Program to feature Kane County history

 Historical society to present The History of Medicine in Kane County
The Aurora Historical Society will host the History of Medicine in Kane County, featuring Dr. Wayne Polek of the Kane County Medical Society. Polek will discuss developments in medicine since the Civil War. The program will be presented at 2 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place, Aurora. Admission is $5. For more information, call 630-906-0650.

Albright to stage 'The Memory of Water'
The Albright Theatre Company in Batavia will present “The Memory of Water” starting Nov. 1 and continuing on select dates through Nov. 15. The production is directed by Veronica Krystal and features Antonia Arellano, Shelly Rolf, Cara Schuster, Michelle Bennett, Michael Yoder and Richard Holloman. The Albright Theater is located at 100 Island Ave. in downtown Batavia. For more information, call 630-406-8838.

Library to host Civil War presentation 
The Geneva Public Library, 127 James St., Geneva, will a host a presentation Nov. 8 about the role Illinois soldiers played in the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson during the Civil War. Local historian Bill Lax will deliver the presentation at noon. Lax is a member of the Northern Illinois Civil War Round Table. The program will include music of the Civil War, and Shari Ralish, owner of Peaceful Parlour in Geneva, will serve tea. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged. For more information, call the library at 630-232-0780. 

Some of the football games we’ll be following this weekend: 
Nov. 1
Illinois State at Northern Iowa
Northwestern at Iowa
Maryland at Penn State
Indiana at Michigan
Oregon at Stanford

Nov. 2
Denver at New England
Arizona at Dallas

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K.Hollis to welcome Congressman Hultgren

K.Hollis to welcome Congressman Hultgren
Our friends at K.Hollis Jewelers will host a gathering with Congressman Randy Hultgren at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30. The event is open to the public, and light refreshments will be served. K.Hollis Jewelers is located at 147 S. Randall Road, Batavia. For more information, call 630-879-8003.

Cantigny Park to host Veterans Day 5K run, pancake breakfast

Cantigny Park will conduct its annual Veterans Day 5K Run/Walk at 9 a.m. Nov. 1. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton. In conjunction with the event, American Legion Cantigny Post 556 will host a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park’s visitors center. The breakfast will include eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy. For more information, call 630-260-8167.

Football we'll be following

Here are some of the football games we’ll be following this weekend. Enjoy the fun.

Oct. 25:

Minnesota at Illinois

Rutgers at Nebraska

NIU at Eastern Michigan

Missouri State at Illinois State

Oct. 26

Bears at Patriots

Green Bay at New Orleans

Oct. 27

Washington at Dallas

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Redbirds' success worthy of more attention

Brock Spack, Illinois State University football coach.

Illinois State University’s football team is 6-0 (3-0) as of Oct. 18, but many in Illinois, including many football fans, are not aware of the Redbirds’ success.

That’s too bad. Success should be applauded and studied, I think, and Brock Spack, ISU’s head coach, has the school’s football program on a winning path. Spack, a Rockford native, took over the ISU program in 2009. In 2012, Spack’s Redbirds posted a 9-4 record and their fourth consecutive winning season. ISU stumbled in 2013, finishing 5-6 overall. However, 2014 sees the Redbirds back to their winning ways.

ISU is ranked No. 9 in the nation in the FCS Coaches’ Poll and is tied with undefeated North Dakota State at the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. 

The Redbirds’ stats are impressive. The team posts points in every quarter of every game, and has outscored opponents 253 total points to 83. The Redbirds have a red-zone scoring average of 86% (61% touchdowns). ISU averages 42.2 points per game, mostly through rushing. 

I think it’s important to note Spack also recruits heavily in the state. Illinois residents make up nearly half of the team's player roster. Fox Valley residents might be interested to know the ISU team includes Barry Brannon of St. Charles, Christian Gibbs and Scott Kuehn of Aurora, Bryce Holm of Oswego, and Matt Biegalski of Winfield.

The Redbirds will host Missouri State, 4-3 (1-2) at 6 p.m. Oct. 25. It’s one of the games we will be following this weekend. Win or lose Saturday, we plan to follow the Redbirds through the remainder of the season.

We hope Spack and his Redbirds keep posting wins, and we hope the team receives the support and attention it deserves.

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Waterline Writers to feature local columnist

Early October at West Main Community Park in Batavia.

