Kane County sponsors Veterans Benefits Seminar
The Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County will host a Veteran Benefits Seminar at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Legion, 112 N. Main St. (Route 47) in downtown Elburn.
The commission is holding the seminar in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Hines Hospital, and Elburn American Legion Post 630. A veteran benefits overview presentation will begin at 6 p.m. A Veteran Service Officer will be available to help with applications. The seminar will end at 8 p.m.
The goal is providing services to veterans living in the Elburn, Maple Park and Kaneville areas, according to a news release.
“We are putting a greater emphasis on outreach over the next year to make sure veterans across the county know what benefits they’re eligible for,” said Jake Zimmerman, Superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County.
The Hines VA Mobile Medical Unit will be onsite to provide enrollment, immunizations and other health care resources for area veterans. Veterans Service Officers from the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County will also be on hand providing application assistance in applying for veterans benefits such as service connected disability compensation, non-service connected pension, as well as helping veterans obtain their DD-214 if they don’t have a copy.
Kane County is the seventh largest county in Illinois by veteran population with 24,084 veterans, according to the release. Of those veterans residing in Kane County, 10 percent have a service-connected disability and 19 percent use the VA for health care, according to the Commission.
For information, call the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County at 630-232-3550.
Elgin fire station assists winter clothing collection
Elgin Fire Department is helping local nonprofits collect new and lightly used winter coats, gloves, mittens, hats, boots and snow pants and scarves for men, women and children.
Donations will be accepted through Dec. 31 at all seven of Elgin’s fire stations. Addresses and contact information for each fire station can be found at cityofelgin.org/firestations.
As part of the effort, Fire Station 5 is collecting items to help the Elgin Community Crisis Center through its annual Winter Wear Collection Drive.
Lillian Lozano, facility manager at the Community Crisis Center, said the organization need men’s coats that can withstand the extreme winter conditions of the area. The Community Crisis Center requests that no lightweight or spring items, sweatshirts, sweaters or wool dress coats, be donated at this time.
Fire Station 5 has worked with the Community Crisis Center for the past three years, assisting in the winter clothing collection drive. About half of Community Crisis Center’s collections come through the fire stations each year, Lozano said. The collections are delivered via ambulance on a weekly basis, typically carrying at least 10 bags of coats, she said.
The Community Crisis Center is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency temporary safe shelter to women and children who are homeless due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or financial crisis. The organization also offers a 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling, education and other assistance programs.
Elgin’s fire stations are helping local organizations, including Advocate Sherman Pediatric Unit, Kane County Triad, Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, Food for Greater Elgin and School District U46 reading programs. “Each station finds a niche in their district that will help benefit the community,” said Bryan McMahon, assistant fire chief.
For information, contact Captain Dick Cummings at 847-931-6194 or cummings_r@cityofelgin.org.
U46, Elgin honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
School District U46 is partnering with the city of Elgin’s Human Relations Commission to recognize fourth through 12th grade student writers in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The contest, organized through the Commission’s 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend Celebration Committee, aims to engage the students in the history of the January celebration of the Civil Rights leader, according to a U46 news release.
“This program honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy and encourages students to research and reflect on the ways we resolve conflict today,” said School District U46 CEO Tony Sanders. “Students who participate in the weekend celebration will learn how we might best apply Dr. King’s values and vision to contemporary social and political issues.”
Students can participate through the essay contest and Socratic seminar around this year’s theme “Nonviolence is the way and its method is love.” A Socratic seminar is a collaborative, intellectual dialogue facilitated with open-ended questions about a text or topic.
Fourth through 12th graders will be asked to research the theme’s central question: “Is nonviolence the answer?” and then write an essay that must include research and not exceed 1,200 words. Interested students must include their name, school and grade with submissions. Entries must attach a bibliography or works-cited page.
Candidates of the essay contest can apply to participate in the Socratic seminar. The seminar will take place at 10 a.m. Jan. 15 at Larkin High School, 1475 Larkin Ave, Elgin. Applications to the Socratic seminar are separate entries.
The completed essay and Socratic seminar applications must be submitted electronically by Dec. 4 to u46mlk@u-46.org.
Kane County’s Nature Book Group
The Forest Preserve District of Kane County’s monthly Nature Book Group will to discuss books about the environment, nature or related topics, and cover a broad range of environmental issues. Participants should read the book and join the discussion.
“Nature Book Group” programs take place at Creek Bend Nature Center, within LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, at 37W700 Dean St., Saint Charles.
Upcoming books include:
“In Control of Nature” by John McPhee, Nov. 16, 7-8:30 p.m.
“The Milagro Beanfield War” by John Nichols, Dec. 14, 7-8:30 p.m.
“The Art of Seeing Things: Essays by John Burrough” edited by Charlotte Walker, Jan. 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
“Lab Girl” by Hope Jahren, Feb. 15, 7-8:30 p.m.
Advance registration is required. Call 630-444-3190 or e-mail programs@kaneforest.com. To view a full roster of Forest Preserve District nature programs, go to www.kaneforest.com.
