Tickets to the Concert for a Cure, dinner and silent auction ($25 for adults; $10 for children 12 and under) are available at Park Place Interiors, Kiss the Sky and Mill Creek Market, all in Geneva. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.paulrubyfoundation.org.

Collect for Marklund

On Sept. 12 and 13, Marklund will need volunteers for McFry Days. Volunteers are needed to hand out coupons for McDonald's french fries in exchange for spare change. Marklund is a nonprofit network of services that helps infants, children and adults with severe developmental disabilities. Among other facilities, it runs its main campus at Mill Creek and the Philip Center for Children in Bloomingdale.The four-hour shifts run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. To volunteer, call (630) 593-5473 or e-mail sarmbruster@marklund.org. For more information about Marklund, call Vicki Krystof at (630) 593-5482 or go online to www.marklund.org.

Geneva 1998 reunion

Tickets are on sale online at www.ghsvikings98.com for the Geneva High School Class of 1998 reunion, which is Sept. 26 and 27. They are $50 per person for the Sept. 27 celebration at the Geneva Golf Club.