From the clubs

To list your club's meetings, e-mail to foxvalley@dailyherald.com, or fax to (847) 608-0849.

Altrusa Club: Altrusa International Club of Elgin will host the annual "Awesome Altrusa Garage Sale" from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at 940 Douglas Ave. in Elgin. "We have folks come back every year, because we have the best selection and this year's is the best yet," club president Dana Vierck stated. Proceeds from the garage sale are used to support area nonprofits year-round. For information, call (847) 741-0983.

Fox Valley Bicycle and Ski Club: The Fox Valley Bicycle and Ski Club will host its 39th annual Swedish Days Ride on June 15, Father's Day. The ride will begin and end at Burlington Central High School. Each rider has a choice of 25-, 45-, 62-, 75-, 100- or 124-mile routes on paved country roads west of Route 47 in Kane County. Rest stops are provided at Hampshire Forest Preserve, St. Peter and Paul Church in Virgil and Maple Park Village Park. After the ride, cyclists will be treated to watermelon, ice cream and plenty of cold water and lemonade. To register, go to the Web site www.fvbs.org or call (630) 513-1987 for information. Same-day registration is accepted on the day of the ride. Brochures are available at area bike shops, park districts, and libraries. Proceeds from the Swedish Day Ride allow the club to donate to a variety of trail and cycling related causes every year. The club invites area cyclists to attend its rides, programs, and other events throughout the year. Meetings are at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. For information on monthly meetings or club rides, visit www.fvbsc.org.

McHenry County Chapter of AARP: The McHenry County Chapter of AARP will meet at noon June 12 for lunch at the Old Country Buffet Restaurant on Route 14 in Crystal Lake. In July the group will hold its annual luncheon to support the Salvation Army in Crystal Lake. For chapter information call Glenn at (815) 477-1952.

McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society: McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society will hold a general meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. June 12 at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church 404 N. Green St., McHenry.

Are you looking for love in all the wrong places, searching Gretna Greens for marriage records?

You've looked through civil records, you've looked through church records. What else should you do if you simply can't find marriage records for your ancestors? In the United States, the requirements for a valid marriage have changed over time and varied from state to state.

Today couples in a hurry might rush off to Las Vegas. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, numerous towns across the nation were known as "marriage mills" or "Gretna Greens."

Join the club on June 12 to learn more about some of these locations and find out why you might be looking for marriage records in the wrong place.

The speaker will be Ginger Frere, founder of Information Diggers. She is a professional family history researcher and speaker. She also works as a reference librarian in the Local and Family History Section of The Newberry Library.

Frere is an alumna of the National Institute for Genealogical Research. Her primary areas of interest include Chicago history, company histories and the creation of online tools for genealogists. She has an extensive technical background as well as masters degrees in business administration and library and information science.

For details, call Virginia (847) 458-6060, ext. 112.

Crystal Clear Toastmasters: Crystal Clear Toastmasters announce new meeting time and place.

Beginning with the June 12 meeting, the Crystal Clear Toastmasters will move to a new home at Panera Bread, 6000 Northwest Hwy. in Crystal Lake. The group meets at 7:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Crystal Clear Toastmasters also will meet from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. June 26 at Panera Bread. For details, visit www.crystalcleartoastmasters.org, or to join as a guest, call (847) 494-4068.

The Toastmasters help members enhance their public speaking skills, conduct productive meetings and develop as leaders.

Northwest Suburban Astronomers: The Northwest Suburban Astronomers, in cooperation with the McHenry County Conservation District, will host a public star party at sunset (8:32 p.m.) June 14 at Pleasant Valley Conservation Area, 13315 Pleasant Valley Road, approximately two miles west of Route 47 and one-half mile south of Route 176, in McHenry County.

You can look at stars, galaxies, nebulae and star clusters with the help of NSA member telescopes. Some of the observing highlights will be the planet Saturn, globular cluster M13 in Hercules, the Ring Nebula M57 in Lyra and galaxies M81 and M82 in Ursa Major.

Bring warm clothing, insect repellent and a flashlight covered with red plastic or cellophane - red light preserves your night vision. Visit the Web site at www.nsaclub.org for details.

Plan to arrive around sunset, 8:32 p.m. or come out early and hike the trails. You can bring your own telescope or binoculars. In the event of inclement weather the event will be canceled. There is no cost to attend.

Rose show: The Prairie Rose Society and the Fox Valley Rose Society will hold their annual rose show on June 14 at the Platt Hill Nursery, Randall and Huntley roads in Carpentersville. The rose show, which will be held in the nursery's largest building, will be open to the public from noon until 3:30 p.m.

