The briefs

Elgin to honor new U.S. citizensElgin's 12th annual recognition program for new U.S. citizens will be Wednesday, June 23, during the 7 p.m. Elgin City Council meeting.Attendees at this brief program will be provided a personalized certificate and will be congratulated on their achievement by Elgin Mayor Schock and city council members. During the ceremony, one honoree will speak briefly about his journey to citizenship, followed by a musical selection by the Elgin Choral Union.After the ceremony, a reception hosted by state Rep. Keith Farnham's office will be held in the city hall lobby, 150 Dexter Court. Honorees may be new citizens who live or work in Elgin area, or who have taken citizenship classes in the city, as well as adopted children who recently became U.S. citizens.This annual event is coordinated by Elgin's New Citizenship Recognition Committee, a group of citizens from several civic organizations. Honorees are asked to call Rosa Sanborn at (847) 695-9050 by Monday, June 21.Parish school to host a reunion SundaySt. Margaret Mary School in Algonquin will hold an alumni reunion Sunday, June 27. All alumni from the parish school are invited back for Mass and a reunion.The event begins at the 11 a.m. Mass and continues with a catered lunch in the school gym. Reminisce and mingle on the St. Margaret Mary parish grounds. Take a walk through the original and current school and see the changes and additions that have been made to the parish campus.For details, call Kathy Frank at (847) 458-8636 or visit www.school.saintmargaretmary.org.Join 35th reunion for Larkin HighLarkin High School Class of 1975 will host its 35th reunion from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, June 26, at Emmetts Tavern, 128 W. Main St. in West Dundee. Cost is $25 per person in advance or $35 at the door. Appetizers are included. There is a cash bar. For details, call (847) 551-9662.AMVETS to hold picnic for veteransAMVETS of Cary Grove Post 245 will host its 23rd annual picnic for hospitalized veterans at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 23, in memory of Chris Chigas.Veterans from four different VA hospitals will be attending. Approximately 500 veterans from Illinois and Wisconsin will be bussed to Lions Park, 102 Beachway in Fox River Grove, along the Fox River near the Route 14 bridge. There will be food, soda, music, bingo, games, pontoon boat rides, and camaraderie. This is the largest picnic held in Illinois for veterans. Volunteers and monetary donations are needed.For details, call Bob Janu at (847) 639-4587.S. Elgin police host motorcycle runThe South Elgin Police Department will host the second "Bikes 'N Badges Run for Special Olympics" at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 27. Registration/check-in starts at 8:30 a.m. at Randall's Pancake House, 305 S. Randall Road, South Elgin. The first bike out will be at 10 a.m. for this 90-mile motorcycle run through western Kane County that ends at Mary's Corner Tap, 304 Mill St., South Elgin. The cost of $45 per bike, with a passenger, includes breakfast, lunch at Mary's Corner Tap, raffle tickets and door prizes, 50/50 raffle and a live disc jockey. A free run T-shirt will be given to the first 75 registered riders. Advanced tickets are available or you may pay at check-in. RSVP is requested.All of the proceeds will go to the Special Olympics. For details, contact officer John Rothecker at (847) 741-2151 or jrothecker@southelgin.com, or officer Mike Palazzzo at (847) 741-2151 or mpalazzo@southelgin.com.Swing to Big Band tunes on SundayLes Pace and the Pacemakers will host a free public dance from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 27, at the Elgin Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, 1600 Weld Road. Featuring big band era music, the band consists of musicians who come together for the sheer enjoyment of laying music. Refreshments and light food fare are available for purchase. For details, call Les at (847) 742-3879.Local Little League needs your helpThe Hampshire-Pingree Little League asks the community to help it get a field makeover.The "Building Diamonds and Dreams" program, which ends July 16, will select some youth baseball fields for a complete makeover, courtesy of Chevy and their partner, The Scotts Company, the official lawn care company of Major League Baseball.Go online to www.chevybaseball.com and enter ZIP code 60140. When you do, your community is entered for a chance at a ballpark makeover. You can increase your community's chances of being selected by entering your information every day. You also will be entered for a chance to win a new Chevy car, truck or crossover.For information on the league, visit www.hamsphirelittleleague.com.Cary parks puts on summer celebrationThe Cary Park District will hold a Summer Celebration from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 3, in Lions Park, 1170 Silver Lake Road, Cary, featuring food, live music and fireworks. If it rains, the fireworks will light up the skies at dusk Monday, July 5. Admission is free; but depending on whether you park on grass or pavement, you will be paying either $5 or $10 for parking. For details, call (847) 639-6100.