Unique show from a special artist opening in Hoffman Estates

Artist Rachel Dora-Ann, who is legally blind/visually impaired due to Stargardt's disease, will have a gallery show of her work at the Black Box Diamond, 1756 W. Algonquin Road, in Hoffman Estates, through December. An opening ceremony is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, which includes a meet and greet with the artists. Rachel Dora-Ann's work represents how she sees the world, in heavy light and shadow contrast.

• Maine West High School senior Nestor Zavala has been honored by the school as the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen. Zavala was chosen for the honor by administrators, teachers and staff based on his dependability, service, leadership and patriotism. The honor qualifies him to enter an essay scholarship competition, which offers monetary awards to local and state winners and a $5,000 scholarship to a national winner.

• The Mount Prospect Sunrise Rotary Club elected new officers for 2008-09: President Jere Teed, recently retired business manager/controller of CEDA Northwest; president-elect and club treasurer Tony Canonaco, a certified public accountant; Vice President Jim Helm, senior structural engineer Bowman Barrett & Associates, Chicago; and continuing as secretary is Susan Dozier, manager of American Chartered Bank.

Members of the Sunrise Rotary board are: Service/club project committee Chairman Marilyn Genther, executive director of the Mount Prospect Library; foundation committee Chairman Brian Gilligan, executive director of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission; membership committee chairman Mike Putz, chief financial officer with Harnetech LLC, Arlington Heights; and public relations committee chairman, Dick Bragaw, president of Bragaw Public Relations Services, Palatine.

• Elk Grove High School seniors Sonalie Patel of Elk Grove Village and Philip Weber of Des Plaines were honored Monday, Nov. 17, at McCormick Place in Chicago, with the Cook County Sheriff's Office Youth Service Medal of Honor. Patel logged over 400 hours of service at Alexian Brothers Medical Center on the pediatric floor during her four years of high school. She also tutored at Rupley Elementary, assisted with Elk Grove Park District cheerleading and served as an Obama campaign volunteer.

Weber has accumulated over 120 hours in service projects through his membership in ROTC, including Salvation Army food drives, the Lamb's Farm Haunted Hike and Operation Christmas. He served 80 hours at First Congregational Church of Des Plaines as a Sunday school teacher and a volunteer for the Second Time Around sale and spring cleanup of church member's homes.

• The following Conant High School band members received awards for outstanding performances: Sean Ehrhardt, a junior trumpet player and Greg Shearhod, a senior tuba player, have been named to the Illinois Music Educators District 7 Band. Alex Tomuta, a junior trumpet player, has become a member of the Illinois Music Educators District 7 Jazz Band.