The 40th Annual Woodstock Challenge Run and Pool Party will be held June 17 at Emrickson Park, 900 W. South St., and the Woodstock Waterworks Aquatic Center, 1313 Kiswaukee Valley Road.

Fox Lake

 Lee to replace retiring interim police chief Laine

The village announced that Russell Laine, the Fox Lake Police Department’s interim Chief of Police since January 2106, is retiring after a 40-year career in law enforcement. Fox Lake Mayor Donny Schmit will appoint Jimmy Lee, who currently serves as the department’s Deputy Chief, as the permanent Chief of Police. Lee will be sworn in on June 13. Prior to joining the Fox Lake Police Department, Laine served as Chief of Police in Algonquin from 1985 through 2014, and also served as chief in Bartlett and Edgerton, Wis. In addition, Laine served as president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. Lee, who was appointed Deputy Chief in January 2016, worked alongside Laine on implementing reforms and providing officers with new training and resources. Before joining the Fox Lake Police Department, Lee served 28 years with the Roselle Police Department. He began as a patrol officer in 1982, became the agency’s second in command in 2003, and served as acting Chief of Police in 2008. For more information, call (847) 587-3100 or visit www.foxlake.org.

Barrington Hills

 Paulson earns medal from Garden Club of America

Barrington Hills resident Wendy Paulson, a lifelong advocate for nature education and biodiversity conservation, has received the Margaret Douglas Medal, one of the highest honors bestowed by The Garden Club Of America (GCA). Paulson received the award for notable service to the cause of conservation education — locally, nationally and internationally. As a teacher in Chicago, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., Paulson has helped institute programs to enrich the science curricula, used local parks to teach children about nature, played a leadership role in community environmental organizations and led bird walks. She has also held board leadership positions in various conservation organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and BirdLife International. In Illinois, Paulson has worked for decades to restore grasslands, including hands-on involvement in seed collecting, sowing and removing invasive species. In addition, Paulson is co-founder and chairman of the Bobolink Foundation, whose mission is to advance conservation and stewardship of biodiversity through protection of natural areas, education and building local constituencies for nature. Paulson was nominated for the GCA award by the Ridgefield Garden Club, based in Connecticut. The GCA is a non-profit national organization composed of 200 clubs and nearly 18,000 members.

Woodstock

Annual Woodstock Challenge to aid Rec. Dept. program

The 40th Annual Woodstock Challenge Run and Pool Party will be held June 17 at Emrickson Park, 900 W. South St., and the Woodstock Waterworks Aquatic Center, 1313 Kiswaukee Valley Road. The event includes a 10K Road Run (8 a.m.), 5K Run/Walk (8:05 a.m.) and 1-Mile or 1/2-

Mile Kids & Family Runs (9 a.m.), as well as free swimming for runners and their families following the race. The pre-registration fee (due by June 12) is $25 (adults) and $15 (ages 17 and under). Race-day registration is $35 (adults) and $25 (ages 17 and under). There is no charge for adults accompanying kids in the Family Runs. Race-day registration and packet pick-up will be available from 6:30-7:30 a.m. Plaques will be awarded to the top three finishers (10K and 5K) in each age and gender division. Finishers under age 14 (Family Runs) will receive a gold medal. The event also includes free race T-shirts (while supplies last), kids games, Retro ‘70s contests and door prizes. All proceeds from the Woodstock Challenge will benefit the Woodstock Recreation Department’s Summer Playground Program. To register online, visit www.signmeup.com/117700. For more information, call (815) 338-4363, send an email to dzinnen@woodstockil.gov or visit www.woodstockrecreationdepartment.com.

Huntley

 Retired Dist. 158 board member Skaja earns service award

Kim Skaja, a longtime member of the Huntley Community School District 158 Board of Education, recently received an Award of Merit in the 2017 Distinguished Service Awards Program, sponsored by the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA). The statewide Distinguished Service Awards Program honors individuals and groups who have consistently gone above and beyond on behalf of their schools, and whose efforts have enhanced education and conveyed its importance to the community at large. Skaja, first elected to the Board of Education in 1995, retired from the post when her term ended in April. During her tenure, Skaja worked to secure funding and help plan for the many construction projects required to accommodate the growth of District 158, and championed many innovative and fine arts programs. She also helped modernize the district’s communication efforts. Skaja was recognized along with award winners from school districts throughout Illinois at the INSPA Awards Luncheon, held May 5 in Bolingbrook.

The city announced that the Association for Individual Development (AID), in collaboration with Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, is now offering “pop-up” community mental health services. The highly qualified AID staff of licensed mental health counselors is available for outpatient individual and family counseling, in English or Spanish, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Thursday at Trinity Church, 504 E. Diggins Road. In addition, the AID Supported Living Team will provide in-home services to residents of the Harvard area who need extra support in order to maintain mental wellness and independent living standards. In mid-summer, AID hopes to offer tele-health psychiatric services to Harvard area residents (on Tuesdays) at Trinity Church. Tele-health is an emerging process that leverages the skill sets of highly trained professionals and cutting-edge technology in order to offer quality care in rural settings. For more information, call AID at (847) 931-2358 or visit www.the-association.org.

–McHenry County News Briefs–