Tri-Cities clubs notes
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Fox Valley-Geneva American Legion Post 75: Dennis Enneking, a Vietnam veteran and member of Fox Valley-Geneva American Legion Post 75, will dedicate his Memorial Day speech to local veterans who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. He needs to hear from you how the death of a family member or friend while in service for their country has affected your life. The American Legion recognizes that for every life sacrificed, many lives are touched and changed. They want to share the community's life experiences as a tribute during the annual ceremony at the cemetery following the parade. Share your thoughts as soon as possible, but no later than Sunday, May 17, by e-mailing d.enneking@sbcglobal.net. The post members wish to honor those sacrifices and what it has meant to the local community. They will be sharing a selection of these responses as time allows, but all stories will be saved and available for reading at the American Legion Post in Geneva.
Batavia Artists' Guild: The Batavia Artists' Guild will host its Spring Fine Art Show and Sale from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 1; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 3 at the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St. A reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. The guild is a group of local artists, organized for the purpose of promoting the fine arts. It sponsors two or three group shows a year. The artwork is original, and many of the participating artists are well known locally. This show will be the same time as the First Friday Artwalk in Geneva.
Participating local artists include: Liz Aicher, Cass Alexander, Catherine Bushroe, Ed Cook, Fatima Figueiredo, Gail Fitzsimmons, Mary Howe, Jerry Lake, Kathi Luedemann, Lorraine Ochsner, Donald Patterson, Kai Schulte, Patti Seifrid, George Shipperly, Rosemary Smillie, Joy Smith, Barbara Steinke, Fran Stilwagner, Rosalie Vass, Del Webb, Sue West, Karl Williams and Timothy Burns.
Aurora Junior Woman's Club: The Aurora Junior Woman's Club invites women, 18 and older interested in becoming members to the next meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 4 at the Prestbury Cheshire Club, 15 Winthrop New Road in Sugar Grove. The May princess themed meeting will include a dinner and a best costume contest. Those interested in attending should contact membership chair Lori Foust at (630) 892-0827. The Aurora Junior Woman's Club/Aurora Children's Dental Services is a nonprofit organization made up of women from throughout the Fox Valley and has been dedicated to serving the needs of local children for more than 50 years. Each year the club stages a musical production to entertain the families of the Fox Valley. The profits from the performances go directly back to the community in the form of dental work for children who otherwise would not be able to afford the care. It also funds donations to school theater programs, Make-A-Wish programs and other local charitable endeavors.
Welcome Club: The Welcome Club of the Fox Valley invites you to its annual end-of-year Girls Night Out Dinner and entertaining program on Monday, May 4. This year's event will be held at the Fox Valley Country Club, 2500 N. Route 25, in North Aurora. Members and guests will gather for a short meeting at 6:15 p.m., followed by a dinner at 7 p.m. After dinner, they will be entertained by a program by the State Street Dance Studio of Geneva, that is owned and operated by Linda Cunningham.
The dancers will entertain with a variety of dances, and guests may even be asked to "dance with the stars." Send your $25 registration fee, payable to the Welcome Club, to Virginia Swanson, 901 Manchester Course, Geneva, IL 60134. For details, call (630) 402-0507.
The Welcome Club of the Fox Valley 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 calendar year, the charity is the Elderday Center, located in Batavia. To learn more, visit www.elderdaycenter.org.
Many 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 during the months of September through 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.
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 members. 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.
North Aurora Garden Club: North Aurora Garden Club will hold a plant sale from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 9, at the North Aurora Activity Center, Route 31 and Butterfield Road. Local plants, annuals and perennials will be available. For details, call Marilyn Clever at (630) 896-6813.
