From the clubs

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

Elgin Junior Woman's Club: Elgin Junior Woman's Club is celebrating 75 years of friendship and service at a Diamond Anniversary luncheon. The festivities will be held March 7 at Villa Olivia Country Club in Bartlett. Call Loretta Revesz at (847) 224-4318 or e-mail to, slr735@comcast.net to be included in this memorable event.

Altrusa International: Altrusa International Club of Elgin, together with Covenant Women Ministries, presents "Night of Music Concert" on Thursday, Feb. 19. Love songs will be performed by featured soloists, Rise Jones and Betty Brown. Also performing will be Ralph Cox on piano/organ; Richard Osborn on violin; and Murna Hansemann on piano. The program starts at 7 p.m. at the Evangelical Covenant Church, 1565 Larkin Ave. in Elgin. There will be a reception after the program. For details, call the church at (847) 888-2302.

Elgin Genealogical Society: The Elgin Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 in the first-floor meeting room of the Gail Borden Library, 270 N. Grove Ave. in Elgin. After a short business meeting, guests and members will participate in a game of "Genealogical Jeopardy." The morning group enjoyed this activity in January and now the evening group will take a try at this fun learning activity. For information, visit the web site at www.elginroots.com.

Plato Center HCE: The Plato Center Unit for Home and Community Education will meet at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at the Plato Township Hall, 10N924 Rippburger Road, Plato Center. The hostesses are Joan Rosse, Elsje Starrenburg and Joan Ziethen. Because the January meeting was canceled because of the weather, they will be presenting the lesson "Maximizing Kitchen Appliances-Slow Cookers." The lesson will be presented by Joan Rossi with the help of Nancy Haire, Jackie Anderson and Joan Ziethen. For information about any of the 10 units in Kane County, call the Extension Office at (630) 584-6166 or to attend the Plato Center meeting call Joan at (847) 931-8120. All are welcome.

Welcome Club: The Welcome Club of the Fox Valley invites those with an interest in knowing more about the club, and their various activities, to a get-acquainted membership coffee at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at the home of board member Joan Brady. Call (630) 482-9090, or (630) 262-0815 for information, location and directions.

It is a social and philanthropic organization for women in the area who are interested in meeting and making new friends through various social and fundraising activities. This coffee is open to new residents to the area, and club members are encouraged to come to meet the board members and learn more about the club and the various special interest groups coordinated by members. Club activities include breakfast, lunch, and dinner outings; group games such as bunco, bridge, mah-jongg, pinochle, tile rummy, Mexican train dominoes, and scrabble; Lifestories, a memoir group, mini-book groups, movie and theater outings; a sewing group; a walking group; a special singles group; an end of year picnic; informal dinner parties, and more. New activities and interests groups are added frequently by our members. Many of members reside in areas around the Fox Valley, including Aurora, Batavia, Bartlett, Elburn, Elgin, Geneva, Lily Lake, Maple Park, North Aurora, St. Charles, South Elgin, Sugar Grove and surrounding areas. The group meets regularly from September to June. Each monthly meeting includes a meet and greet, which kicks off the meeting, followed by a short general business meeting, an entertaining and informative program. The annual membership fee of $25 provides you with a membership directory and a monthly newsletter that recaps the upcoming monthly events and activities. For membership information call Carol at (630) 482-9090, or Dawn (630) 262-0815, or visit www.welcomeclubfoxvalley.org.

Culture Club: William P. Young's novel, "The Shack" will be the topic at Immanuel Lutheran Church of East Dundee's Culture Club at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. The discussion will be led by the Rev. Bill Yonker, Immanuel's senior pastor. The discussion will immediately follow a spaghetti dinner hosted by Cindy Geye. Geye's annual Susan B. Komen 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer fundraiser will be held the same night. The community is invited to attend both and each is in Luther Hall at Immanuel. Immanuel Lutheran Church is at 310 E. Main St., East Dundee. For details, call the church office at (847) 428-4477.

Toastmasters Club: The Crystal Lake Toastmasters Club will hold its International Speech Contest from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 at Amcore Bank, 5100 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake. Community audience members are welcome and invited to attend. The Crystal Lake Toastmasters Club is part of Toastmasters International, a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to providing opportunities, tools and support to improve your communication and leadership skills. The Crystal Lake Toastmasters Club meets the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of the month from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Crystal Lake Amcore Bank located on Route 14. Visitors are welcome at all club meetings. For information, visit www.crystallaketoastmasters.org; or contact Connie Bartholomew at (847) 337-1204 or cbartholomew19@yahoo.com. For information about Toastmasters International and to find additional clubs, visit www.toastmasters.org.

