Swedish trip helps Sugar Grove ready for Solheim Cup

A small contingent from Sugar Grove visited Sweden last month to attend the Solheim Cup, a women's golf competition between the U.S. and Europe held every two years.

The next Solheim Cup will be Aug. 17-23, 2009, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove.

Village President Sean Michels, economic development corporation director Perry Clark and several staff members from the golf club made the trip to learn more about hosting the event in two years. The U.S. golfers won in an upset.

"Our girls really came through," Michels said. "It was cold and rainy but they played like it was sunny and dry. They played great.

"The Swedish people are very gracious, they even apologized for the weather. But they were very accommodating. I expect a sizable foreign crowd when we host it in two years."

The Solheim Cup features the best U.S. born players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association in a three-day, match-play competition against the best European born players from the Ladies European Tour.

Michels combined the trip with a multi-generational family vacation.

The Michels and their four children joined Sean's parents, James and Carole Michels, and his brother and sister on a visit to Luxembourg, the native country of the Michels clan.

They visited cousins, grave sites, and discovered there may have been a Roman Catholic bishop in the family.

"We're very spoiled by the space we have here," Michels observed. "In Europe, a whole village may be on only 50 acres.

"But we took a train ride to Paris and I was also amazed at the amount of farm land."

Spaghetti supper

The Elburn American Legion auxiliary spaghetti supper is from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at the American Legion Hall, 112 N. Main St.

The supper features all-you-can-eat spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, garlic bread and desserts. There will be a cash bar. The cost is $6 for adults, $4 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children 5 or younger.

Guests can eat at the American Legion hall or buy dinners for take-out.

Proceeds will sponsor two area girls as they attend the Illini Girls State convention, as well as support community activities. Call (630) 365-6530.