Fox Valley club briefs
To list your club's meetings, e-mail to foxvalley@dailyherald.com, or fax to (847) 608-0849.
AARP: The McHenry County Chapter of AARP will meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 at The Fountains of Crystal Lake on Route 31 one mile north of Route 176. A representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield will be the speaker. Refreshments are served. For chapter information, call Glenn at (815) 477-1952.
American Legion Post 57: The Elgin American Legion Elgin Post 57 will once again spearhead the city of Elgin's Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11 at the Civic Center Plaza, 100 Dexter Court. This year's program will feature participation by veteran's organizations, city council members and city officials, Elgin police and fire departments, and musical selections will be performed by the chorus of the Northwest Baptist Academy under the direction of choir director Cindy Hall. Tricia Dieringer, Americanism Chairman for Elgin Post 57 American Legion, will emcee this program. For information, contact the Post-57 American Legion Adjutant's Office at (847) 741-2358
Elgin Lions Club: The Elgin Lions Club will hold its 11th annual golf outing on Friday, Sept. 11 at the Hughes Creek Golf Course, 1749 Spring Valley Drive in Elburn. This event is used to raise funds for the club's efforts to supply eye care for Elgin residents. By far the greatest benefits of the club's efforts go to providing examinations and eyeglasses to Elgin school children. Other Lions clubs in the area also provide vision care, but the Elgin club proudly provides a larger proportion of the funds they collect to this effort. The outing is a scramble format with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. The cost for the outing is $80 per golfer which gives participants 18 holes of golf with a cart at a very nice golfing venue, a snack at the turn, and prizes for long drives, low net, and closest to the pin. It also includes a meal after all the golfing is completed, and a raffle. Those interested are urged to make a reservation so the crowd can be efficiently managed by calling Jim Bacak at (847) 742-4281.
Elgin Knights of Columbus: The Knights of Columbus Monsignor Henry Schryer Council 654 of Elgin will be participating in the Knights of Columbus annual Tootsie Roll fundraising campaign on Friday, Sept. 11 to Sunday, Sept. 13. This is the 40th year Elgin Council 654 of the Knights of Columbus have participated in the Tootsie Roll drive, which raises funds for the needs of the intellectually disabled. The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal benefit organization chartered in 1882. Elgin Council 654 of the Knights of Columbus boosts over 200 members, who hold true their commitment to the order's principals of Charity, Unity and Fraternity. For information, visit the local council Web site at www.kofc654.org.
Boy Scout Troop 2: Boy Scout Troop 2 invites you to its annual "All U Can Eat Pastagetti Dinner" from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 at St. John Lutheran Church, 115 N. Spring St., Elgin. They will be serving spaghetti and tomato sauce, spaghetti and meat sauce, linguine in olive oil, fettuccine alfredo and even macaroni and cheese. Five kinds of pasta including salad, garlic bread and dessert. They ask for a donation of $5 per adult, $4 for seniors, or $18 for the entire family. Children are admitted free. Proceeds from this event provide the Troop with summer camp expenses, equipment and general operating expenses. Troop 2 of Elgin is very active in the community as well as many other volunteer efforts. For details, visit www.Troop2.com.
Fox Valley Rocketeers: The club of model rocketry enthusiasts will host a rocket launch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Kishwaukee Park, 12320 Davis Road, east of Route 47 in Woodstock. For details, call Mark Bundick (815) 337-9068 or Ken Hutchinson (815) 444-0539, or visit www.foxvalleyrocketeers.org for a map to the library or field.
