BRAVO 2.1 by marqueemedia

an elgin culture magazine

Meetup Groups pp. 20-22

2.1

A Broad Cast of Characters pp. 2-5

with the

JANUARY 2016

BRAVO

2.1

Expression: Watts on Your Mind

A Broad Cast of Characters Can a city be defined by what its people broadcast? We investigated what’s coming out of Elgin on AM and FM frequencies, television and the internet, to find out what these media reﬂect about local people and culture.

Old School Radio Sixty-five years ago this month, Illinois’ first educational

C. B.

Cover Artist: David Benson David Benson illustrates single works, produces limited prints & specializes in interior sequential work for comic books, graphic novels & story-boards.

radio station signed on the air in Elgin. Its call letters, WEPS (88.9 FM) are an acronym for Elgin Public Schools (now School District U-46), and its original mission was to broadcast educational content into local classrooms. Student programs soon followed, and today there are approximately ten radio shows being produced by the six high schools, in both English and Spanish, airing between 7-9 a.m. and 7-9 p.m. weekdays. The remainder of the station’s 24x7 schedule is filled by content from Wisconsin Public Radio.

From spaceships to streetscapes, no character or scene is too outlandish or mundane for him to accomplish in an illustration. Contact him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ grandpropaganda

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Illustration by David Benson

A. Larry Jones “Left, Right and You” facebook.com/groups/LeftRightandYou B. Jeff Myers “Elgin Today” facebook.com/ElginToday C. Jeff Ward “Left, Right and You” thefirstward.net D. Dave Niven “The Dave and Dave Show” daveanddave1410.com E. Dave Weiser “The Dave and Dave Show” daveanddave1410.com F. Maria D’Angelo “Two Old Broads” twooldbroads.net G. Sigi Psimenos “Two Old Broads” twooldbroads.net

While the local programming is primarily for and about the schools, the shows written and announced by students offer a glimpse into the minds of a rising generation of Elginites, with titles like “The YOLO Show,” “The Game Table” and “IOTA: Greeks, Tweets and Hololens.”

What Does the Fox Say? The three generations that preceded today’s teens would recognize WRMN (1410 AM) as the “Voice of the Fox Valley,” one of only two news/talk format stations outside of the Chicago Loop. Its round-the-clock schedule includes nationally

BRAVO

January 2016

syndicated news and talk, locally produced shows, and its ﬂagship product, “The Radio Shopping Show” (RSS). Serving over 60,000 customers, RSS has perfected a model in which businesses supply certificates for their goods and services, which the station sells — on the air, online or in their downtown Elgin store — at a discount from face value. Buyers get a great deal, businesses receive ad consideration, and the station funds its own local operations. “The business gets a new customer, the customer tries a new business, tells other folks, visits again and the station keeps this savings ‘Circle of Life’ moving,” explains Sales Manager Leah Unser. “We truly care about our trade partners.” The “Radio Shopping Show” is so successful that it has become WRMN’s brand identity. Over a period of decades, Unser says, “We have managed to learn from mistakes and brought a quality product to the forefront.”

Mixing Things Up WRMN’s studios at 14 Douglas Avenue in downtown Elgin are the home of several shows featuring local personalities with a variety of interests. Dave Weiser (“Dr. Dave”) and Dave Niven (“Super Dave”) are hosts of the weekly “Dave and Dave Show,” which features interviews and discussions of current events in popular culture, mixed with lively comedic banter. The Daves also serve on the operations staff of the onsite production company, Fox Valley Broadcasting.

us, we say it how it is.” Their material proved to be unpopular with the Powers that Be, and therefore too controversial for the management at WRMN. As a result, the Broads have taken their show to the internet, where you’ll find it at twooldbroads.net.

“Veni, Vidi” Video Cooperating with local institutions, however, has proven to be the secret of success for veteran television broadcaster Jeffery Myers, whose half hour news magazine titled “Elgin Today” can be seen on Channel 17 on three local cable networks, and on the City of Elgin website. Winner of numerous awards, and now recognized everywhere he appears (with or without a camera), Myers has a reputation not only as chronicler but also cheerleader for Elgin. The local video coverage that he pioneered is now being pursued by both amateurs and professionals like River Bluff Media, Milan Shah, and Grindstone productions. The reason for this explosion of media? According to Grindstone’s Phil Broxham, “Video is less expensive to produce and easier to consume than ever before.”

It’s News To Us Much of that grassroots video coverage finds it way to youtube.com, where a search for “Elgin, Illinois” returns more than 121,000 results. Some of the most frequent video subjects include old houses, live performances, paranormal events, trains, police work, and various brushes with greatness.

Earlier this year, one of their recent clients piloted a weekly opinion show that addresses topics in Elgin government, politics and the community in a decidedly unfiltered way. Hosted by Sigi Psimenos and Maria D’Angelo, with regular contributor Jaime Hjelm, the “Two Old Broads” show aims to shed an alternative light on the issues, while laughing a little at the community — and themselves.

Perhaps those are the lenses through which the Elginites see their world. With all those images now posted on the Earth’s third most popular website, that’s quite probably the way the world sees us.

“Over the years, we have felt that the local media shows only one side of the story. That’s where we come in,” they write on their website. “Love us or hate

And 121,000 videos can’t be wrong. — JP

All things considered, the news is good. After all, even in Elgin nobody spends hours writing, recording and editing a show if they don’t actually care about the subject matter.

Left: Jeff Myers accepts The “Voice” of Elgin Award, December 2015.

Below: A student disc jockey in the WEPS studios, circa 1970.

BRAVO

2.1

Expression: Getting the Story Straight

Left, Right and You Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right… The familiar words of the Stealers Wheel classic opens for WRMN 1410 AM’s political talk show “Left, Right and You”, hosted by self-proclaimed liberal curmudgeon Jeff Ward and smiling conservative Larry Jones. Jones, a retired police officer and former city manager in South Elgin, is countered by Ward, a newspaper columnist of nearly eight years. Ward’s repertoire includes the Tri-Cities Suns, the Aurora Beacon-News, the Elgin Courier-News and the Geneva Patch — with an output of five to six columns per week in the thrust of his career. Today, Ward devotes his time to running mayoral campaigns in Kane County, authoring his blog “The First Ward,” and wrapping up his first book, a one-of-a-kind illustration of how to win a local election. Hosting “Left, Right and You” serves as a way to keep his foot in the journalistic pond, Ward said, though his introduction to radio was somewhat accidental. Ward was originally invited for a guest spot on “Left, Right and You” in September 2012, after penning an article on one of the show’s debates, then hosted by Tim Elenz and Paul Edwards. An instant chemistry formed between Ward and the former co-hosts, allowing Ward to assume the role of “super-sub” for Elenz, who transitioned off the show to embark on his campaign for state senate. Over time, Ward became a permanent fixture. During his four years as host, Ward has interviewed the likes of former Barack Obama Chief of Staff Bill Daley, best-selling author Reza Aslan and Johann Hari, British author and former

columnist for The Independent. Ward has also moderated local debates, including that of Jeff Meyer and Anna Moeller during their candidacy for state representative. Ward’s passion for political commentary stems from the belief that the decline of the traditional news industry has left gaping holes in the local narrative. “Nobody’s covering local news correctly. The Courier-News is down to a 2,200 Sunday circulation…The Kane County Chronicle is like Malcolm Crowe in the Sixth Sense: they’re dead, but they don’t know it yet,” Ward said. “Somebody’s got to be out there kind of analyzing the stories.” Although WRMN is a small station, it has a devoted listenership. Ward recognizes “Left, Right and You” as a niche audience, primarily drawing in an older, well-educated crowd. “We get the people who really want to understand, who really want to know what’s going on, and they trust us to do our due diligence, because we haven’t been wrong very often,” said Ward. “Left, Right and You” provides the opportunity to bring sanity to the political debate, Ward said, by demanding its hosts to dig for truth and continually ask questions — a task most others are unwilling to take on. “We are eminently small potatoes, but there’s something to be said for loving what you do,” said Ward. “Left, Right and You” airs Mondays at 9 a.m. and Thursdays at 3 p.m. on WRMN 1410 AM. — DV

Above: Larry Jones and Jeff Ward, co-hosts of “Left, Right and You.”

Below: Larry Jones, City Councilwoman Tish Powell, and Jeff Ward in the studios of WRMN radio.

BRAVO

January 2016

Expression: The Two I’s in Pod

Southgate Media Group In January 2013, after recently graduating with two bachelor’s degrees, Rob Southgate found himself in the same pained position as so many other grads found themselves: out of work and quickly burning through unemployment benefits. When this “do or die” situation presented itself, Southgate, along with wife Martha, made the conscious decision to take a leap of faith and venture into the world of broadcasting. Their business, Southgate Media Group, which started with an “Under the Dome” themed podcast hosted by Rob and Martha themselves, now boasts nearly 90 program titles and an equal number of podcasters. The duo’s foray into entertainment began in the early nineties with the production of an Elvis Presley themed zine, Disgraceland, out of their living room in Evanston, Ill. Before the Southgates fully recognized the scope of their audience, their work had been featured in arts and culture publications such as Mojo and Access Magazine, accompanied by invitations to participate in panels at Comic-cons and other entertainment conventions. Gaining clout as broadcasters proved to be more challenging. In the pre-internet epoch of their zine writing days, the Southgates recall a broad accessibility to business and media ventures. You could call the president of Pepsi, Martha Southgate said, and he would answer. The advent of the internet has made everyone an entertainer, a writer, a broadcaster. Where there were once a select few sources for niche entertainment, a quick Google search now unveils thousands.

Trying to get anyone to notice their work in the din of the internet has been the couple’s greatest obstacle to success, according to their matriarch. “Everybody is crazy and everybody is out there,” said Martha Southgate. “Everybody’s doing what you’re doing. Even if you’re doing it differently, you almost have to just go viral.” Due to the stresses of administrating a business, the Southgates find themselves sought after by patrons of Comic-cons and other SMG listeners to absorb their own media networks, resulting in their massive body of broadcasters dispersed primarily across the Midwest and Chicagoland-area.

