Clubs & hobbies

News about club meetings and events. Send items to nbrcalendar@dailyherald.com two weeks before event date.

Nippersink Garden Club: A new garden club is forming to serve northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Members of the Nippersink Garden Club are coming together because of the love of gardening and the love of the Nippersink Creek area and waterways. Membership is open to all interested men, women and their children. Membership will be free and 2009 meetings are yet to be determined. Visit nippersinkgardenclub.org or contact Stacy at (262) 279-5992 for details.

Jan. 3

Sons of the American Legion Palatine: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, American Legion Hall on Palatine Road. Call (847) 359-1606 or e-mail sal690.commander@gmail.com. Visit amlegion-palatinepost690.org.

Jan. 4

Schaumburg Scrabble Club: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4, Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

Jan. 5

"Les Bavards": 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 7; restaurant in Des Plaines. Meet for dinner and conversation to practice using the French language in an informal setting. Participants have various levels of proficiency in speaking French, and include native speakers of the language. No membership dues are required. Visit lesbavardsfrancophones@ blogspot.com. R.S.V.P. to lesbavards@yahoo.com or call (847) 720-4502 by the preceding Monday evening.

Fox Valley Rocketeers: 7:30-9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, McHenry Public Library. Club of model rocketry enthusiasts. Call Mark, (815) 337-9068 or Ken, (815) 444-0539. foxvalleyrocketeers.org.

Des Plaines Toastmasters: 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 5; Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St., Room C. Call (847) 635-6351 or hap@therainreport.com.

Jan. 6

Bartlett Woman's Club meets: Tuesday, Jan. 6, Bartlett Log Cabin. Program on woman's self-defense. Peggy, (630) 830-8407.

Northwest Towns Sportsmen's Club: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 6; Merle Guild American Legion Post 208, Douglas and Miner St., Arlington Heights. Various programs will be discussed including: trapshooting, combat pistol shooting, the first pheasant hunt in Wisconsin and practical shooting classes at the Maxxon Pistol Range. Contact Geoff Kishpaugh, big_three_hunter@hotmail.com or call (847) 942-5269.

Hawthorn Woods Women's Club: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, Village Barn, 2 Lagoon Road, Hawthorn Woods. Learn fun ways to get healthy in the New Year. Instructors will give mini sessions in Zumba, Jazzercise and Caribbean Moves dance fitness. Visit hwwc.info.

Arlington Squares Square Dance Club: 7-9:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Jan. 6, 13 and 30; Congregational United Church of Christ, 1001 Kirchoff Road, Arlington Heights. Free beginner's square dance parties to introduce people to square dancing. Call: (847) 359-1642, or (847) 551-9119 or visit arlingtonsquares.com.

Jan. 7

Arlington Camera Club: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 7; Arlington Heights Historical Society, 110 W. Fremont. Competition of members' digital images. The club meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, September through June. Call (847) 253-1471.

Jan. 8

Eli Skinner Chapter NSDAR: 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, Palatine Public Library, 700 N. North Court, Palatine. Topic is Abigail Adams, presented by Leslie Goddard, thanks in part to the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Illinois General Assembly.ArlHtsDar@aol.com.

Des Plaines Garden Club: 11 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 8; Frisbie Senior Center, 53 W. Northwest Hwy., Des Plaines. Bring winter related items for the raffle. Don White will discuss "Orchids-Delicate Beauties." Bob Nicholson will discuss "Is the Garden Really Asleep." Call (847) 299-0412.

Northwest Cook County Group of the Sierra Club: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Start planning your spring lawn and garden with the beauty of native plants in the home landscape in both sunny and shaded areas.sierraclub.org/NWCook.

Northwest Circle of Friends: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, Palatine Public Library, 700 North Court, Palatine. Salad luncheon and Bridge. Bring a salad to share, dessert provided. Reservations before Tuesday, Jan. 8, to Michaelene (847) 303-0312.

NAMI Elk Grove-Schaumburg Township Family Support Group: 6:45 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 8; Kenneth Young Center PSR Room, 1001 Rohlwing Road, Elk Grove Village. For any family member, friend, or loved one of an adult 18 or older with severe mental illness. Call (630) 302-2530

Prospect Heights Garden Club: 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 8; Gary Morava Center, 110 W. Camp McDonald Road, Prospect Heights. Mike Nowak will discuss "I'm Not Really a Garden Expert, I Just Play One on the Radio." Call (847) 255-3775.

