Fran Berg, left, Viking board member and an Aurora resident, welcomes Jean Benson, Aurora, to Geneva’s historic Viking warship. June tour days are June 18, 24 and 25 for the ship at Good Templar Park, 528 East Side Drive in Geneva. (Al Benson photo)

ST. CHARLES

Area churches host June 5 blood drive

St. Patrick and St. John churches will be holding their quarterly drive with Heartland Blood Centers at St. John Neumann Church from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 5. The address is 2900 East Main St. in St. Charles. Heartland will thank each donor with a pulled pork sandwich, a $5 Target gift card, and points to redeem on its website.

A photo ID is required. For donors age 16 a permission form signed by a parent or guardian is required. This can be downloaded from the Heartland site.

Questions on the donation process can be directed to Heartland Blood Centers at 800-786-4483. Walk-ins are welcome.

AURORA

City named best place to ‘live American Dream’

Aurora has been ranked the No. 1 city in the country to live the American Dream.

In its annual study, SmartAsset, a personal finance company, uncovered the best places to live the American Dream by ranking the largest 261 cities in America. Aurora tied for the top spot with West Valley City, Utah.   Last year, Aurora ranked 44th.

To find the cities where the American Dream is still alive and well, SmartAsset started with data of the 261 largest cities. The study compared diversity, inter-generational economic mobility, home-ownership rates, home values and unemployment rates — all important facts when considering the American Dream.

“The definition of the American Dream will vary depending on who you ask,” said SmartAsset representatives. “For some, it means a white picket fence, a trimmed green lawn and 2.5 children. For others, it means achieving your own personal goals and dreams, regardless of your background.”

According to the study, Aurora moved up the ranks from its 44th spot last year with improved mobility numbers. This means that the citizens of Aurora have the opportunity to move to higher economic percentiles than the generations before them. Further, Aurora’s unemployment rate dropped by about 2 percent.

Other cities in the Top 10 include: West Valley City Utah, (tied for first); Midland, Texas, (third), Aurora, Iowa. (eighth).

COUNTY

West Aurora grad lands state sheriff’s scholarship

Kallie Rundle, a graduate of West Aurora High School, has been named the Kane County 2017-18 Illinois Sheriff’s Association scholarship recipient, based on her academic, athletic and community service dedication.

Rundle received a $500 ISA scholarship and a matching $500 from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.

The ISI established the scholarship program in 1979 for college bound students who demonstrated outstanding scholastic achievement.

PLANO

Waubonsee to host manufacturing career fair

Waubonsee Community College will host a Manufacturing and Logistics Career Fair on Wednesday, June 14, from 9 to 11 a.m. at its Plano Campus, off of Route 34 at 100 Waubonsee Drive.

Participating employers include Aurora Packaging, Caterpillar, Dart Container, Kay and Associates, Old Dominion Freight, TOX Pressotechnik, and others.

The event is free and open to the public, and on-site career coaching will be available. For more information, visit www.waubonsee.edu/careerfairs.

The event is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Kendall County Economic Development, Kendall County Health Department, Montgomery Economic Development Corporation, Plano Economic Development Corporation, and the Sandwich Economic Development Corporation.

SUGAR GROVE

Medallion hunt to start countdown to Corn Boil

The 10th Annual Sugar Grove Corn Boil Medallion Hunt is gearing up and this year’s commemorative medallion is set to soon be hidden within Sugar Grove Township.

The person who finds the Medallion will be recognized during the Sugar Grove Corn Boil 2017 opening ceremonies that will take place on Friday, July 28. A cash prize of $50 will be awarded along with the 2017 Sugar Grove Corn Boil glass medallion.

Clues as to finding the medallion’s whereabouts will be available this year on the Sugar Grove Corn Boil website only: www.sugargrovecornboil.org beginning June 8. One clue every Thursday from then on will be posted on the website, until it is found.

When the medallion is found, the winner’s information will be posted on the Corn Boil website.

The medallion is not hidden on private residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural property. It is not hidden on a golf course, in a cemetery or on church property. It is not buried but it may be under something. It is not located underwater or in a building. It is not located in a hazardous area and tools will not be required to locate it.

The Sugar Grove Corn Boil Committee requests that participants, please respect all property as they look for the medallion. If you find the medallion, please make contact with the designated person as directed in the information found with the medallion.

–Kane County News Briefs–