Batavia Woman's Club: Spring is in the air and Mother's Day is fast approaching. The Batavia Woman's Club is now taking orders for their 37th annual Geranium Sale. The geranium sale supports the clubs scholarship program which assists middle school students who wish to further their studies by attending summer camp/study programs. The sale consists of premium potted geraniums, hanging geraniums and flats of impatiens in a variety of colors which are supplied by Shady Hill Gardens. The sale and pickup of pre-orders will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 9 at the Batavia Riverwalk Peg Bond Center located on Houston Street in Batavia. Most flowers are sold through pre-orders and highly recommended, for there will be a limited supply of flowers for sale on the May 9. In addition, the club will be selling T-shirts, note cards and handmade gift bags. To place an order for flowers, call Kellee Hollis at (630) 326-9152. For information, visit www.bataviawomansclub.org.
Misty River Women's Chorus: At 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, Geneva's Misty River Women's Chorus will join the Fox Valley Men of Harmony Chorus on stage at its 63rd annual Spring Show at Larkin High School auditorium, 1475 Larkin Ave. in Elgin. This "See the USA" titled show will use popular songs and colorful slides to take the audience on a virtual trip around the USA. Featured quartets include the Illinois District Champion "Rush Street" from Northbrook, IL and the dynamic local "Sound Design." Barrington High School's award-winning boys quartet, Testostertones, will appear fresh from recent appearances in Italy. Tickets are $16 or $8 for students. For tickets, call Bill at (630) 587-6383. Five St. Charles area men sing in the 25 man Fox Valley Men of Harmony Chorus.
Fox Valley Computing Professionals: Due to an overwhelming turnout at the last meeting, Fox Valley Computing Professionals will repeat the program, "Social Networking for Business," including some new speakers and new presentations, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 11. For the location, visit www.meetup.com/foxvalleycp and www.foxvalleycp.com.
The last meeting at the Batavia Public Library was standing room only and way over capacity so the group will be meeting at a new location. To view one of the presenter's PowerPoint presentations on the topic, visit slideshare.com. The Fox Valley Computing Professionals has been in existence for 2 years, starting with three members. They are now around 90. The group meets on the second Monday of the month to provide free and open presentations on technology and business topics in relation to technology.
Fox Valley Retired Educators: Fox Valley Retired Educators will meet Tuesday, May 12 for a luncheon and program at the Odyssey, 3755 E. Main St., St. Charles. The meeting will begin with a social time at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch, a short business meeting and a presentation by Sharon Weber and Marsha Machenbrock on their book, "Dig It! Privy Artifacts A-Z." "Dig It!" is this team's second book since retiring with 60 combined years in education. This project plunged them into digital photography and they took more than 500 photos to illustrate the book about privy excavation. Listen as the authors tell of memorable finds such as an entire set of china or a double-barreled shotgun found in an "outhouse" or "privy" from the past.
Cost is $16 for the luncheon. To make a reservation, send a check payable to FVRE to Don Price, 6N119 Woodland Drive, St. Charles, IL 60175 before the May 5 deadline. Fox Valley Retired Educators is a chapter of the Illinois Education Association-National Education Association-Retired. All retired educators, teachers, administrators, school nurses and secretaries are included. All retired classified and certified personnel are invited to join. For information, contact Ron Koeppl or Donna Stockman, FVRE co-presidents, at (630) 208-7471 or (630) 201-4124.
University of Wisconsin Alumni: The regional chapter of the University of Wisconsin Alumni is calling all Badgers to the annual Founders Day Dinner to be held on Wednesday, May 13 at Riverside Receptions in Geneva. The program includes the cash bar at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m. and a speaker from the Madison campus at 7:15 p.m. Darrell Bazzell will present a summary of campus development plans and projects. The cost for the evening is $22 per person. Badgers and their guests are encouraged to "Bring Another Badger!" Contact Harrison Schneider at (630) 232 5969 or mail reservations before May 8 to UW West Suburban Alumni Club, P.O. Box 515, Geneva, IL 60134. Visit www.uwalumni.com/westsuburbanchicago.com.