Jan. 9

Northwest Suburban Astronomers: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, Hoffman Estates Park District Community Center, 1685 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates. Len Kazmer presents, "Understanding the Spectra of Stars." Open to the public. Free. nsaclub.org.

Jan. 10

Windy Brushes of Northern Illinois: Meets 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, Poplar Creek Country Club, 1400 Poplar Creek Drive, Hoffman Estates. Beginning and experienced painters are welcome. Learn decorative painting techniques and make new friends. Registration required, call Camille, (847) 524-2821 or visit windybrushes.org.

Jan. 11

Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois workshop: 1:30 p.m. Sunday Jan. 11, Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St. Beginner's Workshop lead by Judy Frazin designed to answer the question: "How do I get Started researching my family?" jewishgen.org or (312) 666-0100.

Schaumburg Scrabble Club: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11, Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

Jan. 12

Long Grove-Kildeer Garden Club meets: Monday, Jan. 12, Reed Turner Nature Center, 3851 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Club offers gardening programs, events, projects and filed trip to all levels of gardeners. For information, call Ivy, (847) 800-5000.

Elgin Area Women's Connection: Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, Villa Olivia Country Club, Bartlett. Luncheon meeting entitled, "The Angels Among Us." $15.00 inclusive; complimentary child care available. For reservations and child care, call Jan, (630) 837-2632 or Carolyn, (630) 213-1205 or e-mail Car644@gmail.com by Monday, January 12.

Jan. 13

Des Plaines Art Guild: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 13; Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker, Des Plaines. Artist Sylvia Westgard will do a demonstration with colored pencil. For details, call (847) 824-8952.

Jan. 14

Garden Club of Mount Prospect: 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 14; Friendship Park Conservatory, 395 Algonquin Road, Des Plaines. Nancy Schumann-Burgess, an award winning photographer, who has authored several books will explore the history of kitchen, prairie and home gardens and explain the medicinal uses of plants. Program at 1:30 p.m., following social hour and business meeting. Call (847) 635-6239.

Jan. 15

Garden Club of Inverness: 9:30 a.m. Jan. 15, All Saints Lutheran Church, 630 S. Quentin Road, Palatine. Brief business meeting followed by a program of interest to gardeners. All Gardeners are welcome. For information, call Carole at (847) 381-2727.

Palatine Jaycees: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, American Legion Hall on Palatine Road, in Palatine. For membership or events information, call (847) 604-0288 or palatinejaycees.org.

Jan. 17

Elk Grove Lions Club Trivia Night: Saturday, Jan. 17, Queen of the Rosary Gymnasium, 690 W. Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove Village. Open to the public, advance registration required. E-mail afeichter2@comcast.net or call (847) 439-4558.

Computer-Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illinois: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. Moderator, Ted L. Bartlett presents "Your Irish Roots: Successful Strategies for Bridging the Atlantic to Ireland."

Jan. 18

Schaumburg Scrabble Club: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

Jan. 19

Des Plaines Toastmasters: 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19; Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St., Room C. Call (847) 635-6351 or hap@therainreport.com.

Jan. 21

Lakeshore Ski and Sport Club: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, Dapper's East, 2901 W. Addison, Chicago. Learn about the social and athletic activities planned for spring and summer. (708) 786-3992 or lakeshoreskiandsportsclub@yahoo.com.

Arlington Camera Club: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21; Arlington Heights Historical Society, 110 W. Fremont. Topic is high dynamic range photography and tone mapping. Members will share some of their favorite places to shoot. Call (847) 253-1471.

Jan. 22

Garden Club of Inverness: 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, All Saints Lutheran Church, 630 S. Quentin Road, Palatine. Special guests Shirley Remes, a Better Homes and Gardens field editor, speaks on how to make your garden photo ready. Brief business meeting followed by the presentation. All gardeners welcome. Carole, cjbass@comcast.net.

Jan. 24

Square Wheels Square Dance Club: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 24; Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 304 W. Palatine Road, Prospect Heights. (Enter off Schoenbeck Road) Caller is Curt Braffet. Admission: $6. Call (847) 392-5512 or (847) 253-3206.

Jan. 25

Schaumburg Scrabble Club: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.