CAGG-NI: The Computer-Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illinois meetings are held at 10:30 a.m. the third Saturday of each month at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

The topic on Feb. 21 will be "Software Tools You May Not Know About" by John Stryker.He will identify a number of very useful tools available on the internet that may be new to you. Using these tools may make your computer- based genealogical work easier, more pleasant, and even fun.

Kane County Audubon Society: The Kane County Audubon Society will join the Chicago Lake Front Gull Frolic at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Meet at Peck Farm parking lot, located at Peck and Kaneville roads to car pool to Chicago. For information, call Tim Balassie at (630) 513-7345.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, join "Fox River Birding By Car" at 8 a.m. Meet at Peck Farm parking lot to car pool. For information, call Bob Andrini at (630) 584-8386. Visit www.kanecountyaudubon.org.

Elgin VFW: The Elgin Veterans of Foreign Wars, in cooperation with Les Pace and the Pacemakers, will host a free public dance from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22. Light food fare and refreshments are available for purchase. The VFW is at 1601 Weld Road. For details, call (847) 742-3879.

Girl Scouts: Each year, on Feb. 22, Girl Scouts celebrate World Thinking Day by participating in activities, games and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries.

This year's theme for Thinking Day is "together we can change our world." To celebrate, Girl Scouts in Sybaquay Council will hold troop and neighborhood celebrations and take part in global service project activities. World Thinking Day not only gives girls a chance to celebrate international friendships, but it is also a reminder that Girl Scouts of the USA is part of a global community - one of nearly 150 countries with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

For information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect, or donate to Girl Scouts-Sybaquay Council, call (847) 741-5521 or visit the Web site at www.gs-sybaquay.org.

Girl Scouts-Sybaquay Council serves nearly 10,000 girls from more than 50 communities throughout McHenry County, and parts of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Lake, LaSalle and Kane counties. Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development program for girls, with a membership of more than 4 million girl and adult members. Its mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Jewish Genealogical Society: Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois will present "1898 German Jewish Genealogy and Assimilation into Chicago Life - Culture and Cooking" at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Temple Beth Israel, 3601 W. Dempster, Skokie. The meeting facilities at Temple Beth Israel will open at 12:30 p.m. to accommodate members/guests who want to use our library materials, get help with genealogy Web sites on the Internet, or ask genealogical related questions before the main program begins at 2 p.m., visit www.jewishgen.org/jgsi or call (312) 666-0100.

Kane County Genealogical Society: The Kane County Genealogical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 in the first-floor meeting room of the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St., Geneva.

The guest speaker for the evening will be Karla Kaulfuss, Historic Preservation Planner, discussing Historic Preservation in Geneva. Kaulfuss will discuss the issues and successes pertaining to preservation and the efforts of the Geneva Historic Preservation Commission, which works to maintain historical integrity and appeal of the historic district in Geneva.

Its mission is to gather and preserve regional historical records and serve as a county-wide educational resource for those interested in genealogy. For information, call (847) 697-1029 or visit the society's Web site at www.rootsweb.com/~ilkcgs.

McHenry County WIM: Carson Pirie Scott Community Day Coupon Books are now available through McHenry County Women In Management. All proceeds benefit WIMs scholarships to three local women that will be awarded this spring.

The books are $5 each and contain a $10 coupon good on any item $10 or over, plus other discounts. Coupons may be used at Carson's Community Day event, Feb. 27 and 28 at all Carson Pirie Scott locations. Coupons may also be used online.

The annual scholarship program provides three $1,000 scholarships to deserving local women. One scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior, one is awarded to a woman continuing her education, a third is awarded to a female student of any age who has overcome a significant hardship. Applications will be available at the WIM website shortly and awards will be presented at the group's June luncheon. WIM is an organization for professional women. To purchase a booklet or for more information, e-mail mchenrycounty@wimonline.org or call (815) 363-2693 before Feb. 19.

4-H clubs:Do you enjoy new cultures and learning about the people of different cultures? Stop by the "4-H International Night" with the Woodstock Noon Rotary from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27 at Creekside Middle School, 3201 Hercules Road in Woodstock. Groups involved with the 4-H program have chosen a country and worked hard researching to create an informational and fun display to show the public. Rotary Exchange Students also will attend the event. These students represent more than 20 countries and will be glad to answer questions for you. Admission is one non-perishable food product per person or $1 per person or $5 per family. Food donations are given to a needy organization in McHenry County; monetary donations are given to Heifer International for their global educational efforts.

