Fundraisers

Today

Music Institute of Chicago 2008 gala: 6 p.m. today, The Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago. Adrienne, (847) 905-1500, ext. 123.

Thursday

Barnes and Noble book fair: 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday, in the Deer Park Town Center, 20600 N. Rand Road, Deer Park. Books, CD's, films and food. Local author Jane Hoppe will sign copies of her new book, "Beyond Betrayal" at 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit Sister Cities of Palatine and Fontenay Le Comte, France. (847) 963-6450 or info@palatinesistercities.org.

Solid Gold Gala-Metropolis Encore 2008: 6 p.m. Friday, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Arlington Heights. Cocktails, main stage performances, dinner, live and silent auctions. Black-tie optional, Reservations required by Thursday. $100 each at the Metropolis Box office (847) 577-2121 or visit MetropolisArts.com.

Friday

Alexian Brothers Medical Center Auxiliary fragrance sale: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, in the Kennedy Conference Center at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, 800 Biesterfield, Elk Grove Village. Proceeds benefit scholarships and community health education.

Dunkin' Donuts Rooftop Stakeout: beginning 5 a.m. Friday; 70 Dunkin' Donuts rooftops throughout Chicago and the suburbs. Police officers will stakeout the rooftops of Dunkin' Donuts to raise donations and heighten awareness for the 23rd annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois.

Women In Need Growing Stronger shower: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday; Inverness Golf Club, 102 N. Roselle Road, Inverness. Annual "A Safe Place to Dream: Shower for the Shelter" Guests to purchase much needed items for the WINGS Safe House emergency shelter in the northwest suburbs. Guest speaker is Carolyn Gable, author of "Everything I Know As A CEO I Learned As A Waitress." Visit www.wingsprogram.com/events.

Faith Lutheran Church rummage sale: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 431 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. Clothes, toys, games, tools, appliances, furniture, electronics and more. Benefits the Faith Revitalization Fund. (847) 253-4839.

Team Joseph benefit: 6-9 p.m.; Friday; Vino 100, 110 S. Emerson St., Mount Prospect. Wine sampling, hors d'oeuvres. Admission, $10. Ten percent of wine sales benefit Team Joseph, a fundraising group dedicated to finding a cure for muscular dystrophy. (847) 253-8466

Faith Lutheran Church flower and plant sale: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 431 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. Flowers, flats, baskets, and planter from Arte Verde. (847) 253-4839.

Shelter Inc. Tag Days: Friday through Sunday, local stores throughout the Northwest suburbs. Shelter Inc. is seeking volunteers to serve as taggers for its 18th annual Shelter-A-Child Tag Days. Must be over 18. (847) 590-6188, ext. 22 or www.shelter-inc.org.

Saturday

Bradley Krueger Scholarship Fund Bowling Benefit: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Arlington Lanes, 3435 N. Kennicott Ave., Arlington Heights. Dinner, bowling, raffle, cash bar. $35. BradleyKruegerScholarship@gmail.com.

Christ Church United Church of Christ luncheon and fashion show: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Casa Royale Banquets, 783 Lee St., Des Plaines. $25, adults; $15 children under 12. For tickets, call Rita (847) 825-1160.

Crop 'till you drop: 2-11 p.m. Saturday, Living Lord Lutheran Church, 1044 Congress Drive, Bartlett. Stamping and scrapbooking fundraiser benefits the ministries of the church. $25, dinner included. Glenda, (630) 213-2061 or www.thankyoucrop.eventbrite.com.

Elk Grove Garden Club plant sale: Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Farmhouse Museum Campus, 399 Biesterfield Road, Elk Grove Village. Annuals, perennials, dahlias, garden decorations. Cathy, (847) 593-0453 or cek379@sbcglobal.net.

Field and Flower Garden Club plant sale: 8 a.m.-noon Saturday, Barrington Jewel parking lot, 150 W. Main St. Perennials freshly dug from members' gardens. Proceeds support philanthropies and programs of the club. (847) 382-1869.

Four Seasons Garden Club plant and garden sale: 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday, 25849 Crest Hill Drive, Barrington. Plants, containers, garden magazines and other garden-related items. (847) 381-2883.

Food drive: Saturday; The Self-Help Closet and Pantry of Des Plaines and the Des Plaines branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers will conduct their annual food drive Saturday. Residents are asked to leave nonperishable food items outside their door for local letter carriers and other volunteers to collect. The food will benefit Des Plaines residents who are in need.

Volunteers are needed in other areas. Food will also be collected at Midway Kia on Rand Road; Prairie Lakes Community Center and Des Plaines City Hall through Saturday. Call (847) 337-1443.

Kenneth Young Center's 2008 Walk of the Mental Health of It: 8 a.m. Saturday, Busse Woods, just west of Arlington Heights Road, off Higgins Road. Walk, run, in-line skate, wheelchair, etc. Dogs welcome. For details, call Betty at (847) 524-8807. Register or donate at www.kennethyoung.org.