❝ Everybody’s doing

what you’re doing. Even if you’re doing it differently, you almost have to just go viral. — Martha Southgate

The network also reaches out of the “geek” realm with a business and marketing podcast entitled “New Media Lab”, a Pinterest-centric pursuit called “Pinheads”, and a program for the avid Springsteen fan, “Set Lusting Bruce.” One of the network’s most prominent broadcasts is “Live at the Blue Box”, a weekly three-hour podcast, more aptly described by the Southgates as live theatre. The broadcast takes on a three act structure, typically two panels followed by self-generated game show, and is completely adlibbed. According to the Southgates, the most rewarding yield of their work is the community they have cultivated within their broadcasting network. Several podcasters became involved in broadcasting during a period of emotional turmoil or devastating life events that left them feeling isolated and hopeless. Inclusion in the SMG family has put several of them on a whole new trajectory, said Martha Southgate. Southgate Media Group seeks to produce content that entertains, enlightens and is intelligent, with the added principle of cleanliness — though not all subject matter discussed on SMG podcasts is considered “family-friendly,” the way that subject matter is approached consistently is. The Southgates’ primary motivation is to support their broadcasters in creating the work they want to create, without consideration of how many

Above: Martha and Rob Southgate record a podcast at the Blue Box Cafe in Elgin.

hits they earn for the network. Both Rob and Martha agree that when you chase numbers, you lose the humanity in the art of broadcasting. “If you have three people listen, we’re just as excited as if you had 10,000 people listen,” said Martha Southgate. “You could make a show about drillbits, as long as you can stretch it out,” Rob Southgate added. — DV

Martha Southgate describes their network as a symbiotic relationship: all of Southgate Media Group’s broadcasters work pro bono in exchange for creative support and a platform to exercise their passions. SMG’s programs primarily comment on “geek culture” by providing recaps, news, analysis and predictions for TV shows, movies and games. Titles include “Coo Coo for Who”, a Doctor Who themed podcast, “Radio Ramen”, an anime podcast, and “This Week in Geek”, a review of recent industry releases and announcements.

Above: Southgate Media Group interviews Geek Girl Chicago.

BRAVO

2.1

Expression: Local Music

Man Bites Dog: Making a Joyful Noise For those of you who might not be familiar with it, the phrase “man bites dog” is a shortened version of a journalistic aphorism which describes how an odd or unusual event (such as a person biting a dog) is more likely to be reported as news than a boring, quotidian occurrence with similar consequences (such as a dog biting a person). The result, of course, is that the odd, the unusual, the unexpected are more likely to appear as news stories, while more common events don’t make the cut, thus distorting our perceptions of what constitutes “normal.” Which is all to say that if you get the opportunity to see a live performance by Carpentersville/

Elgin-based punks Man Bites Dog, expect things to get weird. Online, the band describes themselves as “experimental punk,” and listening to them the first thing that popped into my mind was that I was hearing the misbegotten lovechild of Bad Brains and Yes. I know, it sounds impossible, but somehow it works; call it prog-punk. While Omar (vocals/ lead guitar) spits out feedback, fuzz, and frantically shouted verses, the rhythm section keeps things funky and syncopated. During the band’s frequent extended instrumental freakouts, these punk screamers seem forever on the edge of breaking into “Roundabout” or “In the Court of the Crimson King.”

But more than strangeness, the sensation that one gets at a Man Bites Dog show is one of affirmation and acceptance. Standing in the crowd, listening to song after song interspersed with exhortations from the band to stay after the set to enjoy the pizza that’s being delivered, my sturdy sense of cynicism slowly gives way under the onslaught of Mad Bites Dog’s gosh-darned overwhelming positivity. For goodness sake, they actually have a song called “Positive Mental Attitude.”

By the end of the set, I’m basically ready to abandon my life in order to become their full-time, volunteer manager — spreading the gospel of MBD throughout the land. “Accept Man Bites Dog into your hearts, ye sinners, and be saved!” Sitting with the guys after the set, it’s obvious that the band’s positive mental attitude springs, at least in part, from the joy that they take in simply being together. While we chat, they often seem to forget that I’m even there, spinning off on tangents and getting lost in animated side conversations with one another. They’ve known each other since middle school and have been playing together (in various permutations) since their teens. I break into their conversation — an extended riff making fun of Bono — to ask about the “experimental punk” label on their website. I have my own idea about what it means, but I need to hear it from them. “In a way, it’s really more or less meaningless,” Omar says. “You think people who like punk and who like experimental music might like your stuff. So you put those words on your website and hope those people find you.”

Man Bites Dog perform at Jingle Bell Jam 2015. L to R: Mike Lindsey, Omar Garcia, Declan Coughlan, Andy Soderstrom. Photo by Roberto Martinez.

I understand why he says it’s meaningless — what he means about the nature of on-line marketing and having to put a label on your art. But honestly, having heard the good news, I’m pretty sure nothing could be more meaningful. — JB

BRAVO

January 2016

Murphy’s Stout, D- Hangout Beer) Will also include Party favor and Champagne toast at Midnight. Get your tickets early at the bar. 9p. $30.

Fri.Jan.1 Downtown Elgin First Friday Happenings 5p, Various Downtown Locations

City Skate open till March 4 Please contact the Parks and Recreation Information Line DAILY for updated ice conditions at City Skate, 847-9316140 or visit our website at www. cityofelgin.org. Skate rental available during warming shelter hours, $4 with ID. 9a-9p. Free Rhinestone DJ 6p-9p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover. Brew Years Eve at The Haight Ring in the New Year with a new kind of New Year’s Eve party - Brew Year’s Eve at The Haight, 166 Symphony Way, downtown Elgin! Features 12 Chicagoland breweries, live music, butler passed hors d’oeuvres and much more! 8p-1a, The Haight. brewyearseve.com. $50-125 Danny’s on Douglas New Year’s Eve Featuring The Clowder. Champagne toast at midnight. Free party supplies while they last! 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover. Martini Room’s New Year’s Eve Party Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style at the Martini Room! Enjoy fabulous cocktail specials, unique ambiance and great service. Dancing Until 4am. NYE Party starts at 8pm, featuring DJ Juicy at 10pm. Dress code is “Dress To Impress.” 8p-4a, Martini Room. No cover. Classical Blast 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover. New Year’s Eve Bash Ring in the New Year at D Hangout. $30 Ticket will get you unlimited well drinks (you -call-it) from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM and includes buffet style food and Selected Draft Beer (Bud & Bud Light, PBR, Not your Fathers Root Beer,

Blue Box Cafe’s “Live at the Blue Box” Join Rob, Martha and Molly and other hosts from Southgate Media Group as they record live podcasts, do awesome interviews, play great games, chat with special guests and talk about current TV shows, movies and Geek topics. Audience participation is appreciated, who knows, you may end up on one of the Podcasts!!! Check out our Facebook pages for this week’s topics! 6p-9p, Blue Box Cafe North Breeze 9p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover. SODA 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover.

First Fridays Improv with GreenRoom Productions 2016 Help us kick off 2016 in style! 100% clean. 99.27% hilarious. 90 minutes of complete improvisation a la “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” With competing teams, live music and a cash bar who knows what the night will hold. Great fun for all ages! General Admission. 8p-9.45p, Hemmens Cultural Center greenroomimprov.com. $10-12 Grand Victoria Casino Live Entertainment: EZ FM 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover.

Sat.Jan.2 “Tattered Covers and All-Night Reads: The Great Children’s Books Our Parents Loved” Exhibit Explore the books and characters that took your parents and grandparents on adventures. Readers of all generations will enjoy this exhibit of 75 iconic children’s and young adult books. Memorabilia, vintage film clips and original radio broadcasts are also included. Exhibit continues through 1/31. Gail Borden Public Library Welcome Baby! Baby’s First Library Visit Registration preferred Bring baby and baby’s new library card to this class to learn about programs and resources to support your baby’s early literacy development and receive a special gift! For babies up to six months old and their parents. 1p3p, Rakow Library - Children’s Area Celebracion de los Reyes/The Three Kings Celebration The Three Kings are coming and the Kings will be visiting us! Take your picture and hand your letters to Gaspar, Melchor and Balthazar, the Three Kings. Stay for stories, crafts and more! No registration required. In partnership with the Organization of Mexico in Elgin (OME). El Dia de los Reyes se acerca y Gaspar, Melchor y Baltazar nos estaran visitando. Tomate una foto y entregales tu carta a los Reyes. Habra historias, manualidades y mas. No hace falta inscribirse. En colaboracion con la Organizacion Mexicana de Elgin (OME). 2p-5p, GBPL Main Library Lobby

Sun.Jan.3 A New Year! A New You! New Year’s tune up ... FREE fitness workshop! 10a-12p, Ola la Ijorere Danny’s On Douglas’s Hang out w/ Former Bears Players During the Game! Two former Bears players will be present every week to watch the games with you!... 12p, Danny’s on Douglas Open Knit 1p-4p, Elgin Knit Works

Mon.Jan.4 Wonderful Ones 15 minutes of short stories, fingerplays, rhymes, music and a movement activity followed by a 15 minute play period. For children 12-23 months with parent or adult caregiver. Repeats Mondays at 9:15a, 10:00a, 5:30p, 6:15p. 9.15a-9.30a, Rakow Library - Living Room Story Mix for Three to Six Drop in for 30 minutes of picture book stories, fingerplays and songs for children age 3 through Kindergarten. No registration required. Attend any session. Parents must remain in building. Repeats on Mondays, 9:30-10:30a and 3:30-4p. 9.30a-10a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - North Snowflake Art Studio Grades 1 & Up. We will create snowflakes using a variety of art techniques. All materials provided. Registration required. 10a-11a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C DIY Crafts Get crafty with Studio 270’s Do-it-Yourself crafts and projects. For teens in grades 9-12. 4p-6p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270

7 of active movement, stories and fun! 6.30p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rm. A Poetry Writers Workshop Come share your love of poetry! This is a group for local poets to share what they have written. Gareth Mann Sitz, poet and songwriter, will facilitate. No registration. 6.30p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room. Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting 7p-8p

Tue.Jan.5 Wonderful Ones 15 minutes of short stories, fingerplays, rhymes, music and a movement activity followed by a 15 minute play period. For children 12-23 months with parent or adult caregiver. Registration is required. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847-429-4597. Please sign up for only one of the time slots offered so that as many of our customers as possible can enjoy our programming. Repeats Tuesdays at 9:15a. 9.15a-9.45a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rm. C Elgin Genealogical Society Elgin Genealogical Society monthly meeting 9.30a-11.45a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B Story Mix for Three to Six Drop in for 30 minutes of picture book stories, fingerplays and songs for children age 3 through Kindergarten. No registration required. Attend any session. Parents must remain in building. Repeats Tuesdays 10-10.30a and 7-7:30p. 10a-10.30a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - North Pediatric Therapeutic Playgroup An inclusive playgroup for children who currently receive therapy services or may benefit from therapeutic play, ages 0-5. This unique playgroup offers opportunities for children to focus on developmental play while families meet and find support. 11a-11.45a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South. Job Search & Resume Help Drop in for one-on-one assistance with your job search. Receive help with your resume, cover letter, completing online applications, and more. For

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The Gaming Event Players in grades 3-up are welcome to come to this monthly drop-in event. Play Pokemon™, Yu-Gi-Oh™, and other role-playing games (Don’t know how to play? We will teach you and get you started). Bring your cards to play or trade. No registration required. 6p-8p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. B-C

