Sugar Grove chamber collecting gifts

There is still time to help those less fortunate this holiday season.

Bring a new, unwrapped toy, book or gift card to the Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce lunch at 11:45 Thursday, Dec. 11, for the Holiday Spirit joint project of Kaneland schools and Conley Outreach/West Towns. The luncheon is at the Sugar Grove Fire Protection District, 25 S. Municipal Drive.

The project serves the Kaneland/BigRock area, which reaches into five townships, according to Carol Alfrey of Conley Outreach. Last year, 50 families and 143 children were helped, and the need is expected to be bigger this year with the struggling economy.

If you can't make it to the luncheon, you can call Alfrey at (630) 365-2880 to find out how to help.

Chamber members will look at the year in review at the luncheon.

Also, Re/Max All Pro is sponsoring a food drive to benefit the Kaneland Food Pantry. Nonperishable food items, cleaning supplies and paper goods are needed. Donated items can be dropped off until Sunday, Dec. 21, at the Re/Max All Pro office at 330 Division St., next to Aldi's on Route 47 in Sugar Grove.

At the library: The Sugar Grove Public Library, 54 Snow St., is hosting movie mania for the children during their winter break. Movies will be shown at 2 p.m. on five days during the break. Snacks can be purchased for 50 cents.

Check with the library for information on the schedule, as well as the titles and running times of the movies.

Construction of the new library at 125 S. Municipal Drive, began in May, and much has been done. The foundation and underground utility installation were completed during the summer. Steel structures were erected in September and the concrete floor was finished in October.

The staff recently took part in a "topping off" ceremony that is a tradition in the building industry. Staff signed one of the last wooden timbers to be installed as a roof truss. When the highest point of the wooden timbers was erected, a workman hung a piece of greenery on it. The traditional belief is that the piece of greenery brings good luck to those who work on construction of the project, and to those who use the building. The new library will open in the fall of 2009.

Follow the progress at the library's Web site: sugargrove.il.us. The telephone number is (630) 466-4686.

Free concert: The Waubonsee Community College rock band will perform a free concert at 7:30 Saturday, Dec. 13, in the auditorium at the Sugar Grove campus, Route 47 and Waubonsee Drive. Tickets aren't needed.

For details, call music professor Gib Monokoski at (630) 466-7900, ext. 2500.