From the clubs
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.
USA Dance: The Holiday Charity Ball is Saturday, Dec. 20. The dance begins with a waltz lesson from 7:30 to 8 p.m. in the Sage Ballroom of Lakeside Legacy Arts Park, home of the historic Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Dancing is until 11 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Included in the admission of $12 for nonmembers and $8 for USA Dance members are appetizers, cake and coffee and a chance to win door prizes.
Home of the Sparrow is the charity of choice this year. The shelter provides transitional housing and support services for homeless women and children in McHenry County. Each year more than 100 homeless women and children reside in Home of the Sparrow shelters in Crystal Lake and McHenry. More than 60 percent are children.
To learn more about Home of the Sparrow, go to Web site h-o-s.org.
The Greater Fox Falley Chapter of USA Dance asks members and guests to bring wrapped presents to the dance with a firmly attached tag identifying who the gift is for - woman, male or female teen or male or female child. Indicate what child age group for which the gift is appropriate. Please, no candles or candle holders. Gift cards from gas stations, movie theaters, food stores and department stores are always appreciated. For details, leave a message at (847) 639-8699.
For details on USA Dance, visit Web site dancefoxvalley.org or call Walt at (815) 337-6860 or Jackie at (847) 639-8699. All dances are smoke and alcohol free.
South Elgin Lions Club: The South Elgin Lions Club will conduct half-price bingo on Saturday, Dec. 20. Doors open at 5 p.m. and bingo and raffles games start at 7 p.m.
All regular bingo games, computer and paper, will be sold at half price. All special or raffle games will be sold at regular price. South Elgin Lions Club offers hands-free computerized bingo play and two smoking breaks during the evening; a covered shelter is provided, Food and beverages are available for purchase.
For details, call Lion Paul Groth or Lion Allan Shelton at (847) 888-9575.
Nippersink Garden Club: A new garden club is forming to serve northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Members of the Nippersink Garden Club are coming together because of the love of gardening and the love of the beautiful Nippersink Creek area and waterways. Club members will continue to grow with the desire to learn from, preserve and enjoy the Nippersink's beauty and bounty.
Membership is open to all interested men, women, and their children. Membership will be free, and 2009 meetings are yet to be determined. Visit Web site nippersinkgardenclub.org or call Stacy VanHoorn at (262) 279-5992 for details.
Friends of the Fox River: The Friends of the Fox River held its annual meeting Dec. 8 at the historic Kendall County Courthouse in Yorkville. Guest speakers included Marc Miller, Senior Policy Advisor to the Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, about the Dam Safety Initiative and Bob Rung and Steve Pescitelli from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources who shared their research on the biological health of the Fox River. Gary Swick and Rob Linke, both Friends of the Fox River Board Members, also made presentations. Gary Swick spoke about Fox River Watershed Monitoring Network initiatives and Rob Linke spoke on behalf of research conducted by the Fox River Study Group.
New officers are annually elected at this event. This year Tom Schrader was reelected as president, Brandon Zaleiski was reelected as vice president, Mary Alice Masonick was reelected as secretary, and Kyla Jacobsen is pending reelection as treasurer.
Every year the "Kindred Spirit" award is presented to those individuals that show outstanding action for protecting and improving the Fox River.
This year the award was presented to Marc Miller, Senior Policy Advisor to Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn
Friends of the Fox River's mission is "... to preserve, restore and protect the Fox River Watershed's resources by connecting people with nature through education, research, restoration and advocacy." For more information on Friends of the Fox River visit Web sitefriendsofthefoxriver.org.
Elgin VFW: The Elgin VFW will host a New Year's Eve public dinner dance, featuring a prime rib dinner and dancing to the music of Les Pace and the Pacemakers. Cocktails are at 6 p.m.; dinner at 7 p.m.; and dancing at 9 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person or two for $55, including party favors. To purchase tickets or for more information, call Les at (847) 742 3879. The Elgin VFW is at 1601 Weld Road.
Kane County Audubon Society: The public is invited to programs and activities of the Kane County Audubon Society.
• Christmas Bird Count: At 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, K.C.A.S. members will lead groups counting all birds in Kane County's part of the Fermi Lab Loop. If you would like to be a part of this important data collection, call Terry Murray at (630) 896-3219.
• New Year's Day Bird Walk at Nelson Lake: At 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 1, meet in the parking lot by the silo, which is west of Nelson Lake Road, west of Nelson Lake Road, about 3/4 mile south of Main Street and 2 miles west of Randall Road in Batavia. For details, call Rhonda Nelson at (630) 479-1384.