Bands & Music

Theater & Dance

Kids & Families

Family Jam Take a break as a family after your busy day with 30 minutes

Other

Lectures & Learning Exhibits & Film Creativity Causes & Community

BRAVO

mejora tu pronunciacion y adquiere confianza con un tutor del Literacy Connection. No hace falta inscribirse. 6.30p-7.30p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room. Human Relations Commission 6.30p-7.30p. Danny’s On Douglas Open Mic Night 7p-11p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover. Heritage Commission

7p-8p

Wed.Jan.6 more information contact the Kane County Department of Employment and Education at 630-966-1435. 1p4p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room. Audio Lab Teens can learn how to create and edit a professional quality audio recording in our state of the art digital media lab. For teens in grades 9-12. 4p-6p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270. Rakow Rooks Chess Club Kids are invited to hone their chess skills at Rakow Branch. Beginners are welcome. Intermediate or Advanced players can play opponents or work on chess puzzles. Chess sets available or bring your own. 4.30p-5.30p, Rakow Library - Children’s Area. Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee 6p-7p. Terrific Twos Join us for 20 minutes of stories, interactive fingerplays and large muscle activities for 2 year olds and an adult caregiver. Attendance is limited. Registration is required. During the first week of registration only patrons within the Gail Borden Public Library District may register. Registration for persons outside of the library district begins the next Monday. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847-429-4597. Repeats Tuesdays at 6:15p. 6.15p-6.45p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South. Grupo de Conversacion en Ingles/ English Conversation Group Practice having everyday conversations in English, improve your pronunciation and gain confidence with a tutor from the Literacy Connection. No registration. Practica conversar en ingles,

FEED.colorcode Bands & Music

Theater & Dance

Kids & Families

Lectures & Learning Exhibits & Film Creativity Causes & Community Other

Job Training Information Session Training grants are available to help you get a job! Learn about WIOA services and the application process. This program is in partnership with the Kane County Department of Community Reinvestment. For more information, call 630-966-1435, ext. 40078 9.30a-11a, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room. 1, 2, 3 Go! Families with 1, 2, and 3 year olds are invited to enjoy stories, rhymes and musical activities together. No registration required. 10a-10.30a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C Drop-In Winter Story Time Join Ms. Angela for 30 minutes of stories, songs and finger puppets. 10.30a-11a, Rakow Library - Children’s Area. SSSA Artist in Resident Martinez E-B Art Exhibit Continues through 1/10/16. Gallery hours: Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-3. 12p-6p, Side Street

Elgin Knit Works Open Knit 5p-8p, Elgin Knit Works Clase Futuros Bilingues / Go Bilingual Class Lecciones y conversacion en ingles y espanol. No hace falta inscribirse. English and Spanish lessons and conversations. No registration. 6p-7p, GBPL Main Library at South Elgin Room Cuentos para la familia/Spanish Family Storytime 30 minutes of interactive stories, songs and fun for parents and children to enjoy together! 30 minutos de cuentos musica, rimas, manualidades y mucho mas para el disfrute de toda la familia! No necestia registrarse. Para todas las edades. 6.30p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room Duct Tape Workshop for Grades 6-8 Learn how to make a duct tape wallet, construct a rose, or develop your own unique duct-tape design. 7p-8p, GBPL Main Library at Middle School Zone. Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover. Elgin Public House’s Trivia Night Stretch your brain with beer in hand! Wednesday nights are for Trivia! Join the EPH Trivia gang and battle against Elgin’s most ferociously competitive brainiacs. Weekly prizes for the top three teams, as well as eight-week cumulative tourneys with big grand prizes. Trivia starts promptly at 8pm. Get here early to settle in with some food, beer and cocktails. 8p, Elgin Public House.

Thu.Jan.7 Studio Arts. Elgin Symphony Orchestra Listeners Club This free, interactive lecture/discussion series, led by Jim Kendros, meets on the Wednesday afternoon during the week of the ESO’s Classics Masterworks series and will broaden your understanding of the music to be performed that week. You will study the music from the inside out, make new friends, and enhance your concert experience. 1p-3p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C. Inklings Join other teen writers and staff to help you through the creative writing process. Learn how to develop ideas into finished stories, poetry, lyrics, or any other kind of writing that interests you. Feel free to bring any of your own writing with you. For teens in grades 9-12. 4p-6p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270

Terrific Twos Join us for 20 minutes of stories, interactive fingerplays and large muscle activities for 2 year olds and an adult caregiver. Attendance is limited. Registration is required. During the first week of registration only patrons within the Gail Borden Public Library District may register. Registration for persons outside of the library district begins the next Monday. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847-429-4597. Repeats Thursdays 9:15a, 10a, 10:45a. 9.15a-9.45a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rm. C Device Advice Drop by the Rakow Branch for hands-on learning. You are welcome to bring your own devices. 9.30a-11.30a, Rakow Library - Computer Cafe Job Search & Resume Help Drop in for one-on-one assistance with your job search. Receive help with your resume, cover letter, completing online applications, and more. For more information contact the Kane County Department of Employment and Education at 630-966-1435. 9.30a1p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room.

2.1 Wonderful Ones 15 minutes of short stories, fingerplays, rhymes, music and a movement activity followed by a 15 minute play period. For children 12-23 months with parent or adult caregiver. Registration is required. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847-429-4597. Please sign up for only one of the time slots offered so that as many of our customers as possible can enjoy our programming. Repeats Thursdays 9.30a-10a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South. Two Rivers: Tips to Prepare your Income Tax A Two Rivers Head Start Parenting program open to all. No registration. This program is presented in English and Spanish. Este programa esta proporcionado por Two Rivers Head Start. Todos son bienvenidos. No hace falta inscribirse. Este programa sera presentado en ingles y espanol. 10a-11a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rm. B. Story Mix for Three to Six Drop in for 30 minutes of picture book stories, fingerplays and songs for children age 3 through Kindergarten. No registration required. Attend any session. Parents must remain in building. Repeats Thursdays 10:15-10:45a. ChessMaster Junior Chess Club for Grades 2-12 Kids and teens are invited to hone their chess skills during our free-play sessions. Beginners are welcome; we will teach you how to play! 4p-5p, GBPL Main Library at Youth Center - South. Baby Rhyme Time This storytime is for infants 0-11 months with an adult caregiver. Attendance is limited. Registration is required. During the first week of registration only patrons within the Gail Borden Public Library District may register. Registration for persons outside of the library district begins the next Monday. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847429-4597. 6.15p-6.45p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South. Grupo de Conversacion para la Ciudadana/Citizenship Conversation Group Necesitas practicar tu ingles para el examen de la ciudadania? Ven a este grupo gratis para repasar y practicar el ingles que vas a necesitar pra la entrevista y las 100 preguntas del examen de historia y civica. El grupo es liderado por un tutor y cualquiera puede asistir. Presentado por The Literacy Connection. No hace falta inscribirse. Do you need to practice English for your naturalization/ citizenship test? Come to this free group and practice the spoken English you will need for the interview and the 100 questions from the history/civics test. This group will be led by a tutor and is open to all. Presented by The Literacy Connection. No registration. 6.30p-7.30p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rm. C

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January 2016

Fri.Jan.8

SSSA’s Broadway Backwards Auditions Side Street Studio Arts will produce it’s second-annual Backwards Broadway show in February, 2016. Backwards Broadway is a night where men and women sing Broadway tunes. The fun part is that the men sing songs traditionally meant for women, and women sing songs traditionally meant for men! The theme of the evening is love, in it’s many forms. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to a local LGBT Youth Organization. Interested people should prepare 16 bars of music and bring a CD or jump drive with music for accompaniment. There will be no piano on site for auditions. There are two audition times: January 7th @ 7:00pm or January 9th @ 1:00pm. We are searching for a cast of 7-9 people, both men and women. Commitment will be minimal. 7p, Side Street Studio Arts Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover

Baby Rhyme Time This storytime is for infants 0-11 months with an adult caregiver. Attendance is limited. Registration is required. During the first week of registration only patrons within the Gail Borden Public Library District may register. Registration for persons outside of the library district begins the next Monday. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847-4294597. 9.15a-9.45a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South Wonderful Ones 15 minutes of short stories, fingerplays, rhymes, music and a movement activity followed by a 15 minute play period. For children 12-23 months with parent or adult caregiver. Registration is required. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847-429-4597. Please sign up for only one of the time slots offered so that as many of our customers as possible can enjoy our programming. Repeats Fridays at 10a. 10a-10.30a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South. Blue Box Cafe Geek N Out We celebrate our Geekiness most Fridays!!! We open up our cache of games, play a cool movie or three and have fun!!!! All are welcome!! Each week is a different theme. Play our games or bring your own, anything is cool.

Have a regular group going? Meet up at The BBC! Dress up, dress regularly, dress casually... but please be dressed. 5p-8p, Blue Box Cafe Because Black Absorbs All Color In preparation for his large scale solo exhibition in Cleveland, OH, Side Street Studio Arts resident artist, Martinez E-B, has developed a visually challenging series of paintings and collages that re-contextualize signs, flags, mementos, ‘color’, and the notion of social belonging. 6p, Side Street Studio Arts Gallery sidestreetstudioarts.org. Donation Ice Age Science Night Travel back in time to the age of the Neanderthals. Learn about the ancient megafauna that inspired the beautiful art of Lascaux Cave, and leave your own cave-signature. Discover the techniques used in flint-knapping and archeology and try them for your-

9 self during this drop-in program. No registration necessary. Members Free. 6p-8p. $2 Brushed Chicago’s Blackhawk Painting Lets Go Blackhawks! join brushedchicago in painting the Blackhawks feather, live mustic, free raffle prizes and more! BYOB. To reserve your canvas go to www.brushedchicago.com. 6.30p-9p, 15 Douglas Ave. $30 Ola la Ijorere’s Painted Glass Glass is exquisite in its multifaceted forms. Let your creative side shine as you learn how to paint designs onto wine glasses. Choice your own unique design, our artist will guide you step-bystep through this painting experience. A pair of wineglasses and painting materials included. 6.30p-9p, Ola la Ijorere. $28 Elgin Symphony Orchestra Andrew Grams Plays Violin Grams unites his talent of conducting the orchestra with his love of playing the violin. This concert creates a connection of

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10 classical masters, Bach, Corelli and Mozart and introduces a modern take on Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto. 7.30p, Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts

with the Las Vegas and Concert years. With gyrating hips, the patented lip curl, and amazing voices you’ll swear it’s the King himself. Don’t miss this fantastic and fun evening of entertainment! 8p-11p, Hemmens Cultural Center hemmens.org. $29.50-75 Jamie & Bob 9p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover Libido Funk Circus 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover

Sat.Jan.9

Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H The 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital is shaken up by the arrival of Captains “Hawkeye” Pierce and “Duke” Forrest...crack surgeons but lousy soldiers. Joined by renowned chest-cutter “Trapper” John McIntyre, the surgeons set about dealing with the daily carnage of the war by raising hell. From getting rid of the idiotic Major Burns to helping the camp dentist commit “suicide”, there’s no lengths the Swampmen won’t go to to distract themselves from the horrors of war. Directed by Madeline Franklin. Fri-Sat 8p, Sun 2p through 1/24. 8p, Elgin Academy Kimball Street Theatre elgin-theatre.org. $15-18 Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular! See Elvis throughout the years; celebrating the music era by era. The concert begins with the early rocka-billy years, military years, movie years, the ‘68 comeback special in black leather and the show closes

