Two young dancers perform at last year’s A Celebration of Dance at Kishwaukee College. The college will spotlight Hispanic dance again this year on Oct 13, during Hispanic Heritage Month festivities at the college.

DeKALB COUNTY

Conservation group to reboot DeKalb County chapter

Join the nation’s leading habitat organization for a night of planning. Pheasants Forever, a national, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to wildlife habitat and conservation practices, will hold a meeting designed to restart a local chapter at 7 p.m. Oct. 18, at Faranda’s Banquet Center, 302 Grove St., DeKalb.

All funds raised by the new chapter will support DeKalb County wildlife habitat projects and youth events. For information, contact Ross Fogle at (309) 310-7958 or rfogle@pheasantsforever.org.

DeKALB

DeKalb Women to be honored for their leadership

Seven women who have mentored and led others to reach their leadership potential will be honored at the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s 27th annual ATHENA and Women of Accomplishment awards dinner.

The ATHENA Award recognizes an individual for business and professional accomplishments, community service, and for serving as a role model to encourage women to reach their full leadership potential. The Women of Accomplishment Award recognizes those who embody the ATHENA criteria but who are retired or no longer working.

The 2016 ATHENA nominees are:

• Lisa Angel – Daily Chronicle
• Tynisha Clegg – Family Service Agency of DeKalb County
• Susan Johnson – American Title Guaranty, Inc.
• Helen Umbdenstock – Helen’s Hair Salon & Spa

The 2016 Women of Accomplishment nominees are retirees:

• Joy Gulotta – University of Illinois Extension – DeKalb County Director
• Sheryl Nakonechny – DeKalb School District 428 teacher
• Linda Wahlstrom – DeKalb School District 428 nurse

The reception will be held at 6 pm. Oct. 25, in the Lincoln Ballroom at the Red Roof Inn & Suites, 212 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb. Tickets are $30 each. For reservations, call the chamber of commerce at (815) 756-6306 or visit www.dekalb.org.

Annual book sale to raise money for DeKalb Public Library

Nearly 5,000 books, CDs and DVDs will be sold this coming weekend at the Friends of the DeKalb Public Library’s annual book sale. The Yusunas Meeting Room on the lower level of the library, 309 Oak St., will be the site for the sale, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 15 and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 16.

The majority of the sale items have been donated by library patrons and community members, and are in very good to nearly-new condition. Prices range from 25 cents for children’s books and mass market paperbacks, to $1 for trade and large paperbacks and $1.50 for hard-cover books. Audio books and music CDs are $1 each, and DVDs are $2.50. An all-day $5-per-bag sale will be held Oct. 16. Bags will be provided at the sale.

Since its inception in 2002, the Friends have raised and donated more than $50,000 to the library. The Friends will sign up new members during the sale.

For more information, contact Rich Rice, secretary of the Friends of the DeKalb Public Library, at (815) 758-6995 or at rrice@niu.edu https://dkpl.org/friends/.

DeKalb Library, NIU holds Latin dance contest

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, DeKalb Public Library and the Northern Illinois University Latino Resource Center are hosting a Latin Dance Competition at 3 p.m. Oct. 14.

The free contest will be held at the library, 309 Oak St. Partners can sign up for a one-minute presentation of a merengue, salsa or bachata dance routine. Two finalists from each category will be chosen to move on to the finals and perform another one-minute routine.

First-, second- and third-place winners will be announced. First-place winners will receive a $100 VISA gift card. Second- and third-place winners will receive library and NIU gift baskets.

Register at www.dkpl.org/calendar-and-events/latin-dance-competition. For information, email edithc@dkpl.org or call (815) 756-9568, Ext. 1700.

MALTA

Malta Dance performances  celebrate Hispanic heritage

Three local dance troupes will perform A Celebration of Dance, a free evening of Hispanic dance. The dancers will perform from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 13, in A1273 in the Kishwaukee College Conference Center, 21193 Malta Road, Malta.

The dance troupes are Ballet Nueva Imagin, Rayitos del Sol and Ballet Folklorico Xochiquetzal. They will perform traditional Mexican folklore dances, which are unique and colorful celebrations of culture and regional traditions.

Ballet Nueva Imagen performs dances based on classic songs from the states of Jalisco, Sinaloa, Veracruz and Michoacan, and also fuses traditional choreography with more contemporary music.

Rayitos del Sol performs traditional dances that represent the states of Jalisco, Veracruz and Sinaloa. The Rayitos del Sol are young people between kindergarten through 12th grade from DeKalb, Sycamore and Genoa.

Ballet Folklorico Xochiquetzal performs traditional dances with a more modern twist from Jalisco, Veracruz, Michocan, Oaxaca, Norteno, Nayarit, Chiapas and others. It’s composed of two smaller groups separated into younger and older students. Most students are from Rochelle but the troupe includes dancers from Sycamore and Dixon.

For information, contact Carla Raynor at (815) 825-9386 or carla.raynor@kishwaukeecollege.edu.

SYCAMORE

 Sycamore Seminar focuses on living an environmentally better life

Those striving to live a green life can get guidance at an upcoming Sycamore Park District seminar.

Melissa Burlingame, research associate for the Center for Governmental Studies and chair of the Green Team at Northern Illinois University, will share practical tips and tricks for greening the home, children, yard, shopping, dining and more. She will speak from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 20, at the Sycamore Park District Golf Course Clubhouse, near the Park District office, 940 E. State St. The event is free, but registration is required. Call (815) 895-3365.