Briefs: House of Hope event today

The House of Hope Resale Shop in Barrington will host its popular Holiday Open House charity event from 6 to 9 p.m. today, Nov. 12, with festivities continuing through Saturday. The event benefits Project Hope, a ministry of St. Anne Catholic Community that provides emergency assistance to needy local families. In its fifth year, the sale includes a huge new Toyland and a huge selection of new and vintage furniture, holiday items, clothing, home accents and collectibles. The House of Hope Resale Shop, in the Market Center shops at 200 N. Hough St. downtown, will be closed today to prepare for this evening event, which includes a wine sampling, appetizers and prize drawings. The special sale continues through Saturday with new items added daily. For information and directions, call (847) 756-4673.

Talk on special ed advocacy

Special Education Advocate Jean Kulczyk will address the role of special education advocacy at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at Community Church of Barrington, 301 E. Lincoln. The talk will address when one needs an advocate, the role of the parent as advocate, how an advocate is different from an attorney and some advocacy skills. Other topics to be discussed include how to work with an IEP team and an attorney and how to avoid unnecessary unpleasantness in the area of special education. The free event will also include a list of resources for parents to educate themselves with regard to state and federal laws and other special education matters. For details on the Barrington Area Special Voices group, go to baspecialvoices.org.