FEED.colorcode Bands & Music

Theater & Dance

Kids & Families

Lectures & Learning Exhibits & Film Creativity Causes & Community Other

Literacy Connection Tutor Training Become a Literacy Connection Volunteer Tutor in this 12 hour training workshop. Help to make a change in someone’s life and become a Volunteer Literacy Tutor! The Literacy Connection has over 70 adult learners in our community waiting to be matched with a tutor like you! Would you like to help? Our Tutors help other adults with their English literacy skills, at a time and place convenient for both tutor and learner. NO PRIOR TEACHING OR TUTORING EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED! We’ll train and guide you through the tutoring process. Join us at one of our upcoming Tutor Orientations to learn more! Must be at least 18 years old. Not sure if tutoring is for you? Join us on Saturday, January 9 from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for “Introduction to The Literacy Connection & Tutoring” to learn more. Training will start after the intro and there is no obligation to stay if you feel our program is not for you. Training continues on Saturday, January 16, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. There will be an hour lunch break each day. Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Tutor training is free, but there is a $25 fee to cover the textbook, LITSTART: Strategies for Adult Literacy and ESL Tutors, and other handouts. Cash or a check made payable to The Literacy Connection is collected at the end of the first course meeting. Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Call 847-742-6565 or email info@elginliteracy.org for more information or to register. 9.30a-4p, GBPL Main Library at South Elgin Room. Read to Rover Tails are wagging at Read to Rover. School-aged kids may practice their reading skills by cuddling up with a good book and reading aloud to a fully trained and certified therapy dog. Repeats 10:30a, 11a Also 1/23 at 10a, 10:30a, 11a. 10a-10.15a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South. Community Choir Rehearsal The Martin Luther King Day Committee is seeking choir members to join a community wide diverse choir. The choir will sing at the MLK Day event at the Hemmens on Sunday, January 17th at 4:00p. 1p-2.30p, Second Baptist

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Church. For more info, contact Pastor Angela Causey, 224.239.7869 Crochet a Snowflake Try your hand at thread crochet and learn about blocking. Make a snowflake to use as an ornament, coaster or the beginning of a table runner. For beginners. Teens & Adults (13+) 1p-3p, Rakow Library - Corridor West Snow Play Day We will be celebrating snow (whether we have any outside or not)! Make a snow man, play with indoor snow, cut out snowflakes, and watch a winter wonderland mural be painted. 1p-3p, Rakow Library - Children’s Area SSSA’s Broadway Backwards Auditions Side Street Studio Arts will produce it’s second-annual Backwards Broadway show in February, 2016. Backwards Broadway is a night where men and women sing Broadway tunes. The fun part is that the men sing songs traditionally meant for women, and women sing songs traditionally meant for men! The theme of the evening is love, in it’s many forms. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to a local LGBT Youth Organization. Interested people should prepare 16 bars of music and bring a CD or jump drive with music for accompaniment. There will be no piano on site for auditions. There are two audition times: January 7th @ 7:00pm or January 9th @ 1:00pm. We are searching for a cast of 7-9 people, both men and women. Commitment will be minimal. 7p, Side Street Studio Arts Blue Box Cafe’s Live at the Blue Box Join Rob, Martha and Molly and other hosts from Southgate Media Group as they record live podcasts, do awesome interviews, play great games, chat with special guests and talk about current TV shows, movies and Geek topics. Audience participation is appreciated, who knows,you may end up on one of the Podcasts!!! Check out our Facebook pages for this weeks topics! 6p-9p, Blue Box Cafe Elgin Symphony Orchestra Andrew Grams Plays Violin Grams unites his talent of conducting the orchestra with his love of playing the violin. This concert creates a connection of classical masters, Bach, Corelli and Mozart and introduces a modern take on Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto. 7.30p, Hemmens Cultural Center

Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 8p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18 The Tony Ocean Show 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover Two Year Anniversary and The LOOP Party Come party with April Rose from 97.9 the LOOP. Live band Focal Point will be in DA House! 9p, D Hangout. d-hangout.com. No cover.

Sun.Jan.10 Brushed Chicago’s Coffee Cup: Mimosa Morning Join brushedchicago in a BYOB mimosa morning. We provide the complimentary orange juice you BYOB . Complimentary coffee, snacks and live relaxing acoustic music is provided at the event. To reserve your canvas go to www.brushedchicago.com. 10a-11a, 15 Douglas Ave $30 Elgin Knit Works Open Knit 1p-4p, Elgin Knit Works Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 2p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18 Fifth Annual Faculty Recital Our skilled faculty and staff take the stage for an afternoon of eclectic chamber music. 2p-3p, ECC Spartan Auditorium. tickets.elgin.edu. Donation. Music in the Stacks: Thesix Chamber Ensemble No registration. Bring the whole family to celebrate Mozart’s 260th Birthday with Thesix Chamber Ensemble. Listen to the diversity and richness of chamber music and learn about Mozart too. Birthday cake included. 2p-3p, Rakow Library - Children’s Area. Free. Reduce Your Energy Bill Teacher, lecturer, writer, consultant, and designer of energy efficient and solar heated homes, Laren Corie, will discuss economical strategies for reducing your home energy costs,

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January 2016 including “deep energy retrofitting” of older homes, to bring them up to 21st century energy performance levels. This program will include low/ no-cost strategies, and how those simple steps will produce savings that can pay for greater, energy improvements. Bring your questions. Please register. 2p-3.30p, GBPL Main Library at Elgin Room. Elgin Symphony Orchestra Andrew Grams Plays Violin Grams unites his talent of conducting the orchestra with his love of playing the violin. This concert creates a connection of classical masters, Bach, Corelli and Mozart and introduces a modern take on Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto. 2.30p, Hemmens Cultural Center.

Mon.Jan.11

master of suspense, director Alfred Hitchcock, comes this Oscar-winning thriller about wealthy wallflower Lina (Joan Fontaine) who suspects her penniless playboy husband Johnnie (Cary Grant) of trying to murder her. Fontaine received an Oscar for Best Actress. Nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture. With Nigel Bruce, Cedrick Hardwicke and Leo G. Carroll. (Not rated, 99 minutes) 11a-1.30p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B Spanish Cafe/Cafe en Espanol Looking for an opportunity to practice your Spanish conversation skills? Then join this drop-in group that meets the second Monday of each month. Take part in a weekly topic of discussion, learn new vocabulary and put your listening skills to the test. No registration. 12p-1p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room STEAMologists Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math! Kids in first-fifth grade will be exploring, experimenting and creating. 4p5p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C

Brown Bag Lunch Classic Films - Suspicion (1941, NR) From the

Video Lab Teens can learn how to create and edit a professional quality video recording in our state of the art digital media lab. For teens in grades 9-12. 4p-6p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270 Family Jam Take a break as a family

11 a library staff member, followed by a milk and cookie snack compliments of Panera. Please register for each program you would like to attend. 9.30a-10a, GBPL Library On The Go

after your busy day with 30 minutes of active movement, stories and fun! 6.30p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B Great Book Discussion Group Great Book Discussion 7p-9p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room

The Poetry of Music Singers from Elgin Master Chorale will join the Chamber Music on the Fox for “Poetry of Music.” Performing works inspired by poetry, this program will feature Franz Schubert’s classic “Death and the Maiden” string quartet, as well as “Dark Night of the Soul” by Ola Gjiello and Beethoven’s iconic “Elegischer Gesang”. 7.30p, Elgin Art Showcase elginmasterchorale.org. $10-20

Tue.Jan.12 Panera Milk & Cookie Storytime The Gail Borden Public Library and Panera Bread are partnering to sponsor this program to be held at Panera Bread, 322 Randall Road, South Elgin. Your preschooler will enjoy stories read by

Armchair Generals - “Who the Heck is Abner Doubleday? Baseball and the Civil War” A Brown Bag Civil War and Lincoln Interest Group. Professor Bruce Allardice takes a sometimes serious, sometimes humorous look at the National Pastime and how it was played during the Civil War. He will also share some information about early Elgin baseball. Professor Allardice has written numerous books and

An Evening with Abita January 12, 6:30 pm $2.00 With purchase of $5 or more Dine in only • One coupon per table • Expires 1/31/16 OFF Not valid on any promotional menu items or events. 219 E. Chicago St. • Elgin • Free Parking 847-468-8810 • elginpublichouse.com

“ Good food, good beer, great service ...” — Coley C. ★★★★★ December 2015

Six courses paired with brews from Abita Brewing Co.

Reserve A Table Now! $45 per person plus tax and gratuity

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conversation. We will be talking about books that we are currently reading. For teens in grades 9-12. 6p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270

the Kane County Department of Community Reinvestment. For more information, call 630-966-1435, ext. 40078 9.30a-11a, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room 1, 2, 3 Go! Families with 1, 2, and 3 year olds are invited to enjoy stories, rhymes and musical activities together. No registration required. 10a-10.30a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C Drop-In Winter Story Time Join Ms. Angela for 30 minutes of stories, songs and finger puppets. 10.30a-11a, Rakow Library - Children’s Area

articles and presented many lectures on the Civil War. An avid sports fan, he currently leads the Civil War Baseball Subcommittee of the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR), specializing in biography of 19th century ballplayers. He is a former president of the Northern Illinois Civil War Roundtable. He teaches at South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois. 11.45a-1.15p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C. Armchair Generals Simulcast “Who the Heck is Abner Doubleday? Baseball and the Civil War” Professor Bruce Allardice takes a sometimes serious, sometimes humorous look at the National Pastime and how it was played during the Civil War. Professor Allardice will also share some information about early Elgin baseball. 11.45a-1.15p, Rakow Library - Living Room Job Search & Resume Help Drop in for one-on-one assistance with your job search. Receive help with your resume, cover letter, completing online applications, and more. For more information contact the Kane County Department of Employment and Education at 630-966-1435. 1p4p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room. Rakow Rooks Chess Club Kids are invited to hone their chess skills at Rakow Branch. Beginners are welcome. Intermediate or Advanced players can play opponents or work on chess puzzles. Chess sets available or bring your own. 4.30p-5.30p, Rakow Library - Children’s Area Pizza & Books Stop by Studio 270 for a slice of pizza and join in on the

FEED.colorcode Bands & Music Theater & Dance Kids & Families Lectures & Learning Exhibits & Film Creativity Causes & Community Other

