The briefs

Holy Family to host a guest speaker

Holy Family Catholic Community, 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness, will host guest speaker Robert McClory at 7 p.m. today. The topic will be "The Push for Restorationism: What's Behind the Latin Mass?"

McClory is a professor emeritus at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, and author of several books on Catholic history and issues.

For details, call (847) 359-0042.

Shop and support local organization

From 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ice House Mall, 200 Applebee St., Barrington, participating merchants will donate 20 percent of total purchases when shoppers mention Home of the Sparrow.

Shoppers will also receive a $10 holiday shopping coupon. Some restrictions may apply.

Home of the Sparrow provides transitional housing, counseling, and job skills training to Northwest suburban women in crisis.

For details, visit h-o-s.org.

Drop off new toys for needy children

The village of Palatine is partnering with the Woodfield Area Children's Organization to ensure that every child gets toys for the holiday.

People can drop off new, unwrapped toys in the village's finance or police lobbies at the village hall, 200 E. Wood St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

There's also a drop box at the police station open 24-hours a day. The collection ends Thursday.

Families, homeowners associations, Scouts and others are all encouraged to collect toys. For details, call (847) 359-9054.

Council to host tai chi seminar

Linda Cao of Meridian Movement Therapy will give a tai chi demonstration at the December meeting of the Barrington Area Council on Aging's Parkinson's Disease Education Group.

The meeting will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday in the Eastlake Dining Room at The Garlands of Barrington, 1000 Garlands Lane.

Cao, who also works with Alexian Brothers Neurosciences Institute in Hoffman Estates, will be accompanied by Carol Hartman from Alexian.

The group is open to Parkinson's patients and their family members who wish to learn more about the disease.

For details or to register, call Penny LeNeveu at (847) 381-5030.