Elgin American Legion: The Elgin American Legion Post 57, 820 N. Liberty St., will host a variety of activities in September. The hall also is available for rental for any event. For details, call (847) 741-1684. The annual Septemberfest Dinner and raffle drawings will be on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the post home, 820 N. Liberty St. in Elgin. The two-meat dinner buffet will begin at 7 p.m., with the raffle drawings to be held at approximately 8 p.m. The cost is $10 per person. For information, or to purchase tickets in advance, call the post at (847) 741-1684. Post 57 will be hosting a breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13. This breakfast is open to the public. The menu and prices are: steak and eggs, $6; eggs (made to order) with sausage, bacon, and potatoes, $4.50 or with two pancakes/no potato, $5; and omelets (cheese, mushrooms, green, red or hot peppers), $5. Also included are white or wheat toast, juice and coffee, as well as a few other beverage specials.
Elgin Area Historical Society: The Elgin Area Historical Society is hosting a speaker on Elgin American compacts from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13. Chicagoan Howard Melton is an avid collector of 1920s compacts including ones made in Elgin. He will present a short history of the Illinois Watch Case Company and display a part of his deco art compact collection. The Illinois Watch Case Company produced many of the watch cases for the Elgin National Watch Company. Beginning in the 1920s the company expanded by producing compacts, cigarette cases, lighters, and a variety of other ladies items. In the 1950s, all production was moved to Japan. The factory building remains on Dundee and Chester avenues; the site received a state historical marker 2007. The program will be held at the Old Main History Museum, 360 Park St. in Elgin and is free for Society members and $3 for non-members. For details, call (847) 742-4248 or visit www.elginhistory.org.
DTRCC: The Dundee Township Republican Central Committee, Inc., along with the Dundee Township Republican Organization, is hosting its 16th annual Republican Family Picnic on Sunday, Sept. 13 at the Randall Oaks Park in West Dundee. The event begins at 11 a.m., with lunch served from noon to 2 p.m., and features Illinois candidates for federal, state, county and other races. The sponsoring organizations invite the general public to come and eat, meet the candidates and enjoy the facilities. The annual celebration is open to the public with an all-you-can-eat lunch (hot dogs, corn on the cob, drinks, etc.). Additionally, there are informal games for both children and adults. Randall Oaks Park entrance is located on Randall Road, immediately south of Binnie Road. Meal tickets are $8 donation per person, available in advance or at the event. Children 5 years old and under are free. For information, contact Margaret Scalfaro at (847) 428-1875.
Sierra Club: The Fox Valley group of the Sierra Club will hold an open house at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14 at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. This is a chance to discover the opportunities that are available with the Sierra Club in Kane and Kendall counties. Brief reports will be given on various Sierra Club projects, a 10-minute history of the local club will be presented, and several committees will have displays highlighting their activities. These include the Water Sentinels, who monitor local waterways for pollutants, and the rain barrel committee, which recycles old barrels used in whiskey production by the truckload, to collect rainwater for watering plants in dry weather. Group projects include several river and park cleanups each year and creating rain gardens for Aurora Parks. The energy, global warming and suburban sprawl committees foster awareness of these issues in the community, while the political lobbying committee helps keep our government representatives informed on current environmental issues. People wishing to become involved are welcome to apply for positions on these committees. The Batavia Public Library is located on Route 31 and Wilson Street in downtown Batavia. To receive e-mail notices regarding future speakers, contact the Sierra Club at craig.zabel@illinois.sierraclub.org. For information, call (630) 466-1808 or visit sierraclub.org/chapters/il/vof.
South Elgin Lions: The South Elgin Lions Club will host this event presented by Life Line Screening on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Lions Club, 500 Fulton in South Elgin. Appointments will begin at 9 a.m. A stroke, also known as a "brain attack," is ranked as the third leading killer in the world. These screenings are fast, painless and affordable. They help identify potential health problems such as blocked arteries and irregular heart rhythm, abdominal aortic aneurysms and hardening of the arteries in the legs, which is a strong predictor of heart disease. Preregistration is required for all screenings, which will take 60-90 minutes to complete. The Stroke, Vascular Disease and Heart Rhythm Package is $139. For information regarding the screenings or to schedule an appointment, call (888) 653-6441. Preregistration is required. If you have any questions, contact Lion Paul Groth at (847) 888-9575 or Joelle Reizes, Life Line Screening, at (216) 518-8456 or Jreizes@llsa.com. For information on the South Elgin Lions Club, visit www.southelginlions.com. For details on Life Line Screening, visit www.lifelinescreening.com.
