Fox Valley club briefs
To list your club's meetings, e-mail to foxvalley@dailyherald.com, or fax to (847) 608-0849.
WIM: Members of McHenry County Women in Management have selected Home of the Sparrow as the recipient of its annual gift-giving. Members will bring items from Home of the Sparrow's holiday wish list to the December luncheon. The luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 17 at the Shah Center for Corporate Training and Illinois Small Business Development Center, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, McHenry. The luncheon also will include networking and holiday music.
"The current economy has pushed more people into homelessness and created a greater strain on local families. As an organization of women, we wanted to benefit a community group that supports women facing challenging circumstances," said chapter president Susan Clancy-Kelly.
Founded in 1986, Home of the Sparrow provides transitional shelter, counseling and other services to homeless women and their children. Each year, over 100 women and children live in the Home of the Sparrow shelters and apartments. Cost per person is $20 for members and $25 for guests. To make a reservation or for more information, call (815) 363-2693, visit wimonline.org or e-mail mchenrycounty@wimonline.org.
Cary-Grove Jaycees: The Cary-Grove Jaycees have a Christmas tree lot at the Algonquin Township office, 3702 Route 14 in Crystal Lake. They have been selling quality Christmas Trees for over 30 years in Cary and Fox River Grove. The low prices have not been increased in over 5 years, so you can get a great tree at a great price. The lot will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The proceeds of the Christmas tree lot go directly back into the community to support events such as Easter egg hunt, fishing derby, food pantry fundraisers, Junior Trojans, Cary Youth Baseball and other events and organizations that the Jaycees have been sponsoring for years. For information, e-mail Gail Overstreet-Williams at gailo32@sbcglobal.net.
Elgin American Legion: American Legion Post 57, 820 N. Liberty St. in Elgin, hosts a variety of activities and events which are open to the public. The American Legion Hall is available for rental for any event. For details, call (847) 741-1684. Stop by for its weekly Family Burger and Steak Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, except on Dec. 24 and 31. Or enjoy the weekly Friday Night Fish Fry from 4 to 8 p.m. at the post home, except on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. It features your choice of haddock, perch, catfish, and shrimp with all the trimmings.
Watch City VFW: A fundraiser for U.S. Army Staff Sargeant Miguel Valdivia will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at the Watch City Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1307, 1601 Weld Road in Elgin. Bring a dish to pass for this casual dinner. There will be raffles and a cash bar. All funds raised at this event will go to Valdivia and his family, just in time for Christmas Already a veteran of Iraq, Valdivia was preparing to ship out to Afghanistan when he was shot twice in the leg during the Fort Hood shootings on Nov. 5. He underwent two surgeries for his leg wounds and will be coming home for Christmas this week. He is a member of VFW Post 1307 in Elgin. For details, call (847) 888-9809.
NAMI: NAMI Kane County will hold its annual potluck Holiday Brunch from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 in the third floor room at the Ecker Center for Mental Health, 1845 Grandstand Place, Elgin. Members and new friends will get together to celebrate the holiday season. NAMI offers a new ongoing support group for families at Provena St. Joseph Hospital, Elgin, on the second Tuesday of every month (St. Mary's room on the lower level), as well as the St. Charles support group on the first Thursday. For information, call Laurie at (847) 695-7957 or NAMI Kane County at (847) 426-4594.
Audubon Society: Kane County Chapter of Illinois Audubon Society invites the public to these programs and activities. Enjoy Christmas Bird Count at 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. This is the 110th Christmas Bird Count. This is where citizen scientist make a difference. You can make a contribution in the longest-running wildlife census. To help, call Terry Murray at (630) 896-3219 or Bob Andrini at (630) 584-8386.
Enjoy a New Year's Day Walk at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 1, at Nelson Lake. This will be a chance to get some fresh air and see the winter birds of Nelson Lake. Meet in the parking lot by the silo, which is west of Nelson Lake Road and about three-quarter mile south of Main Street, and about two miles west of Randall Road in Batavia. For information, call Rhonda Nelson at (630) 479-1384.