An Evening with Abita A six course dinner paired with brews from Abita Brewing Company. Reservations required. 6.30p, Elgin Public House 847.468.8810. $45 Grupo de Conversacion en Ingles/ English Conversation Group Practice having everyday conversations in English, improve your pronunciation and gain confidence with a tutor from the Literacy Connection. No registration.Practica conversar en ingles, mejora tu pronunciacion y adquiere confianza con un tutor del Literacy Connection. No hace falta inscribirse. 6.30p-7.30p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room Danny’s On Douglas Open Mic Night 7p-11p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover Library Board Meeting Monthly meeting of the Library Board which is generally held on the second Tuesday of the month. 7p-9p, GBPL Main Library at South Elgin Room Postpone Procrastination Now Procrastination is a time-killer. If you find yourself delaying either starting, continuing, or completing important tasks, you’re wasting one of your most valuable resources; time. This interactive workshop will help participants identify and remove the causes of procrastination; create and act on clear, quality decisions; focus on the most important and productive activities; and engage in activities most enjoyed ... guilt free. Presented by Tom Wendt, Certified DreamBuilder Coach. Please register. 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Elgin Room Resume Basics Do you want to develop a resume that highlights your skills, abilities and experience? Come to this session and learn how formatting, layout, language and resume type help you sell yourself to potential employers! #job&career 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

Wed.Jan.13 Job Training Information Session Training grants are available to help you get a job! Learn about WIOA services and the application process. This program is in partnership with

SSSA’S INSTALL Art Exhibit An exhibition in the making and made. Nine artists take over Side Street Studio Arts and Next Door Theater. Each artist has been assigned an area to create and exhibit within, from the basement to the kitchen, these amazing artists will turn our space into theirs. The only rule: consider the space in the creation. Continues through 1/31. Gallery hours: Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-3. 12p-6p, Side Street Studio Arts Minecraft for Grades 3-5 All experience levels are welcome! Beginners can learn how to play; experts can show off their amazing skills by competing in a building challenge with friends. 4p-5p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

2.1 necestia registrarse. Para todas las edades. 6.30p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room Windows 10 Basics Trying to understand Windows 10? Come to this informative presentation to learn Windows 10 basics such as how to navigate, use the task manager and manage your files with Microsoft’s latest operating system. 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover Elgin Public House’s Trivia Night Wednesdays 8pmStretch your brain with beer in hand! Wednesday nights are for Trivia! Join the EPH Trivia gang and battle against Elgin’s most ferociously competitive brainiacs. Weekly prizes for the top three teams, as well as eight-week cumulative tourneys with big grand prizes. Trivia starts promptly at 8pm. Get here early to settle in with some food, beer and cocktails. 8p, Elgin Public House.

Thu.Jan.14 Coffee, Conversation and More! Informal discussions on topics for people old enough to have a past. January 14 - Favorite Golden Books from long ago. January 28 - Reminiscing - A fun game that will bring back great memories. February 11 - Visit with comfort dogs and share stories about your beloved pets. February 25 - Do you have a memorable first car? Tell us about your first set of wheels. 9.30a-11a, Rakow Library Living Room Device Advice Questions about your smartphone, tablet, eReader or laptop? Stop in to Studio 270 with your device for 1:1 help and a cup of coffee or tea! Registration not required. 9.30a-11.30a, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270 Job Search & Resume Help Drop in for one-on-one assistance with your job search. Receive help with your resume, cover letter, completing online applications, and more. For more information contact the Kane County Department of Employment and Education at 630-966-1435. 9.30a1p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Listen, Learn and Lead Toastmasters Club #6974 Become the speaker and leader you want to be. No registration. Toastmasters will give you the skills and confidence you need to effectively express yourself in any situation. Whether you are a professional, student, stay-at-home parent or retiree, Toastmasters is the most efficient, enjoyable and affordable way of gaining great communication skills. By learning to effectively formulate and express your ideas, you

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January 2016 open an entirely new world of possibilities. You’ll be more persuasive and confident when giving presentations, and you’ll improve your one-on-one dealings with others. Please join us as a guest! 12p-1p, GBPL Main Library at South Elgin Room

Geneaology Writers’ Group Learn tips and tricks from others with a similar interest in writing their family history. 6.30p-8p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room ¡A Bailar! Merengue Get your shoes ready, instructor Celia Cruz will get your heart beating and your hips swaying in this fun class for all! No previous experience is required, all levels and ages are welcome. No registration. Prepara tus zapatos para lecciones de baile. No requiere experiencia previa, todo tipo de nivel y edad es bienvenido. No hace falta inscribirse. 7p-8p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B

ChessMaster Junior Chess Club for Grades 2-12 Kids and teens are invited to hone their chess skills during our free-play sessions. Beginners are welcome; we will teach you how to play! 4p-5p, GBPL Main Library at Youth Center - South eBay Basics Ebay is one of the world’s largest online marketplaces for new and used merchandise, collectibles and other hard-to-find items. Learn how it works--and how to pay for your purchases with PayPal--in this fun-filled class! #software&apps 6p-7.30p, Rakow Library - Living Room

Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover

Fri.Jan.15 Baby Rhyme Time This storytime is for infants 0-11 months with an adult caregiver. Attendance is limited. Registration is required. 9.15a-9.45a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room South

Blue Box Cafe Geek N Out We celebrate our Geekiness most Fridays!!! We open up our cache of games, play a cool movie or three and have fun!!!! All are welcome!! Each week is a different theme. Play our games or bring your own, anything is cool.

Have a regular group going? Meet up at The BBC! 5p-8p, Blue Box Cafe Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 8p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18 Grand Victoria Casino Live Entertainment: TBD 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover

Sat.Jan.16 Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Prayer Breakfast 8.30a-10.30a, ECC 847.931.5607 Literacy Connection Tutor Training (See Sat.Jan.9) Training continues on Saturday, January 16, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Call 847-742-6565 or email info@ elginliteracy.org for more information or to register. 9.30a-4p, GBPL Main Library at South Elgin Room WordPress Basics Discover how the popular application WordPress works and how you can use this this tool to build a website or blog. Learn how to navigate the admin panel and toolbar, create pages, and write posts. #software&apps 10a-11.30a, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Community Choir Rehearsal The Martin Luther King Day Committee is seeking choir members to join a community wide diverse choir. The choir will sing at the MLK Day event

at the Hemmens on Sunday, January 17th at 4:00p. 1p-2.30p, Second Baptist Church. For more info, call Pastor Angela Causey, 224.239.7869. Games & Gadgets Drop-in for some family free play! An assortment of board games, chess, Legos, Wii video games, or iPads will be available 2p-3.30p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South Blue Box Cafe’s Live at the Blue Box Join Rob, Martha and Molly and other hosts from Southgate Media Group as they record live podcasts, do awesome interviews, play great games, chat with special guests and talk about current TV shows, movies and Geek topics. Audience participation is appreciated, who knows,you may end up on one of the Podcasts!!! Check out our Facebook pages for this weeks topics! 6p-9p, Blue Box Cafe Danny’s on Douglas Winter Fete Live music, tasty food, good friends,

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It’s 12 x 9 inches of pure Elgin culture, signed, certiﬁed and hand-numbered. Sorry, you can’t buy it anywhere. It’s free for BRAVO readers.

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la tarjeta de la biblioteca para tomar esta clase pero se require inscripcion ya que el espacio es limitado. #basics 2p-3.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

the Rakow Branch. (NOTE: A signed parental permission slip is required; no phone or online registrations will be taken.) Everything will be priced at $8.00 or less. This event will be held indoors, so space is limited. Registration begins Monday, December 14. 1.30p-3p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C

silent auction, raffle, and a great cause!T he second annual WINTER FETE will benefit the Almost Home Foundation - which provides animal rescue services for unwanted, neglected or abused animals. $15 - All you can eat pizza and soda buffet! LINEUP: The Marquis Brothers, The Sam Dandals Band, Face N Time. 7p, Danny’s on Douglas. Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 8p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18

Sew Much Fun! Grades 3 & Up. New to sewing? We will help you get started by working on simple beginner projects. Already know how to sew? Come polish your skills. All materials provided. 4p-5p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South

Oh Freedom! Songs of the Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement has been described as one of the greatest singing movements that this country has experienced. Music played a vital role in that historic struggle both as an inspirational rallying point and as a way to spread the message of equality and justice. Award winning Illinois folksinger Chris Vallillo performs pivotal songs from the music that inspired and sustained this landmark movement. Intermixed with the music, Vallillo presents firsthand accounts of the historic struggle and discusses the impact of music to our nation’s most important social cause. Please register. This event is being produced in part by Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speakers Bureau. 2.30p-3.30p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C

Family Jam Take a break as a family after your busy day with 30 minutes of active movement, stories and fun! 6.30p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B French Conversation Group Refresh and enhance your knowledge of French language and culture in a conversational setting with former college language professor Dennis Schwank. No registration. 6.30p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at South Elgin Room Quickbooks Basics Quickbooks is accounting software for small-medium sized businesses. Come and learn the basics--like how to navigate and run simple reports--in this intro class. #software&apps 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Annual Public Program 4p-6p, Hemmens Cultural Center 847.931.5607

Sam Savage 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover

Sun.Jan.17 Elgin Knit Works Open Knit 1p-4p, Elgin Knit Works Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 2p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18 Introduccion a la Computacion (Introduction to Computers) Aprenda los diversos sistemas operativos, tecnologias, tendencias y los componentes basicos de hardware y software de una computadora. No hace falta tener

FEED.colorcode Bands & Music

Theater & Dance

Kids & Families

Lectures & Learning Exhibits & Film Creativity Causes & Community Other

Tue.Jan.19 Mouse and Keyboard Basics Are you a new computer user with little or no experience using a keyboard and mouse? If so, come to this class and learn how to left-click, right-click and use basic command keys as you prepare to enter the online world! #basics 11a-12.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

Mon.Jan.18 Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Day Service 8.30a-3p, Centre of Elgin 847.931.5607 No School Day Special: I have a Dream Come share your dreams of equality and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday. Learn about what MLKJ did, make a collage, write some New Year resolutions, or capture your dreams of a peaceful future on video. And if you are 18 or older, bring two forms of ID and register to vote! 10a-7p, Rakow Library - Children’s Area Deep Freeze Flea Market Did you get new stuff for the holidays? Sell your old stuff at this unique flea market where only kids may sell, but anyone is welcome to buy. Sellers in 2nd8th grade may sign up in advance at the Youth Center Help Desk or at

Pediatric Therapeutic Playgroup An inclusive playgroup for children who currently receive therapy services or may benefit from therapeutic play, ages 0 - 5. This unique playgroup offers opportunities for children to focus on developmental play while families meet and find support. 11a-11.45a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South Job Search & Resume Help Drop in for one-on-one assistance with your job search. Receive help with your resume, cover letter, completing online applications, and more. For more information contact the Kane County Department of Employment and Education at 630-966-1435. 1p4p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room May The Marketplace Be With You Help celebrate the opening of your new Marketplace, where it is easier than ever to find movies, books and