Members of both societies and other rose growers in Northern Illinois will exhibit their best hybrid teas, grandifloras, shrubs, floribundas, miniatures and other types of roses. Roses must be entered between 7 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. For details on the rose show or exhibiting in it, call (847) 426-4593. There is no admission charge.

Golden K Kiwanis: The Elgin Golden K Kiwanis will hold its annual club picnic on June 18 so there will be no general membership meeting or program that day. For information, call (847) 741-7176.

Elgin IAAP: The Elgin Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals will meet June 18 at the Elgin Holiday Inn, 495 Airport Road.

"Ethics for Leaders" will be presented by William J. Ganek, village manager of the village of Algonquin. His presentation will include ethics pertaining to employees, the president and trustees, the board, and the residents.

As a member of the Illinois City/County Management Association, he follows its code of ethics for all facets of his position and uses their code in all situations.

Also at this meeting will be the installation of the chapter's new board of directors.

Dinner entree is all-American buffet. Networking begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and program at 6:15 p.m. Cost is $17. Call Victoria Prestia at (630) 584-2342 to register. For information about IAAP or Elgin Chapter, visit www.iaapelgin.com.

Illinois Fox Valley SHRM: On June 19, the Illinois Fox Valley Society of Human Resource Management welcomes Bernie Dyme, President & CEO of Perspectives. This workshop will provide you with information on the benefits of EAPs and evaluating EAPs to fit your organizations needs.

Illinois Fox Valley SHRM meets at Hennessy Restaurant in Elgin, just north of I-90 off Randall Road, the third Thursday of every month for a luncheon with versatile programs directed toward the Human Resource Professional. Registration is at 11:15 a.m. and the meeting adjourns at 1 p.m.

Interested parties can call (847) 289-7170. The cost for Illinois Fox Valley SHRM members $20 or $40 for nonmembers.

Woodstock Professional and Business Women: The Woodstock Professional and Business Women will present its 16th annual Garden Walk from 1 to 8 p.m. June 19. The walk will be held rain or shine.

The event will feature six inspirational gardens.

Participants are invited to stroll through the gardens at a leisurely pace and get inspired. Exchange gardening information or ask questions of the homeowner.

The raffle will have valuable prizes donated by Woodstock businesses.

Garden walk tickets are $15; $13 in advance. Advance tickets are available from the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, and Amcore, Harris, Home State, and LaSalle banks in Woodstock.

Tickets and maps will be available at the Stage Left Café at the Woodstock Opera House walk day.

The Woodstock Professional and Business Women are committed to community service. The group recognizes an annual Woman of the Year, supports the Christmas Clearing House and other worthwhile causes through its Angela Burden Award and the annual Frances Kuhn Scholarships.

Elgin Junior Woman's Club: The club's "Treasured Gardens of Elgin" garden walk will take place June 21. Proceeds from the event will benefit Senior Services Associates Inc. The starting location is at Hawthorne Hill Nature Center, 25 Brookside Drive in Elgin. It will include seven beautiful gardens in Elgin and South Elgin. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $12 at Flower Wagon, 989 W. Spring St. in South Elgin; Town and Country Gardens, 936 E. Chicago St., Elgin; or Jewel Food Store, 1660 Larkin Ave., Elgin. Tickets are $15 on the day of the event. For details, call, Karen Dowling at (847) 697-4530 or Joanna Klemm at (847) 697-6827. Elgin Junior Woman's Club is open to any woman in the Fox Valley area who is 18 years or older and has an interest in serving the community is welcome to attend. For information, call Sue Lucio at (847) 428-2966.

Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice: The group will host a rummage sale to defray operating expenses for the year from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 21 in the church basement at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, 783 W. Highland Ave., Elgin. Drop off donated items at the same location from 4 to 8 p.m. June 20. Donate books, clean clothing in good repair, household items, furniture and odds and ends.

CAGG-NI: The Computer-Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illinois meetings are held at 10:30 a.m. the third Saturday of each month at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

The topic will be "Write Your Family History NOW!" on June 21. Moderator will be Mike Karsen. He will show how you can publish your genealogy research in a book that vary from a simple 30 pages to ones that contain detailed biographies and places our families in historical context. This is one of series of genealogical programs.

Submit club news and photos of activities to Club News, Daily Herald, 385 Airport Road, Suite A, IL 60123. Or e-mail to foxvalley@dailyherald.com or fax to (847) 608-0849.