The junior class from Aurora Central Catholic High School recently volunteered at the Marklund Hyde Center at 1S450 Wyatt Drive in Geneva as part of its school’s Day of Service, Marklund officials said.
Marklund is a nonprofit that provides care to individuals with severe developmental disabilities or other special needs, according to its website.
In all, 111 Aurora Central Catholic students assisted residents there with various activities including adaptive bingo, arts and crafts and Marklund’s own version of soccer played on its flat-surfaced adaptive ball field, according to a press release from Marklund.
“They were such a great group of teens,” said Nikki Osterloh, volunteer program manager at Marklund, in the release. “We love it when groups like this come to volunteer at Marklund. Our residents enjoy meeting new friends, and we appreciate having people come and learn about us.”
Kane County certified naturalist program in spotlight
Participants can learn about the Kane County certified naturalist program at a free information session from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center at 3795 Campton Hills Road in St. Charles.
No registration is required for the session.
The Kane County certified naturalist program is a nature-education program for adults, according to a press release from the Kane County Forest Preserve District. During the information session, those attending will gain insights into the program’s schedule, costs and benefits, according to a press release from the district.
The program includes six core classes, four field trips and 30 hours of advanced coursework or volunteer work to earn the initial certified naturalist certification, district officials said.
The mission of the program is to build a community of well-informed residents who apply their ecological knowledge and skills to habitat restoration, environmental education and community service, the release said.
The Kane County certified naturalist program is a cooperative effort of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the St. Charles Park District and the Geneva Park District.
Registration for the certified naturalist program opens at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7, and closes at 11:59 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, according to the release.
For more information on the program, call 630-444-3190 or email kccn@kaneforest.com.
Residents can meet new St. Charles police chief
The city of St. Charles is hosting a community meet and greet event with new St. Charles Police Chief Dan Likens from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 28 at the St. Charles Police Station, 1515 W. Main St. in the city.
Likens brings more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, most recently serving with the Illinois State Police, city officials said.
During the Oct. 28 event, residents can meet Likens, ask questions and get to know the new leader of the St. Charles Police Department, officials said.
‘The Birds’ to be shown at The Venue
The Venue in Aurora will present a free movie screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the event at The Venue, a live music performance room at 21 S. Broadway in downtown Aurora. The bar at the facility offers a wide selection of craft beer and other beverages and will be open during the event, organizers said.
The free movie night is sponsored by A Wondrous Life, Jill Amoni Tribute. Attendees are invited to come in costume, and there will be Halloween candy for those attending, according to organizers.
“My mom loved Alfred Hitchcock movies, and her sharing those movies with me helped to spark my love of film,” said Marissa Amoni, who is the daughter of Jill Amoni, who died in May shortly after a uterine cancer diagnosis.
To register for the free movie, go to themusicvenue.org.