Elgin VFW 1307: The Elgin Watch City Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1307 will hold a POW/MIA Remembrance event at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1601 Weld Road in Elgin. This National Day of Observance was designed to set aside a day separate from Memorial Day and Veterans Day specifically to remember the missing - those who were captured or lost and never returned home. Their families never got any official notice of death - they were left to wonder and hope. The ceremony will be brief but respectful with the Table of Remembrance, a playing of Taps and a reading of "Remember." Special attention will be given to the last POW from the Vietnam War, Air Force Colonel Charles Shelton. Afterward, there will be a barbecue with burgers, hot dogs, potato salad and a draft beer or draft pop. There is a $5 donation at the door to help cover costs. Any profits will go to the post Relief Fund.
Twins Club: Miraculous Multiples Mothers of Twins Club will host its Fall/Winter Kids Resale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 at Holiday Inn, Route 31 and Three Oaks Road in Crystal Lake. There will be thousands of gently used items including clothing, toys and baby gear.
Model Railroad Club: The Kishwaukee Valley Eakin Creek Model Railroad Club, in conjunction with the Sun Flowers Garden Club of Sun City, will hold its annual fall open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 20. The event will feature the club's outdoor garden scale layout behind the Millgrove Woodshop as well as model railroad layouts for "O", "HO", and "N" scales in the basement of the woodshop at 13400 W. Sun City Blvd. All residents of Sun City as well as their family members and friends are invited to the event. We do ask that children be accompanied by an adult. Stop by and see the progress that's been made on the outdoor track and the inside layouts.
Fox Valley Beaux Arts: Fox Valley Beaux Arts will usher in the fall season with its annual luncheon and style show on Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Elgin Country Club, 2575 Weld Road, Elgin. A fashion wardrobe designed for travel, titled "Traveling Chic", will be presented by Chico's of The Arboretum in South Barrington. The gathering begins at 11 a.m. with a silent auction and basket raffles. The style show starts at noon, followed by lunch. The luncheon and style show is $40 with the proceeds supporting scholarships for senior high school students talented in the fine arts. All friends of the arts are welcome to join Beaux Arts members for an enjoyable and entertaining afternoon. Reservations are due by Friday, Sept. 18. For information, call Mary Ellen Kanies Beckmann at (847) 697-1085.
Tri-City Evergreen VFW Post 2298 Ladies Auxiliary: The auxiliary will host a spaghetti dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at the post, 117 S. First St., West Dundee. The dinner includes spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, salad and dessert. $8 per person. For details, call (847) 428-2205.
Donor Club: The Donor Club of Elgin will present its traditional book review and tea at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 at the First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland Ave., Elgin. The tickets are $12 each and will be available from members or by calling Jacque at (847) 888-8586. Limited tickets will also be sold at the door. Tea, coffee and cookies will be served. There will be homemade cookies, peanut brittle, breads and cupcakes for sale as well as some gently-used books. A basket raffle will also be held. This year marks Barbara Rinella's 23rd year of giving book reviews for the Donor Club. This year's selection is "The American Lion, Andrew Jackson In The White House" by Jon Meacham.
Toastmasters: Do you want to improve your speaking skills. Need to be more confident on that interview or presentation. Come join the Listen Learn Lead Toastmasters for a fun and enjoyable way to keep the butterflies flying in formation. It meets at the Walker Parking Consultants building, 505 Davis Road in Elgin. The meetings are from noon to 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Call (630) 605-4815 or e-mail to vtreague@hotmail.com for more information.
LITH Rotary: 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.
Sow Little Thyme: Sow Little Thyme Garden Club meets monthly in the Dundee area on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. For meeting places and information, call Sheila at (847) 428-0849.