2.1 music. Tour the new area, enjoy refreshments and enter your name for a chance to win Star Wars prizes. On the same day, visit the Early Learning Center from 4:30 to 6:30 pm to tour the newly renovated area, meet Clifford the Big Red Dog and have a balloon sculpture made just for you! 4.30p-5.30p, GBPL Main Library at Lobby Rakow Rooks Chess Club Kids are invited to hone their chess skills at Rakow Branch. Beginners are welcome. Intermediate or Advanced players can play opponents or work on chess puzzles. Chess sets available or bring your own. 4.30p-5.30p, Rakow Library - Children’s Area Grupo de Conversacion en Ingles/ English Conversation Group Practice having everyday conversations in English, improve your pronunciation and gain confidence with a tutor from the Literacy Connection. No registration.Practica conversar en ingles, mejora tu pronunciacion y adquiere confianza con un tutor del Literacy Connection. No hace falta inscribirse. 6.30p-7.30p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room Moon Gazing Come and look at the sky with our telescope. We’ll monitor the Moon, palaver about the planets, and if the light pollution isn’t too bad, we’ll look at how different stars are actually different colors. All ages are welcome to drop by. 6.30p-7.30p, Rakow Library - Outside South The Jungle Book: Auditions Children’s Theatre of Elgin is delighted to be presenting The Jungle Book April 7-10, 2016! Auditions are for children in grades 2 through 9. (Please note that this is not the Disney version but a licensed version from Maverick Musicals.) Also 1/20 at 6:30p. 6.30p-8.30p, Epworth United Methodist Church cteelgin.com Customizing Your Resume Part 1 Now that you understand what should be included in a resume, learn how to rework specific elements to create a dynamic document that will wow employers! Note: Part 1 of 2; Please register for both sessions. #job&career 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Danny’s On Douglas Open Mic Night 7p-11p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover

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January 2016

the Kane County Department of Community Reinvestment. For more information, call 630-966-1435, ext. 40078 9.30a-11a, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

Elgin Alive - The Pigeons That Went to War A discussion with World War II veteran Ed Schmidt who spent 5 years raising and training Homing Pigeons for combat. He’ll talk about the relationships between Pigeoneers and their birds and G.I. Joe, the most outstanding military pigeon in history. Still a popular sporting activity, you’ll be surprised at who is still raising and racing Homing Pigeons. 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B Open Mic Night Share your talent at Studio 270’s Open Mic Night. We are looking for musicians, poets, comedians, story tellers and more to perform. For teens in grades 9-12. 7p-8p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270

Wed.Jan.20 Job Training Information Session Training grants are available to help you get a job! Learn about WIOA services and the application process. This program is in partnership with

1, 2, 3 Go! Families with 1, 2, and 3 year olds are invited to enjoy stories, rhymes and musical activities together. No registration required. 10a-10.30a, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C Drop-In Winter Story Time Join Ms. Angela for 30 minutes of stories, songs and finger puppets. 10.30a-11a, Rakow Library - Children’s Area Which Tablet is Right for Me? With all the tablet options on the market it’s hard to know which one best fits your needs. Come to this informative session and learn the nuances of Android vs. iOS systems and compare tablet types ranging from iPads to Nooks. #basics 1p-2.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Build It Up! with LEGOS Kids in Grades 1 & up; children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. LEGO

building blocks will be provided for this fun-filled, creative building program. 4p-5p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South

Main Library at South Elgin Room File Management Basics Can’t find your documents or need help getting organized? Come to this demonstration on file management and learn how to create folders, save documents into folder and find your files when you need them! #Basics 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover Elgin Public House’s Trivia Night Wednesdays 8pmStretch your brain with beer in hand! Wednesday nights are for Trivia! Join the EPH Trivia gang and battle against Elgin&rsquo;s most ferociously competitive brainiacs. Weekly prizes for the top three teams, as well as eight-week cumulative tourneys with big grand prizes. Trivia starts promptly at 8pm. Get here early to settle in with some food, beer and cocktails. 8p, Elgin Public House

Cuentos para la familia/Spanish Family Storytime 30 minutes of interactive stories, songs and fun for parents and children to enjoy together! 30 minutos de cuentos musica, rimas, manualidades y mucho mas para el disfrute de toda la familia! No necestia registrarse. Para todas las edades. 6.30p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room The Jungle Book: Auditions Children’s Theatre of Elgin is delighted to be presenting The Jungle Book April 7-10, 2016! Auditions are for children in grades 2 through 9. (Please note that this is not the Disney version but a licensed version from Maverick Musicals.) Also 1/19 at 6:30p. 6.30p-8.30p, Epworth United Methodist Church cteelgin.com

Thu.Jan.21 Device Advice Drop by the Rakow Branch for hands-on learning. You are welcome to bring your own devices. 9.30a-11.30a, Rakow Library - Computer Cafe

Contemporary Fiction Book Group Book discussion. 7p-8.30p, GBPL

Job Search & Resume Help Drop in for one-on-one assistance with your

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FEED.whereisbravo EAST SIDE Dublin Mule 1350 E. Chicago Street Elgin Animal Clinic 1350 E. Chicago Street #5 Elgin History Museum 360 Park Street Gail Borden Public Library 270 N. Grove Avenue Willard Coin Laundry 745 E. Chicago Street #D DOWNTOWN Blue Box Cafe 176 E. Chicago Street

Fox Valley Flea Market 840 N. State Street Grumpy Goat Tavern 875 Sports Way Elgin Community College Campuswide 1700 Spartan Drive Habitat for Humanity ReStore 800 N. State Street Holiday Inn Express 495 Airport Road Hampton Inn 405 Airport Road In The Neighborhood Deli 185 Edison Avenue

Danny’s on Douglas 231 Douglas Avenue

Judson University (Commons & Library) 1151 N. State Street

Domani Cafe 109 E. Highland Avenue

Metra Rail Big Timber Station 2025 Big Timber Road

Dog’s Paw Brewing Co. 74 S. Grove Avenue

Paul’s Family Restaurant 1300 Lawrence Avenue

Downtown Neighborhood Association 10 N. Spring Street

Super 8 435 Airport Road

Elgin Antiques & Uniques 207 E. Chicago Street Elgin ArtSpace 51 S. Spring Street Elgin City Hall 150 Dexter Court Elgin Knit Works 8 Douglas Avenue Elgin Public House 219 E. Chicago Street Hemmens Cultural Center 45 Symphony Way Kellenberger Auto Service 217 Symphony Way Rediscover Records 9 S. Spring Street Side Street Studio Arts Gallery 15 Ziegler Court

Walnut Speakeasy 214 Walnut Avenue RANDALL CORRIDOR Advocate Sherman Hospital 1425 N. Randall Road Candlewood Suites 1780 Capital Street Dutch Inn West 36W610 Foothill Road Jimmy’s Charhouse 2290 Point Boulevard Panera Bread 2484 North Randall Road Panera Bread (South Elgin) 322 S. Randall Road Porter’s Pub 1250 Bowes Creek Road

Soulful Sparrow 10 Douglas Avenue

Rakow Branch, Gail Borden Library 2751 W. Bowes Road

WEST SIDE

Starbucks 2480 North Randall Road

Alexander’s Cafe 1725 N. State Street

Starbucks (South Elgin) 338 S. Randall Road

Big Skillet Restaurant 90 Tyler Creek Plaza

Village Pizza and Pub 2496 N. Randall Road

Big Apple Bagels 561 N. McLean Boulevard

Woodman’s Market (Carpentersville) 2100 Randall Road

Books at Sunset 1100 South Street Colonial Cafe 600 S. McLean Boulevard

Want B R AVO Magazine at your location? Let us know!

“D” Hangout Bar and Grill 550 S. McLean Boulevard

job search. Receive help with your resume, cover letter, completing online applications, and more. For more information contact the Kane County Department of Employment and Education at 630-966-1435. 9.30a1p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Audio Lab Teens can learn how to create and edit a professional quality audio recording in our state of the art digital media lab. For teens in grades 9-12. 4p-6p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270 ChessMaster Junior Chess Club for Grades 2-12 Kids and teens are invited to hone their chess skills during our free-play sessions. Beginners are welcome; we will teach you how to play! 4p-5p, GBPL Main Library at Youth Center - South Baby Rhyme Time This storytime is for infants 0-11 months with an adult caregiver. Attendance is limited. Registration is required. During the first week of registration only patrons within the Gail Borden Public Library District may register. Registration for persons outside of the library district begins the next Monday. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847429-4597. 6.15p-6.45p, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South Grupo de Conversacion para la Ciudadana/Citizenship Conversation Group ¿Necesitas practicar tu ingles para el examen de la ciudadania? Ven a este grupo gratis para repasar y practicar el ingles que vas a necesitar pra la entrevista y las 100 preguntas del examen de historia y civica. El grupo es liderado por un tutor y cualquiera puede asistir. Presentado por The Literacy Connection. No hace falta inscribirse. Do you need to practice English for your naturalization/ citizenship test? Come to this free group and practice the spoken English you will need for the interview and the 100 questions from the history/civics test. This group will be led by a tutor and is open to all. Presented by The Literacy Connection. No registration. 6.30p-7.30p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rm. C Elgin Genealogical Society Elgin Genealogical Society monthly meeting 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B Intro to Google Tools Google contains tons of tools for communication, collaboration, productivity and creativity. Come and see how tools like Hangouts, Forms, Drive, Calendar and Apps can help you simplify your life by allowing you to create, organize, share and store information. #software&apps 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

2.1 Nickel And Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America Author Barbara Ehrenreich went undercover as a minimum wage worker living on the poverty line. Her shocking experiences were detailed in her 2001 memoir, Nickel And Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America. Join Librarian Tish Calhamer for a special discussion of this now-classic expose of how the underclass lives. Please register. 7p-8.15p, GBPL Main Library at Elgin Room Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke ... 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover

Fri.Jan.22 Baby Rhyme Time This storytime is for infants 0-11 months with an adult caregiver. Attendance is limited. Registration is required. During the first week of registration only patrons within the Gail Borden Public Library District may register. Registration for persons outside of the library district begins the next Monday. Please complete the information below or call our Registration Desk at 847-4294597. 9.15a-9.45a, GBPL Main Library at Story Room - South Blue Box Cafe Geek N Out We celebrate our Geekiness most Fridays!!! We open up our cache of games, play a cool movie or three and have fun!!!! All are welcome!! Each week is a different theme. Play our games or bring your own, anything is cool. Have a regular group going? Meet up at The BBC! Dress up, dress regularly, dress casually... but please be dressed. 5p-8p, Blue Box Cafe SSSA’S INSTALL Artist Reception & Performances a exhibition in the making and made Nine artists take over Side Street Studio Arts and Next Door Theater. Each artist has been assigned an area to create and exhibit within, from the basement to the kitchen, these amazing artists will turn our space into theirs. The