Fox Valley Troop Support Inc.: Fox Valley Troop Support Inc. is organizing their annual spring care package mailing from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 15 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at the Batavia Veterans of Foreign Wars, 645 S. River St., Batavia. Do you know someone deployed from the Tri-Cities? Fox Valley Troop Support Inc. is a group of patriotic citizens whose mission is supporting local troops with letters of support and care packages for those who are deployed around the globe. The volunteer organization is also collecting donated items for spring care packages that will be sent to the local troops deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations. They encourage local residents to participate in not only collecting donations but also assisting in packing a care package at the care package event. Friday is designated for dropping off and sorting donations and Saturday will commence the packing and sealing of the care packages.
Co-chairs Sarah Giachino and Kathy Tobusch are looking for local residents who are deployed and would like to receive a care package. To add a deployed service member to the FVTS deployment care package list, they will need the name, rank, unit address including APO or FPO. They also require the month of their deployment and an approximate month of return. The Tri-City area has traditionally been very supportive of our deployed troops but FVTS has noticed that troop support drops in the approaching summer months. For information and a list of suggested care package donations, call Sarah Giachino at (630)-587-3789 or e-mail myconfident@aol.com or Kathy Tobusch at (630) 406-9172 or e-mail Kasha2226@aol.com.
Fox Valley Newcomers and Neighbors: Join the Fox Valley Newcomers and Neighbors for their last luncheon of the season on Wednesday, May 20 at Mill Creek Golf Club,39W525 Herrington Road in Geneva. The social hour begins at 11:30 a.m. with lunch at noon, followed by a presentation from guest speaker Dr. Jenna Eisenberg. The cost for this event is $22 and the deadline for payment is Wednesday, May 13. For information, contact Denise at (630) 740-4215. Although primarily a social organization, the club also enjoys participating in community service and each year they undertake one or more charitable, humanitarian, or social welfare projects. The group meets regularly during the months of September through May via special interest groups and our monthly luncheons.
The luncheon meetings held on the third Wednesday of the month at many of the area restaurants in the Fox Valley are open to all current members, perspective members and guests with prepaid reservations. The annual membership's fee of $25 provides you with a membership directory and a monthly newsletter that recaps the upcoming monthly events and activities. For details, call Marcia at (630) 763-0195, Jeanne at (630) 482-9655 or Jill at (630) 945-3121.
Campton Hills Rotary Club: A group of residents are forming a Campton Hills Rotary Club. They meet to discuss the creation of this organization at noon every Tuesday at Old Towne Pub, 40W290 LaFox Road in Campton Hills. Rotary is an international organization of business and professional persons united to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and peace in the world. To learn more about Rotary, log onto www.rotary.org. Bill Paskey, a former Rotarian and Campton Hills' resident, is spearheading this organizational effort. A Rotary Club member will be available to speak about Rotary Club and answer your questions. If you have any questions about organizing the Campton Hills Rotary Club, email Bill Paskey at bpaskey@ttssystems.com.
Sugar Grove Corn Boil Committee: The 2009 Sugar Grove Corn Boil hometown celebration is off to a good start with new bands and a new carnival, as well as free activities for kids and adults, and the fireworks display in the area, thanks to the Sugar Grove Lions Club. The Corn Boil Committee is working hard to keep the tradition of family fun and entertainment at family affordable prices. The festival will be July 24-26.
They need volunteers every year and this year is no exception. To volunteer in whatever way you can in this hometown event, call the Corn Boil hotline at (630) 466-5166 and leave your name and number and a volunteer will call you back.
Local business people have been extremely generous to the Sugar Grove Corn Boil but even they have limits. So if you can't volunteer to work for a few hours, maybe you would like to make a contribution to the fireworks. Local businesspeople and residents who have enjoyed past firework displays or who plan to come this year are invited to make any size donation they can afford. Donations can be sent to: The Sugar Grove Corn Boil, P.O. Box 225, Sugar Grove, IL 60554 and the checks should be made out to: The Sugar Grove Lions Club.
The nonprofit Corn Boil Committee donates everything, except seed money for the next year's event, back to local groups and organizations right here in Sugar Grove.
Sponsorship will be needed more than ever this year. Visit the Web site at www.sugargrovecornboil.org.