By Al Benson Yorkville resident Jeanne Leifheit took first place in an annual Norwegian soup cookoff Sunday, Feb. 1, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Montgomery. Members voted Leifheit’s “Potato Corn Chowder” best of eight homemade entries. Leifheit was awarded a traveling gold-colored soup pot by Barb Johnson, Polar Star
Free vision exams by the Aurora Lions Club volunteers will be offered for children ages six months to 16 years from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 at Santori Aurora Public Library, 101 S. River Street in Aurora. The public is invited. Admission and parking are free. Advance
By Al Benson New Hope Advent Christian Church of Aurora has launched a monthly caregivers’ support group. Started in the fall, the group meets on the third Monday of each month from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the library of Temple B’nai Israel, 400 N. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora.
By Al Benson Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 band will conclude its season with a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 30 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 85 S. Constitution Drive in Aurora. Admission and parking are free. Donations will be accepted. The band pays tribute to America’s military by
Wesley United Methodist Church (UMC), 14 N. May Street in Aurora, will welcome the Reverend Tammy Scott as incoming pastor Sunday, July 2. Services are held online at 9:30 a.m. and in-person at 10:30 a.m.. The public is invited. Admission is free, although a free-will offering will be accepted. Rev.
By Al Benson Aurora University woman wrestler Alexis “Lexi” Janiak qualified for USA Wrestling’s U20 World Team. Janiak, an AU freshman from Plainfield South High School), qualified by winning two matches at USA Wrestling’s U20 World Team trials in Spokane, Wash., Friday through Sunday. Wrestling at 59 KG, Janiak beat
By Al Benson Montgomery-based Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity plans a 17-home subdivision for West Side Aurora. Barbara Zegiel, Habitat funds development director, reviewed plans for Habitat’s Green Freedom project at Aurora Noon Lions Club meeting Thursday, Feb. 16 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora. Zegiel, who said she
By Al Benson Batavia Public Library’s popular monthly noontime book-review program, Books Between Bites, announces its 34th season. It will begin Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Library, 10 S. Batavia Avenue in Batavia, from noon to 1 p.m. The public is invited. Admission and parking are free. Programs are presented
August 16, 2022Dear editor; Aurora Noon Lions Club just celebrated a big birthday: A century of service. The occasion was marked during a 100th anniversary celebration July 26 at Gaslite Manor Banquets in Aurora. It featured a centennial banquet, recognitions by the City of Aurora and Lions Clubs International, and
By Al Benson Celebrating 100 years of Fox Valley service, Aurora Noon Lions Club will hold a centennial banquet Thursday, July 28. The public is invited said Susan Koepke of Aurora, Noon Lions president. She said the celebration will be July 28, at Gaslite Manor Banquets, 2485 Church Road in
By Al Benson Cosmopolitan Club of Aurora, the club that fights diabetes, will hold its second annual “A Night at the Barn” fundraiser from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, June 24 at the barn at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road in Aurora. The public is invited. Parking is
Greig R. Siedor of Geneva will present “The Battle of Midway” in commemoration of its 80th anniversary in June from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, at Geneva Public Library, 227 S. Seventh Street, Geneva. The public is invited. Admission and parking are free. Siedor is a retired
By Al Benson Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry will hold a pop-up mobile distribution for women only from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 17, indoors at Restoration Church, 1460 W. Indian Trail Rd. in Aurora. Women are invited. Admission and parking are free. Identification and registration is not
By Al Benson North Aurora Boy Scout Troop 104 celebrated its first Eagle Scout award winners, and there were two. Connor Harms, 18, of North Aurora and Antonio Del Toro, 17, Aurora, received their promotions to Scouting’s highest rank at an Eagle rank court of honor November 20. The ceremony
By Al Benson Aurora’s annual Pearl Harbor Day memorial luncheon saluted World War II veterans and outstanding high school youth. Several hundreds packed Gaslite Manor in Aurora for the 52nd annual event by Navy League Aurora Council and Aurora Rotary Club. Navy League Aurora Council is a nonprofit group supporting
By Al Benson The Cosmopolitan Club of Aurora donated $1,200 to support the Diabetes Educational Center at Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora, which empowers patients to effectively manage diabetes. At the Club’s July membership meeting at Oak Street Restaurant in North Aurora, Cosmopolitan Club president Russ George presented a grant
By Al Benson Eight contests known as the Battle of the Big Butts had 300 football linemen competing at West Aurora High School Thursday, July 15. After being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the 21st annual event opened at 3 p.m. at West Aurora’s stadium and practice fields.
By Al Benson Cosmopolitan Club of Aurora held a party with a purpose Friday, June 25. Russ George, Cosmos president, said “A Night at the Farm,” the nonprofit’s inaugural benefit, raised approximately $12,000 to fight diabetes. Attended by approximately 150 guests, the event at the Fox Valley Park District’s Blackberry
“Life is like a camera: Just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, just take another shot.” Source unknown. —Al Benson
By Al Benson With a prayer and toasts, a dozen Aurora veterans held an informal Pearl Harbor memorial Monday, the 79th anniversary of the attack by Japan. Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 was host to the event at its 1 E. Benton Street office. The memorial, sponsored by Navy League