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January 2016 only rule: consider the space in the creation. 6p-10p, Side Street Studio Arts. $5 Donation Ola la Ijorere’s Adult Coloring Social Join us for a de-stressing, relaxing evening at Ola la Ijorere. BYOB Adult coloring parties are NOW the hottest social trend. All coloring materials provided. You take away your framed coloring page. Simply bring in your favorite bottle of wine, relax and have fun with us. 6.30p-8.30p, Ola la Ijorere. $28 CWPA Rock Concert Presented by Judson University’s Center for Worship in the Performing Arts. 7p, Judson University Herrick Chapel 847.628.2089. Donation Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 8p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18 Grand Victoria Casino Live Entertainment: Chitown Soul 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover

Sat.Jan.23 Getting Started with WordPress Learn how to pick WordPress themes to match your intended web content and discover how to customize the style and layout of your website while managing posts and pages. #software&apps 10a-11.30a, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Preschool & Childcare Information Fair Representatives from area preschools, daycare centers and licensed homes will be available talk about their childcare services and answer questions. 10a-12p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C Ola la Ijorere’s RAW4Kids Painting Event: Snow Owl Painting social for kids 7+. Nut free treats, cupcakes & lemonade provided. Parents are welcome to lounge, drop-N-lunch at Al’s Cafe, or join their kids during painting sessions. 2p-4p, Ola la Ijorere. $25 Blue Box Cafe’s Live at the Blue

Box Join Rob, Martha and Molly and other hosts from Southgate Media Group as they record live podcasts, do awesome interviews, play great games, chat with special guests and talk about current TV shows, movies and Geek topics. Audience participation is appreciated, who knows,you may end up on one of the Podcasts!!! Check out our Facebook pages for this weeks topics! 6p-9p, Blue Box Cafe Vince: The Life and Times of Vince Lombardi John Pinero is legendary coach Vince Lombardi in this inspiring one-man play! From his Super Bowl championships to Lombardi’s relationships with his family and players, experience the life story of the greatest professional coach in football history. Pinero’s magnetic portrayal of Lombardi has been praised by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, The Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, and former Lombardi players. 7p, ECC Blizzard Theatre tickets.elgin. edu. $32-45 Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 8p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18 Grand Victoria Casino Live Entertainment: Gina Glocksen 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover

Sun.Jan.24 Elgin Knit Works Open Knit 1p-4p, Elgin Knit Works Elgin Theatre Company’s M*A*S*H 2p, Kimball Street Theatre. $15-18 Sunday Afternoon Concert - Dr. William Gorton, Tenor Tenor William Gorton of Millikin University, accompanied by Dr. Bruce Gibbons, will present Heart and Soul: An Artist’s Journey. This art song recital will feature works by Schubert, Rachmaninov, Duparc, and Gorton, among

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you with thought-provoking writing prompts and constructive critique. Writers of all genres are welcome to participate. No registration. 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room

Clown Posse, and My Misadventures with Two of Music’s Most Maligned Tribes, by Nathan Rabin. 7p-9p . $5 Donation Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover

Tue.Jan.26 Danny’s On Douglas Open Mic Night 7p-11p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover

Wed.Jan.27 others. 2p-3p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C. Free Windows 7 Aprenda a manejar la interfaz de Windows 7 usando el escritorio, las carpetas de documentos y las aplicaciones mas importantes del panel de control. #basics 2p-3.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room

Mon.Jan.25 Rakow Readers Shales Living Room No registration. Monday, January 25 The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 1.30p-2.30p, Rakow Library Living Room DIY Crafts Get crafty with Studio 270’s Do-it-Yourself crafts and projects. For teens in grades 9-12. 4p-6p, GBPL Main Library at Studio 270 Rep. Anna Moeller’s Citizen’s Utility Board Citizens Utility Board, known as CUB is holding a clinic to help educate customers about unclear charges on their gas, electric, and phone bills and will give you tips on how to save money on future bills! 5.30p-7.30p, GBPL Main Library at Elgin Room Family Jam Take a break as a family after your busy day with 30 minutes of active movement, stories and fun! 6.30p-7p, GBPL Main Library at Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B Getting Started with Quickbooks Now that you’ve been introduced to Quickbooks, learn how to set up a company, adjust preferences, and work with accounts in class two of the series. #software&apps. 7p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Computer Training Room Writers on the Fox This writer’s peer group will inspire and motivate

The FEED is powered by downtownelgin.com gailborden.info cityofelgin.org

Elgin Knit Works Open Knit 5p-8p, Elgin Knit Works Danny’s on Douglas Karaoke 8p, Danny’s on Douglas. No cover Elgin Public House’s Trivia Night Stretch your brain with beer in hand! Wednesday nights are for Trivia! Join the EPH Trivia gang and battle against Elgin’s most ferociously competitive brainiacs. Weekly prizes for the top three teams, as well as eight-week cumulative tourneys with big grand prizes. Trivia starts promptly at 8pm. Get here early to settle in with some food, beer and cocktails. 8p, Elgin Public House

Thu.Jan.28 Graduate Programs Open House The January open house events will offer additional information and greater details about Judson’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or Master of Arts in Human Services Administration only. At each open house, guests will have an opportunity to network with industry professionals, meet Department Chair Dr. Susan Wesner and learn about the degrees offered, admissions requirements and how to get started in the accelerated program. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP. 5p-6.30p, Judson University Lindner Tower, Eagle Lounge 847.628.5025 Side Street Studio Arts Book Club Our January Book Club book selection is.... You Don’t Know Me but You Don’t Like Me: Phish, Insane

Fri.Jan.29 Blue Box Cafe Geek N Out We celebrate our Geekiness most Fridays!!! We open up our cache of games, play a cool movie or three and have fun!!!! All are welcome!! Each week is a different theme. Play our games or bring your own, anything is cool. Have a regular group going? Meet up at The BBC! Dress up, dress regularly, dress casually... but please be dressed. 5p-8p, Blue Box Cafe

2.1 American Grands XXI With 12 grand pianos generously provided by Cordogan’s Pianoland and close to 500 local performers, American Grands is a musical spectacular not to be missed. Under the direction of Colin Holman, conductor, and Larry Dieffenbach, musical director, this Fox Valley original is truly “grand.” Performances at 1p, 4p, 7p. 1p, ECC Blizzard Theatre tickets.elgin.edu. $15-24 American Grands XXI 4p, ECC Blizzard Theatre. tickets.elgin.edu. $15-24

Elgin Literary Festival The Elgin Literary Festival is a celebration of the written word taking place in Downtown Elgin, a blooming center of the arts. The Festival aims to highlight bookish culture and provide writers and readers a place to create and appreciate the art of writing, all within the charming architecture and welcoming businesses that are the soul of the City of Elgin. 5p-9p, Hemmens Cultural Center. Free Grand Victoria Casino Live Entertainment: BBI 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover

Sat.Jan.30 Bison Feeding at Lord’s Park Join us for an up close and personal look at the bison, deer and elk at the Lords Park Zoo. Meet at the Museum for a short introduction after which we head for the zoo to assist the zookeeper in feeding these magnificent creatures. Space is limited to 12 people, so please register early! Free for members. 7a-8.30a. $1-2 Elgin Literary Festival The Elgin Literary Festival is a celebration of the written word taking place in Downtown Elgin, a blooming center of the arts. The Festival aims to highlight bookish culture and provide writers and readers a place to create and appreciate the art of writing, all within the charming architecture and welcoming businesses that are the soul of the City of Elgin. 9a-5p, Hemmens Cultural Center. Free

Blue Box Cafe’s Live at the Blue Box Join Rob, Martha and Molly and other hosts from Southgate Media Group as they record live podcasts, do awesome interviews, play great games, chat with special guests and talk about current TV shows, movies and Geek topics. Audience participation is appreciated, who knows,you may end up on one of the Podcasts!!! Check out our Facebook pages for this weeks topics! 6p-9p, Blue Box Cafe American Grands XXI 7p, ECC Blizzard Theatre. tickets.elgin.edu. $15-24 Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s Copland & Shostakovich Same time, stark difference. Appalachian Spring is about the great promises

FEED.colorcode Bands & Music

Theater & Dance

Kids & Families

Lectures & Learning Exhibits & Film Creativity Causes & Community Other

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January 2016 for the future of America. At the same time, on the other side of the world, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 details the starkness of the 1905 Russian Revolution. The music takes you to two completely different places that took place at the same time in history. 7.30p, Hemmens Cultural Center Grand Victoria Casino Live Entertainment: And Beyond 9p-11.59p, Grand Victoria Casino. No cover

for the future of America. At the same time, on the other side of the world, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 details the starkness of the 1905 Russian Revolution. The music takes you to two completely different places that took place at the same time in history. 2.30p, Hemmens Cultural Center

Mon.Feb.01 Poetry Writers Workshop Come share your love of poetry! This is a group for local poets to share what they have written. Gareth Mann Sitz, poet and songwriter, will facilitate. No registration. 6.30p-8.30p, GBPL Main Library at Conference Room.

Party Obvious Rock & Roll band from the midwest, playing sweet music that makes you move. 9p, D Hangout d-hangout.com. No cover

Sun.Jan.31 Elgin Knit Works Open Knit 1p-4p, Elgin Knit Works Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s Copland & Shostakovich Same time, stark difference. Appalachian Spring is about the great promises

FEED.disclaimer We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the event details listed in the FEED, but some of our sources may contain errors, and we make mistakes once in a while, too. PLEASE verify the details of any of these events with the host and/or venue before making firm plans. Enjoy!

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Mini-Media Guide: FEED 411

How to Get Your Events Listed for FREE in The FEED Publishing and promoting all the things to do in Elgin is why we started BRAVO. We are eager to fill our pages with your events, concerts, festivals, lectures, arts happenings and more.

What We Don’t Want Commercial messages, like “$9.99 Friday Fish Fry” belong in your ad, not in the FEED. Since BRAVO is freely distributed to the general public, private events should not be listed.

Repeating Events Some kinds of events repeat regularly, like bird watching or French conversation groups. If these events are open, they are welcome in the FEED.

Basic Event Submission Visit our online event submission page and fill out the form. Fill in all your event details, along with your own contact info in case there are questions.

Automatic Submission Fortunately, we have a means of collecting events from certain kinds of schedules you post on your website or social media.

wanted for Volume 6 of

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send to elginpoetrybox@live.com deadline: January 15, 2016 www.facebook.com/elginpoetrybox

If your website has a built-in calendar feature, there’s a good

chance that your scheduled event data can be accessed over the internet, in a form that’s conducive to publishing in the FEED. The technology is called RSS (Really Simple Syndication). Ask your webmaster about it. Then tell us the URL (web address) of your calendar RSS feed, and we will take it from there.

Facebook Events We can access the events you create in your Facebook account, provided they are open, public events. All we need is your Facebook ID, which is a number consisting of 10-15 digits. You can determine this number by following the tips at findmyfacebookid.com (see link below).

