Community network sponsoring films
The Elgin Community Network on Tuesday will launch a series of special film screenings about sustainable communities.
Following on its very successful showing of "An Inconvenient Truth," the community network, in partnership with Gail Borden Library, the city of Elgin and the Grand Victoria Foundation, will sponsor six presentations. They're calling the series Elgin Alive, and all will take place at the library.
The first presentation will be a special Midwest screening of a documentary about the cumulative impact of human action on the planet's life systems. It starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
After the film, Deb Perryman of Elgin High School will lead a discussion about the film. The program is free, but reservations are recommended because of limited seating. Call (847) 429-4680.
The film will be shown again at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The series will continue the third Tuesday of each month with "Workforce Education and Transportation," "Saved by the Sun," "Buying and Preserving your Home," "Water Conservation" and "Natural Gardening." Visit gailborden.info.
Hablamos Espanol
The Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce holds its fourth annual Hablamos Espanol exposition from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Heritage Ballroom of the Centre. The goal is let chamber members and other businesses sell their products and services to those not strong in English.
All booths will have a bilingual person present all day. It gives businesses a chance to recruit applicants for jobs, especially those where speaking two languages is an asset.
Dancing will be featured throughout the day. Elgin Area School District U-46 students and Somos Colombian dancers will perform. The National Housing Services will give a presentation for first-time home buyers. Centro de Information will provide citizenship information. The YWCA will outline the availability of English as a Second Language classes.
The Elgin Fire Department will demonstrate equipment and vehicles to kids.
Sherman ball
When you see the invitation to the Sherman Auxiliary Ball, you know this is not going to be the same old, same old!
The passport-style card with inside pages like those of a real passport are the fresh look Ronell DeLoncker and her committee promised. The ball will take place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Renaissance in Schaumburg.
A custom purple beverage, called a Shermantini, will cascade down an ice luge to your glass. Sushi has been added to the appetizers, and the dinner will be from four food stations -- featuring cuisines of India, South America, Europe and Asia. The Moods will provide the music for dancing.
For their longstanding support of the hospital, Volunteers of the Year are Taffy and Bill Hoffer. Dr. Kyung Koo will be honored with the 2008 Career Medical Service Award. Proceeds of the ball will benefit the neonatal department and the birthing center at the new hospital.
Grape expectations
The Rotary Club of Elgin will host its second annual Grape Expectations at 6:30 p.m. March 7 at Elgin Country Club. The evening will begin with gourmet appetizers, complemented by sampling of more than 50 kinds of wine.
John McIntyre of Top Shelf Wine and Spirits in South Elgin says there will be wines from across the globe -- Spain, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. Orders can be placed that night for individual wines or cases of mixed vintages.
A reverse raffle, called the Rotary 5000, will draw numbers down from 100 until remaining numbers either split the pot or winner takes all. All proceeds of the evening go to support the vocational scholarships and other local charitable donation given by the Rotary each year.
Call Mike McKay at (847) 841-1550.