Kevin Botterman photo

Waterline Writers event to feature KC Chronicle columnist

The Kane County Chronicle’s Jennifer DuBose will be the featured speaker Oct. 19 at the Waterline Writers literature event at 7 p.m. Oct. 19 at Water Street Studios, 160 S. Water St. in downtown Batavia. The gathering also will feature other local writers, including Dolores Becker and Angela Ogburn. A $5 donation is suggested. 

Mothers Club to host annual crafts show

The Batavia Mothers’ Club Foundation will conduct its 29th annual Arts & Crafts Show Oct. 25 at Batavia High School, 1201 Main St., Batavia. The show will include seasonal decor, jewelry and items for all ages. The event also will include a bake sale and raffle. The sale will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $5 and includes a raffle ticket. 

Cantigny to host catapult contest

Cantigny Park will host a catapult contest at 10 a.m. Oct. 25. Contestants can compete in three categories — distance, shot group, and accuracy. Awards will be presented for 1st and 2nd place finishers in each category. The park is located at 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. For more information, call 630-688-5161.

Games we'll be following this weekend

We follow a variety of collegiate athletics, particularly football. However, we also make time to watch some NFL games. Here's a list of some of the games we'll be following this weekend. We always welcome suggestions and comments. If there's an upcoming contest you think we should watch, or a team we should follow, send us a note at kbotterman@gmail.com.

Oct. 18

Notre Dame at Florida State

Miami (Ohio) at NIU

Iowa State at Texas

Missouri at Florida

Georgia at Arkansas

Nebraska at Northwestern

Purdue at Minnesota

Oct. 19

Miami at Bears

Giants at Dallas

49s at Denver

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Elburn Lions to host book drive

Our friends at the Elburn Lions Club will conduct a book drive from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 18 at Lions Community Park, 500 Filmore St., Elburn. Books can be dropped off at the park’s south garage on Stetzer Avenue. The club is collecting new and gently used books for ages 1 to 18. 

Arts center sets reception for faculty show

The Fine Line Creative Arts Center, 37W570 Bolcum Road, St. Charles, will host a reception Oct. 17 to celebrate the opening of the 2014 Faculty Show. The reception will be conducted from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and is open to the public. Admission is free. For more information about the event and gallery hours, call 630-584-9443. 

Haunted Quarry opens Oct. 17
The Batavia Park District’s Haunted Quarry opens Oct. 17 for the Halloween fright season at Hall Quarry Beach, 400 S. River St., Batavia. The Haunted Quarry will be open 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 17, 18, 24 and 25. Admission is $8. 

Ride the rails with trolley museum's Ghost Story Train

The Fox Valley Trolley Museum will conduct its Ghost Story Train Oct. 18 and Oct. 25. The train will travel from the museum to the John Duerr Forest Preserve, where guests will hear ghost stories and enjoy treats around a campfire. The program is suitable for all ages, and guests are encouraged to attend in costume. Tickets are $13.50 for all ages and reservations are required. Trains will depart the museum at 5 p.m, 6:15  and 7:45. The museum is located at 365 S. LaFox St., (Route 31) in South Elgin. For more information, call 847-697-4676.

St. Charles church to host annual craft show

The St. Charles Episcopal Church will conduct its annual arts and craft show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18. The juried show will include autumn and holiday decorations, jewelry, toys and more. Admission is free. The church is located at 994 N. Fifth Ave., St. Charles. 

Lions club offers up annual German dinner

The Elburn Lions Club will host its annual German Dinner from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18. The buffet dinner will include bratwurst, pork loins, red cabbage, sauerkraut, spaetzel, German potato salad, pretzel rolls, dessert and coffee. A cash bar will offer German beer and wines. Tickets for the dinner are $13.50 for adults, $12.50 seniors age 65 and older, $9 for children ages 4 to 11. Children ages 3 and younger are admitted free. The club is located at 500 Filmore St., Elburn. For more information, call 630-365-6315.

St. Charles Park District, Steel Beam Theatre partner for Zombie 5K

The St. Charles Park District and the Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles will partner to present Zombie Run, a 5K run and walk, at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles. On-site registration will begin at 4 p.m. The registration fee is $25 for St. Charles Park District residents and $38 for nonresidents. Participants are encouraged to dress in costume, prizes will be awarded. For more information, go to www.stcparks.org.

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