Huntley Lions: The Huntley Lions Club is again inviting the community to our annual February Steak Fry Dinner. The meal will feature a charcoal broiled steak, baked potato, salad, rolls, coffee and milk. Lions Club members and Huntley High School students will serve your meal at the American Legion Hall at Coral and Woodstock streets in Huntley. This year's Steak Fry will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. The cost is $15 per person. Children can get a hamburger for $4 or a free hot dog when accompanied by their parents. Tickets are available through Lions Club members or at Hoppy's Barbershop. Limited tickets will be available at the door. Proceeds from this event are used to aid the visual and hearing impaired members of our community as well as other community needs. For information, contact Lion Jim Heavey at (847) 669-5636.

Elgin Woman's Club: The Elgin Woman's Club will meet at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 at the Holiday Inn, 495 Airport Road, Elgin. Chaired by Bridget McGuinness and hosted by the International/Public Affairs Department, the program will be presented by a representative of the Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin, with a discussion about the shelter and will include time for questions and answers regarding pet adoption. McGuinness asks that all those attending wear green. In addition, homemade Irish soda bread and scones will be for sale at the luncheon.

Committee members for the March meeting, in addition to McGuinness, are Trudy Anderson, Becky Demmin and Lois Oberst.

Members are asked to make reservations no later than Friday, Feb. 27, by calling the hotline at (847) 622-3614. The luncheon meeting and program costs $15 and may be paid by check at the door the day of the meeting.

Since the club was founded in 1887, members have supported hundreds of local projects including yearly scholarships to students from the area high schools and their major accomplishment - the founding of Sherman Hospital in 1888. In addition, members serve as readers in local schools, volunteers in hospitals and other agencies throughout the Elgin area and are active in recycling, conservation, women's health, international affairs and other projects.

Women who want to know more about the Elgin Woman's Club, recognized for 121 years as a leading philanthropic organization, may call the hotline. A club member will return the call within 24 hours. As a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs there is a variety of club information on their Web site - www.gfwc.org.

Huntley Rotary Club: The Huntley Rotary Club is busy preparing for its first Baggo Tournament. The event will be held on Saturday, March 14 at the Pinecrest Golf Club in Huntley, with registration at noon. Participants will have the opportunity to play three games against their first round opponent, and winners of the best-of-three competition will advance to the second round. The single elimination competition will take place inside the clubhouse, and feature food and beverage specials, big screen TV, and a 50/50 raffle.

The popular game, similar to horseshoes, uses bean bags instead of shoes. The concept is the same, and the object is to toss the bags into the hole on the playing platform. The game has gained popularity over the years, and is a pastime for many people.

Fifty percent of the funds from the tournament will be paid out to the first- and second-place winners. The Huntley Rotary will keep the other 50 percent as their portion of the fundraiser event. "We're looking forward to some fun competition, and a great afternoon at the club house." said Tom Rancak, Rotary member and chairman for the event. "It's our first time trying something like this, and we're hoping it will be a popular event for the community."

For information or to sign up your team, call Tom at (815) 341-7174 or e-mail Trancak@classicmortgagesolutions.com.

Elgin Junior Woman's Club: Elgin Junior Woman's Club is celebrating 75 years of friendship and service at a Diamond Anniversary luncheon. The festivities will be held March 7 at Villa Olivia Country Club in Bartlett. Call Loretta Revesz at (847) 224-4318 or e-mail to, slr735@comcast.net to be included in this memorable event.

Richmond Garden Club: The Richmond Garden Club will host their 2009 Spring Flower Show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2 at the Richmond-Burton High School, 8311 Route 31 in Richmond. Twice a year, the club hosts these shows to feature talented, local floral designers as they create beautiful spring-inspired centerpieces. All creations are raffled at the end of the show. Many audience participants get to leave the show with a centerpiece of their own.

The money raised from these shows helps fund a college scholarship for the Richmond-Burton High School, where these shows are hosted in spring and fall. Numerous beautification projects are also funded with the proceeds. Plants are donated to the local retirement community, and many public gardens are maintained by the Richmond Garden Club. Club members look forward to decorating the bridge planters for the summer season.

Those interested in joining the club can call Sandra Mohoney at (815) 678-7929 or visit www.richmondgardenclub.org.

For information on the Spring Flower Show or to purchase tickets, contact Barb Gallagos at (815) 678-4034. Admission is $9 and includes a raffle ticket.

Lake in the Hills Rotary Club: The Lake in the Hills Rotary Club meets every Wednesday from noon until 1 p.m. at the Colonial Cafe, 2555 W. Bunker Hill Drive in Algonquin. The club is currently accepting new members. If you are interested in membership, join them on Wednesday for a free lunch to learn more about what the Rotary Club has to offer. Visit the Web site at www.lithrotary.org.

• 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.