Google Calendar If you have a Google account, you have free access to a suite of useful tools, including a calendar that can be accessed as an RSS feed. Edit your calendar settings and make your calendar public (or share it with us). You can obtain the URL of your calendar’s RSS feed by clicking the “XML” button. Boom! Send us that URL!

FEED.links http://www.marqueemedia.net/events Fill out the form with your event title, date, time, location, phone number, short description, and price. Your name, email and phone number are also required in case we need to double-check your details! http://www.findmyfacebookid.com Go to the Facebook profile page for your business. Copy the URL (web address) shown in your browser’s location field. Go to findmyfacebookid.com and paste your profile page URL into the box at the top of the screen. Click Submit. The next screen will display your Facebook ID. Send us that number.

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2.1

Shared Values: Showing Up

Meet Me in Elgin Only a few short years ago, we sheepishly giggled at accusations that our digitally overconnected society was training us to ignore each other. As 2016 begins, we have finally swiped away the stigma, deleted the shame, and embraced our computers and smart devices as partners we can talk to, learn from, and do business with. If you’re one those people who spends the majority of your time interacting with machines, and you’re starving for some authentic human contact, well we’re sorry, there’s no app for that. But there’s something else: meetup groups.

Hello, My Name Is

sulting. “They miss real human interaction.”

tered on consistent and honest feedback on our creative work.”

Although Copeland earns a living by drawing people’s attention to on-screen messages, he’s also on a mission to cultivate face-to-face communication at the meetup groups hosted by ETC.

A Meet Lover’s Feast

“Free Day Friday, our weekly co-working space meetup, is meant to be for anyone to come to, as often or for as long as they’d like.” ETC welcomes entrepreneurs, telecommuters and solo practitioners to drop in and share office space at 73 S. Riverside Drive, where they can swap ideas, share tips and brainstorm.

In a library, home or coffee shop somewhere in Elgin, people show up at an appointed time, gather around a table, introduce themselves and start talking to each other about their common interest. It might be board games, family history or classical music, or it might be just an excuse to hang out.

“On the other hand, we have a meetup for suburban entrepreneurs called IGNITE, where we do want some commitment from people.” This group combines learning and collaboration with individual accountability, and illustrates a second type of meetup: those that are gently moderated.

Unlike traditional clubs, meetup groups like these generally have no membership dues, meeting agendas or long-term objectives. Participants are free to join and leave the group as they wish. And unlike most typical events, these groups meet repeatedly —sometimes regularly — providing enough continuity to nurture real relationships.

Initiation Writes

Group Therapy

Perhaps since writing is a primarily solitary activity, writer’s critique groups are among the most numerous kinds in Elgin.

“People are actually disconnected from each other because they’re always in front of a screen,” says Michael Copeland, president of Elgin Technology Center (ETC) and Marketing Maestro at Edison Avenue Con-

Groups devoted to creative pursuits involving feedback are often of the moderated variety. “We ask prospective members to attend a meetup before officially joining,” explains creative writer Erica Vega. “This allows them to see our feedback style and group culture before deciding to share their work with us.”

Vega affirms the value of faceto-face meetups, saying “We’ve somehow managed to facilitate long-lasting relationships cen-

Writers and techies aren’t the only kinds of people in search of community. There are meetups for nature lovers, spiritual seekers, language learners and more. One thing they all have in common is the immediacy of human conversation. “Everyone here does the conversation dance beautifully,” boasts Kathy Hamill, co-host of Jabberwocky on Koshare, a conversation salon held several times a year at a home in far west Elgin. “It’s people talking to people, in a real room in real time, about the experience of being a human being.” The salon has been meeting since 1998, long before smart phones preempted most of our natural social interactions. “These are lively gatherings where people share their observations and ideas, creating a feast of intelligent, imaginative, and sometimes hilarious repartee.”

Clique Here to Learn More “I believe the internet has caused the rise of real world meetups,” asserts Michael Copeland, in support of our theory that meetup groups are satisfying an unmet need for interpersonal contact that didn’t exist before the era of social media. “I don’t believe it’s a fad, I believe it’s a paradigm shift,” he says. Yet the irony is that people find meetup groups — and each other — using the internet. Websites devoted to meetup groups are blossoming, and email invitation services help spread the word to individuals. The ubiq-

uity of the internet means even meetup groups now have their own websites. “Our web presence helped us get more coverage,” recounts Kathy Hamill. “We received a lot of email from people all over the world.” Meetup.com, where the Jabberwocky salon is listed, is currently the largest site devoted to listings for local groups. “We decided to give Meetup a shot. It has brought us a fair number of new salonies, mostly local, which is good.” Erica Vega agrees that the web has fostered connections. “Can you imagine twenty years ago?” Vega asks. “We would be in the AOL chatrooms gambling with fate. How awful!”

You and I: the New UI Still, the internet is just the means, not the end. “It is not our main recruiting device. Word of mouth remains best,” says Hamill. For some reason, the personal investment in direct dialogue with someone is intrinsically more valuable than any amount of texting, emailing, or posting. It starts with a personal invitation to meet up, and usually deepens with every face-to-face conversation. What’s in it for you? “The rewards of cooperation motivate everyone,” says Hamill. “If you like something and I like something, let’s meet up and talk about it,” says Copeland. According to Vega: “I would only leave my group under two conditions: (1.) I move, or (2.) I die, and even this one is not a guaranteed quit.” — JP

BRAVO

January 2016

FEED.meetups Elgin’s 40, Fabulous and Fun Girlfriends For women over 40 who just want to have fun. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Northwestern Suburbs Wine Lovers Tastings and outings for wine lovers and friends. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated Location: Varies Northwest Burbs Swingers For couples and individuals who enjoy others’ company. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Bonnaroovians Low-key hangout group for those who love the Bonnaroo music and arts fest. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Latin Social Club - Downtown Elgin Learn Latin dance such as Salsa or Bachata. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Ola la Ijorere Single Christian Social Group Social events for Christian men and women seeking friends and partners. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated Location: Varies

French Conversation Group Learn French language and culture in a conversational setting. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Citizenship Conversation Group Practice your English for the naturalization/citizenship test. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Toastmasters’ Listen, Learn and Lead Gain the skills and confidence you need to express yourself. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library CREATIVITY Ukulele Klub of Elgin (U.K.E.) Monthly get together of ukulele enthustiasts. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Mel’s Pizza

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Simple Beats: Valley Drumming Circle Enjoy social connections with hand drummers of all skills and styles. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies The Happy Paper Crafters Have a blast while scrapbooking, card making, stamping and crafting. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated

ART OF CONVERSATION Jabberwocky on Koshare Conversation Salon The Art of Conversation lives! More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Private home German Conversation Group Learn German language and culture in a conversational setting. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Spanish Café Practice speaking and listening to Spanish. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library

Open Knit Work on a knitting project or start a new one at the yarn shop. elginknitworks.com Membership: Drop-in Location: Elgin Knit Works

Kane County Board

Creative Cooking Club Cooking parties and lessons with food themes. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated WRITING “Critique This” Writers Group Support for serious writers with serious goals. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated

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SERIOUSLY SOCIAL

BRAVO

2.1

FEED.meetups Poetry Writers Workshop Local poets’ group shares what they have written More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Writers on the Fox Writers’ inspiration and motivation with prompts and critique More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Genealogy Writers’ Group Tips and tricks for writers interested in writing their family history. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Young Writers Group for Grades 3-12 Gathering of youth writers for games, readings, and feedback. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library MIND AND SPIRIT Stewart Home Circle Witchcraft and Wicca study group. More info: meetup.com Membership: Invitation only A Course in Miracles (ACIM) Study Group Exploring the messages taught in A Course in Miracles. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Simple Balance Holistic Center Elgin Earth Worship For the practice of Earth-based spirituality. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies Connections Training Center Exploring intuition, meditation, Law of Attraction and more. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open CelestREAL Sounds - Singing Bowls Meditation Gentle group meditation with quartz crystal singing bowls. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Simple Balance Holistic Center

TECHIES

COMMUNITY CAUSES

Elgin Technology Center Community of tech entrepreneurs and small businesses. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Elgin Technology Center

Elgin Area Freemasons Learn about the Freemasons, the world’s largest fraternity. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies

Fox Valley PhoneGap, HTML5 App & Mobile Development Group Tips and tricks for PhoneGap app coders. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open

Shared Harvest - Local Foods, Sustainability and Community Building local support for a sustainable food system and store. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open

Chicago Northwest Suburbs WordPress Meetup WordPress users and developers learning and support. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Elgin Technology Center

VFW Riders Watch City Post 1307 Veteran motorcycle enthusiasts supporting the VFW mission. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated Location: VFW Post 1307

PARENTING

Sierra North VOF Elgin Green Groups Climate change solutions and environmental issues. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Hawthorne Hill Nature Center

Dundee & Elgin Area’s Okayest Moms Play group for kids and moms. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated Location: Varies Thornwood Moms For moms’ sanity and kids’ social development. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated Location: Thornwood Subdivision DoubleLove Twins Club Support group for parents of multiple birth children. More info: bigtent.com Membership: Moderated Location: Advocate Sherman Hospital

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING Elgin R.E. Networking for Newbies Networking and resources for real estate investors. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated Location: Varies Women Investing in Real Estate Coaching and support for women real estate investors. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open

FRIENDLY COMPETITION Elgin Gamers For gamers of all kinds: RPG, board games, cards, and more. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies Laid Back Board Gamers Make new friends who like board games. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies Trivia Night at Elgin Public House Competitive trivia tournament. elginpublichouse.com Membership: Drop-in Location: Elgin Public House

SELF-IMPROVEMENT South Elgin Boot Camps & Fitness Class For those looking to get in shape in a fun environment. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Concord Park, Gazebo Park Collective Wealth Consciousness Course Personal success according the Universal Law of Attraction. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies

Elgin Area Women’s Empowerment Circle Women seeking to improve their personal and professional lives. More info: meetup.com Membership: Moderated On Hiatus BOOKS AND MUSIC Great Books Discussion Group Book discussion group. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Contemporary Fiction Book Group Book discussion group. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Side Street Studio Arts: The Book Club Friends and readers gather to discuss a new selection each month. More info: sidestreetstudioarts.org Membership: Drop-in Location: Side Street Studio Arts Gallery Elgin Symphony Orchestra Listeners’ Club Musicology notes on upcoming concerts. More info: elginsymphony.org Membership: Open Location: Gail Borden Library HOBBIES Bethlehem Lutheran Paddling Meetup Enjoy fellowship while paddling canoes and kayaks on local waterways. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies Armchair Generals A brown bag Civil War and Lincoln era interest group. More info: gailborden.info Membership: Drop-in Location: Gail Borden Library Elgin Audiophile Meetup Where audiophiles get together to buy, sell and share music and expertise. More info: meetup.com Membership: Open Location: Varies Interested in meeting up? Contact these groups or their locations to find out more before making firm plans.

BRAVO

January 2016

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