The Ellwood House, built in DeKalb as a private home by barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879, will be the site of its 47th annual Ice Cream Social Aug. 7.

DeKALB COUNTY

Students honored for community work

The Resource Bank Centennial Service Award has been presented to area high school graduates who demonstrated a commitment to their communities through participation in volunteer and civic activities during high school.

Each of the 12 students, chosen from 95 applicants, received $1,000 scholarships.

• Katelynn Lothson, DeKalb High School, packed and distributed food for local food banks, distributed meals for Meals on Wheels, and printed and distributed books in Braille. Lothson will attend Illinois State University to study pre-veterinary medicine.

• Parker Majerus, Sycamore High School, constructed homes while on mission trips, packed food for Feed My Starving Children and worked with Bob Pritchard’s Youth Advisory Council. Majerus will study English at Central College in Iowa.

• Addison Foulk, Sycamore High School, assisted persons with disabilities with Opportunity House, worked with families on mission trips and distributed food in the local food pantry. Foulk will attend Rock Valley College to study dental hygiene.

• Kailey Mulligan, Sycamore High School, cared for orphaned children in Haiti, spent time with the elderly and worked teaching children as a Kid’s Club volunteer. Mulligan will study education at Wheaton College.

• Kurtis Rood, Indian Creek High School, kept local highways clean with the Adopt-A-Highway program, was an altar server at his church and volunteered time at the local food pantry. Rood will attend Kansas University to study business administration.

• Justene Jennings, DeKalb High School, prepared meals and collected gifts for homeless families through Hope Haven, packed meals for Feed My Starving Children and created a community service project to benefit TAILS Humane Society. Jennings will study nursing at Kishwaukee College.

• Shawn Agler, Indian Creek High School, tested and flushed local fire hydrants as part of an Eagle Scout project and served as a Sunday school teacher. Agler will attend Kishwaukee College to study engineering.

• Collin Stratton, Genoa-Kingston High School, served as a religious education teacher at his church, made improvements to a home for a family in need and built instrument lockers for the G-K High School band students for his Eagle Scout project. Stratton will study animal ecology at Iowa State University.

• Stephen Flaherty, Sycamore High School, mentored peers with teenage group services, worked on the annual clean-up projects for Pay-It-Forward House and read to the elderly. Flaherty will attend Drake University in Iowa to study health sciences.

• Austin Bockman, Sycamore High School, was a peer mentor and swim skills instructor for the Special Olympics, prepared and distributed meals to the elderly and packed food with Feed My Starving Children. Bockman will study mechanical engineering at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology.

• Emerson Witte, Indian Creek High School, served as a student leader for KAIROS retreat program and served as a youth volunteer with the Knights of Columbus. Witte will attend Northern Illinois University to study mechanical engineering.

• Andrew Walker, Genoa-Kingston High School, served as scout leader for the Boy Scouts of America, worked on Lions Club park clean-up projects and served food at several VFW breakfast fundraisers. Walker will study zoology at the University of Wyoming.

Foundation grant to aid  STEMfest, education

DeKalb County Community Foundation has granted $8,000 to aid STEM efforts. The grant will go to Northern Illinois University’s STEMfest for new equipment.

The award will allow NIU to buy new lasers, pay for more large-scale demonstrations and build a larger version of a favorite exhibit: the duck-in kaleidoscope. All tools purchased will also be used in STEM summer camps and in STEM Outreach’s traveling Exploration Lab.

Organizations and businesses with an interest in encouraging future STEM professionals or increasing STEM literacy can now register as STEMfest exhibitors. Student groups, non-profits and businesses are all welcome to create STEM-themed. STEMfest will be held Oct. 8, in the Convocation Center.

Fundraiser to aid women’s center

The DeKalb Area Women’s Center will hold a silent auction and wine and cheese fundraiser 3-5 p.m. Aug. 6 at The House Café, 263 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb.

Silent auction items include adventure and event tickets, gift certificates and theme baskets. Enjoy happy hour with $5 wine and cheese plates and live music.

All auction proceeds go toward restoration of the historic Majakka Finnish Temperance of the DeKalb Area Women’s Center. Check and cash only for silent auction items. For more information, call (815) 758-1351 or dawc@niu.edu.

DeKALB

Ellwood House holds annual ice cream social

Art, music, history and food will be part of the 47th annual Ice Cream Social on the grounds of the historic Ellwood House, 509 N. First St., DeKalb. The event will be held 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Aug. 7.

An art show will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Musical performances will be presented 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., Ballet Folklorico Monarcas will perform at 1:15 p.m. and the DeKalb Municipal Band will play at 2:30 p.m. Activities for children are planned for 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

First-floor tours of the Ellwood House and Ellwood-Nehring House will be given 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $8. Food sales will start at 11 a.m. The DeKalb Area Garden Club and other nonprofit groups will offer information and activities.

For a complete schedule, visit www.ellwoodhouse.org or call (815) 756-4609.