Kane County Audubon is the local chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society and meets at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday each month, September through May. Meetings are held in the orientation room, the Barn, at Peck Farm in Geneva. Visit www.kanecountyaudubon.org.
Gilberts Cub Scouts: Gilberts Cub Scout Pack 1047 will be working along with the Fox Valley Marine Corps in the Toys For Tots Program. The program provides toys for children less fortunate during this holiday season. There are drop-off locations for new, unwrapped toys at Gilberts Elementary School, Gilberts; Big Sammy's, Elgin; and Garibaldi's, Carpentersville. Stop by any of these locations with a new unwrapped toy, please no stuffed animals.
Elgin Knights of Columbus: Get in your order now for the Elgin Knights of Columbus' annual "Chili for Charity" cookbook with favorite recipes donated from Brother Knights, friends, and relatives. Cost is $10. Send orders to Chili for Charity Cook Book, c/o Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 1427, Elgin, IL 60120-1427. Money orders or checks should be made payable to the Knights of Columbus 654. For details, e-mail Kirk at kstas@comcast.net.
South Elgin Lions: On Thursday, Dec. 31, the South Elgin Lions Club, 500 Fulton St., will host a special half-price bingo. All regular bingo games (computer and paper) will be sold at half price. All special or raffle games will be sold at regular price. Lions Club offers hands-free computerized bingo play and two smoking breaks during the evening (a covered shelter is provided). Food and beverages are available for purchase. A total of $2,200 will be paid out on all bingo games in addition to the raffle payouts. Some of the higher bingo and raffle payouts to a single winner include the following: Bull's-eye, $250; Lucky Lion Raffle, $100 to $1,000; Double Action Raffle, $100 plus a potential progressive payout of $6,600; Tic Tac $100 plus a potential progressive payout of $8,200; and Bingo Jackpot, $500. A food donation to the South Elgin Food Pantry will get you an extra chance to win a free computer package no. 9 valued at $44. For details, call Paul Groth or Allan Shelton at (847) 888-9575.
Zonta Club: Looking for some fellowship and networking opportunities with professional women in your community? The Zonta Club of St. Charles-Geneva-Batavia is a local organization of professional women working to improve the status of women in the Tri-City area. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Jan 5 at Prairie Landing Golf Club, Route 38 and Kautz Road in West Chicago. Networking will be at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Dinner costs $25. This month, Ellen O'Hara will be the guest speaker. O'Hara is a member of the Chicago Area Chapter of The Ninety-Nines, the international organization of licensed women pilots. The Chicago region has the distinction of having the largest chapter of The Ninety-Nines, its unique name coming from the total number of women who formed the group as charter members. Today, Ninety-Nines are professional pilots for airlines, industry and government; they are pilots who teach and pilots who fly for pleasure; they are pilots who are technicians and mechanics. But first and foremost, they are women who love to fly!
Reservations may be called in to Christie Plotzke at (847) 931-2292 no later than Monday, Dec. 28. For information about Zonta, contact Club President Bobbie Gerbrecht at bobbie@bobbiegrayson.com or (630) 879-7889.
Lincoln State Cat Club: The Lincoln State Cat Club's 50th anniversary show will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 27-28 at Harper College in Palatine. See the best of the breeds in the Midwest compete for "Best in Show" among eight rings, talk with the breeders, listen to and ask questions at the education ring and shop for anything cat at more than 20 vendor booths. Admission is $8 per person with children under age 6 admitted free of charge. To print a coupon for a $1 off admission or for information, visit lscats.org.
Elgin LWV: The Elgin Area League of Women Voters meets at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month at Tylers Towers Clubhouse, 1450 Plymouth Lane in Elgin. The monthly board meetings are open to all league members.