Elgin Image Awards set for 16th year

For the 16th year, the Image Advisory Commission will hold the Elgin Image Awards. The ceremony will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Heritage Ballroom of the Centre of Elgin. This year The Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra ensemble will play during the reception, honoring the nomination of Lisa Boehm for the Legacy Award. The program follows at 7 p.m.

People in town have nominated individuals in both volunteer and professional roles, businesses, civic groups and organizations. In alphabetical order the nominees are: Elisabeth Spalinger Boehm; Children's Theatre of Elgin; Jerry Cain and Judson University; Demi Cooper Advertising; Jim Durante; First Community Bank; James Halik; J.B. Harris & Co.; Sandy Kaptain; Kim's Black Belt Academy; Little Angels; Elgin Community Network; Order Sons of Italy in America, Lodge 2446; Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society of Elgin Community College; and Reily Graphics.

All nominees receive a certificate, and then commission members honor the individual recipients of the awards. All are welcome and no reservation is required. For details, go to www.cityofelgin.org (go to all events and scroll to March 13) or call (847) 931-5601.

Centennial ceremony

At 11:30 a.m. Friday, the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards ceremony. This centennial year, the chamber has moved the naming of its award-winning companies to a luncheon in the Centre's Heritage Ballroom. Chairman of the board Dave Strahl will welcome the attendees, and past president Cheryl Wendt will serve as emcee.

Awards to be presented are large and small businesses of the year; ambassador, volunteer and new member recruiter of the year; workforce development award of businesses and professionals; the community improvement award for new construction and for renovation; and the business/school partnership of 2007 with Elgin Area School District U46.

Retiring board members Carolyn Kirk Likou from Total Home Health, Randy Roberts from Grand Victoria Casino, and Joann Reynolds of Schleifering Medical will be honored.

I was able to talk to Carolyn about her 6-year term of office. She said that several faces have changed at the chamber in her term. The level of participation in the business community remains high, with many companies extremely active. The economy has forced a retrenchment in some goals in many ways, but this gives a time to upgrade services and involvement. Although she is retiring, she plans to stay here and remain active in the chamber and the community.

For details or to make a reservation for the luncheon, call Catherine Smith at (847) 741-5660.

Fay's Barbeque

The third annual Fay's Barbeque will be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday at Larkin High School. Gary Masching of the Larkin Parent Association says you can buy tickets ahead of time by calling (847) 888-5200 by Wednesday. The $10 fee gets you a choice of pork chops, chicken or catfish. Four sides go along with the meal. We loved the catfish last year!

Twenty-five veteran volunteers work from noon to get the feast ready. Some parents make sure that elderly neighbors and those suffering hard times get a meal, too. All funds raised go to the Larkin High post-prom and scholarships.

For details, call Gary at (847) 742-2951.

Elgin Academy

Celebrating the growth of the 169-year-old campus this year, Elgin Academy will hold its annual fundraiser at Boulder Ridge County Club at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

The beautiful Harold D. Rider Media, Science, and Fine Arts Center will be dedicated in the coming year. The building was named for Rider because of the great number of hours he volunteered to assist in making the building possible. His wife and his four sons graduated from the academy, and he has an enduring love of the school.

Laura Anderson, who leads the school's development committee and is in her 18th year of board membership, said the black tie optional evening will feature a 350-item silent auction, an elegant meal and then a live auction led by Greg Parker.

Some of the items are: four first-night NASCAR tickets for the Nationwide series on July 11, one day at the Indy 500 and a private tour of the Air Traffic Control Center for O'Hare Airport. An iPhone, a day at Mario Tricoci and an autographed Hannah Montana guitar will be offered.

For details or reservations, call Laura Anderson at (847) 695-0369, ext. 257.

Spring at Old Main

The Elgin Area Historical Society's museum at Old Main opens for the season at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 16.

There will be new exhibits, including: Piano in the Parlor, about the Seybold piano manufactured in Elgin; One Hundred Years of Wing Park; and At the Ballet: Lisa Boehm's Nutcracker.

At 1:30 p.m., there will be a panel discussion to begin the Boehm exhibit. Volunteers have built a mini dance studio, with mirrors, a bar and wooden floor. Costumes from the studio and the Nutcracker will be part of the exhibit.

Maurice Dyer, vice president of the historical society, will moderate the panel. Longtime past performer Clare Ollayos, stage production manager Don Haefliger, costume designer Sandy Haggard and parent and volunteer Jean Keltner will speak.

They will recall their experiences with the ballet, Lisa Boehm and her studio.

Admission to the museum that day will free to the public, and refreshments will be served. For details, go to www.elginhistory.org or call (847) 742-4248.