Reseda Garden Club perennial plant sale: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, 900 Hicks Road, Palatine. Plants from members' gardens along with commercially purchased plants. (847) 358-5825.

St. Paul United Church of Christ car wash: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, 401 E. Main St., Barrington. Proceeds fund the church's mission trip to the Bridger, South Dakota Indian reservation to help with building and repair projects. Rain date: May 18 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (847) 381-0460.

SuperSibs luncheon and auction: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Westin Hotel Lombard at Yorktown Center, Lombard. $100. www.supersibs.org.

Women's Network of Lutheran Social Services luncheon: Saturday, The Westin O'Hare, 6100 N. River Road, Rosemont. $75. Benefits Bonding with Books. Ed, (847) 635-6456.

Sunday

Men's Club Mother's Day Lox Box fundraiser: 8-11 a.m. pick-up Sunday, at Congregation Beth Judea, Long Grove, or local delivery only. $25 single box, $47 double box, $20 ARK box. Call Steve or Jim at (847) 634-0777 for order forms and information.

Famous Dave's fundraiser: Sunday, all Famous Dave's restaurants in the greater Chicago area. Famous Dave's will raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by donating 100 percent of all dessert sales to the cancer foundation. (847) 202-2213.

Tuesday

Coterie of Barrington Game Day: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Inverness Golf Club. Card and board games, lunch. $40. For information and reservations, (847) 277-7179.

Maine West Dollars for Scholars Eat Around Town fundraiser: 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Wendy's Restaurant, Lee Street and Oakton. Eat at Wendy's and 15 percent of your total sales will benefit Maine West Dollars for Scholars.

May 14

Gilda's Club Chicago wine tasting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. May 14; Binny's Beverage Depot, 1132 S. Jefferson St., Chicago. $40, includes parking. www.gildasclubchicago.org/springevent.

Chai Society lunch and benefit concert: noon May 14, Temple Jeremiah, 937 Happ Road, Northfield. New Horizons, a 25-member senior band performs swing era medleys and Broadway tunes along with Temple Jeremiah's Cantor Amy Zussman and music director David Lornson. (847) 441-5760 or www.templejeremiah.org.

May 15

Mount Prospect Women's Club luncheon and fashion show: 11 a.m. May 15, Manzo's, 1571 S. Elmhurst Road, Des Plaines. $28. For reservations, (847) 399-8180.

May 16

Jelly Belly Days: Clearbrook will hold its 19th annual Jelly Belly Days May 16 and 17 at storefronts and intersections throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. School groups, organizations, companies or individuals are being sought to collect. More than 3,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities will benefit. Contact Janis at (847) 385-5008 or jedelheit@clearbrook.org for details. Visit wwwclearbrook.org.

May 17

Arthritis Walk: Arthritis Foundation's Arthritis Walk: 10 a.m. May 17, Lincoln Park near the Grant statue, near the entrance to Lincoln Park Zoo. Choose from a 3.1-mile or one-mile walk route. Registration is free and each person who raises $100 or more will receive a T-shirt. Benefits research, programs, services and patient advocacy efforts. www.ChicagoArthritisWalks.org or (312) 372-2080.

Perennial plant sale: 8 a.m.-noon May 17; Prospect Crossings Shopping Center, Rand and Willow Roads, Arlington Heights, in the North end of the parking lot across from John Hersey High School. Also available hand-painted bird houses, silk flower wreaths, house plants, and hand-made rain barrels.

Funds benefit Dollar for Scholars, Civic Locations, Parks and the preservation and conservation of Hillcrest Lake in Prospect Heights. (847) 259-5354.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Great Strides Walk: 8:30 a.m. May 17, Busse Woods Grove #P5-16. To register www.cff.org/Great Strides/ChristopherHorton or call Amy, (312) 236-4491, ext. 110.

Fremd Viking Booster Club fundraiser: 7 p.m. May 17, GolfNation, 399 N. Quentin Road, Palatine. Simulated golfing, appetizers, cash bar. $50 per person. For reservations, call Lori at (847) 991-4513.

Kingswood United Methodist Church rummage sale: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. May 17, 401 W. Dundee Road, Buffalo Grove. Benefits Kingswood's operating costs. (847) 398-0770.

Long Grove-Kildeer Garden Club plant sale: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. May 17, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. May 18; Reed-Turner Woodland Nature Center, 3849 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Heirloom tomato plants, herbs, more. Penny, (847) 540-8212.

New Beginnings Senior Dance fundraiser: 7:30-11 p.m. May 17, St. Matthew Catholic Church, 1001 Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Bring a snack. (847) 397-9643.

Picket Fence Realty community garage sale: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 17, St. John's Episcopal Church, 200 N. Main St., Mount Prospect. Lunch, garage sale items, baked goods. Food sales benefit the Great American Bake Sale.

Wheeling Garden Club plant sale: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 17, Wheeling Village Hall, 255 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling. Annuals, hanging baskets, perennials, herbs and vegetable plants. For information or to place an order, call Helen at (847) 537-9279.