Community Calendar

Get ready for Give DeKalb County on May 1, 2025! Celebrating 12 years of generosity, this annual fundraising event makes giving easy with multiple ways to support nonprofit organizations—plus, the Bonus Pool boosts every donation.

Give anytime from midnight to midnight on May 1 at GiveDeKalbCounty.org. Search for a nonprofit, browse by cause, follow the leaderboard, or support multiple organizations—all in one place.

Beginning in April, donors who prefer to give by check can print a mail-in donation form at GiveDeKalbCounty.org, list their chosen organization(s) and donation amount(s), then write one check for the total amount payable to “DCCF.” Mail it with the completed donation form to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178 (postmarked April 17 - May 1). Donations from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) follow the mail-in guidelines.

Hosted by the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership, a program of the DeKalb County Community Foundation, the past 11 giving days accumulated over $10.7 million. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, save the date, and make a difference on May 1!

On May 1st, The DeKalb Township & Senator Sue Rezin’s Office will host an I-PASS event at the DeKalb Township Administrative Building, located at 2323 S. 4th St. in DeKalb. The event will operate on an appointment-only basis during the hours of 9 AM – 4:30 PM, before transitioning to a walk-in only event between the hours of 4:30 and 7 PM.

Last year, the Illinois Tollway started the process of phasing out the decades-old I-PASS transponders in favor of I-PASS sticker tags. Anyone in possession of a transponder is encouraged to return and safely recycle their lithium-containing-transponder at this event. In exchange for their transponder, participants will receive their new I-PASS sticker tag(s) and a credit to their I-PASS account equal to the amount they paid for their transponder deposit.

Tollway representatives will also be on-site to take applications for the Tollway’s I-PASS Assist program--an initiative that makes Tollway usage accessible to low-income households.

To book an appointment or for general inquiries, contact Kimberly at the DeKalb Township (T: 815-758-8282).

On Thursday, May 1, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County will host a seminar to explain how an agricultural conservation easement is the only way to ensure that your farm will never be developed.

The seminar will be held at 1102 McConnell Road in Woodstock, IL from 10:00 a.m. until noon, with lunch to follow. Hear from landowners who have gone through the farm preservation process and learn about the financial and legal aspects of an agricultural easement.

The seminar and lunch are free, but please register by calling The Land Conservancy at
815-337-9502 ext. 110 or register online at ConserveMC.org.

Panelists at the seminar include:

o David Wolf, attorney, The Law Office of David J. Wolf, Woodstock
o Frank Harrison, appraiser, Harrison & Associates, Woodstock
o Karen Strano, who preserved her family farm in Woodstock
o Ginger Gauger, who preserved her family farm in Richmond
o Farm Program Staff, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County

This seminar is for people who own farmland and are thinking about its future and what they can do to keep it in agriculture, whether it stays in the family or not. An agricultural easement is a voluntary legal agreement that preserves the land for agricultural use in perpetuity.

The Land Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the natural and agricultural landscapes of McHenry County.

In partnership with NIU STEAM, our monthly STEM Cafés are back!

This program dives into the fascinating world of human anatomy with a unique hands-on experience featuring real anatomical models, bones, and wet specimens—all available for exploration with gloves with NIU Human Anatomical Sciences faculty and students.

This free presentation is for teens, but open to all ages. Free pizza is available to those who attend. No registration is required.

For additional information, please contact Steven at stevenm@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3400.

Free Health Fair open to adults of all ages. Wide variety of health care services informational booths. Health screenings. Wheelchair and walker adjustments and repairs. Coffee bar. Door prizes awarded throughout the event.

DeKalb Women’s Club will celebrate the last meeting of the year on Friday, May 2 with a “Dutch treat” luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at Faranda’s, DeKalb. There will be a short business meeting as well as installation of officers for next year. Meetings will resume on October 3, 2025. For more information email: dekalbwomensclub1896@gmail.com.
DeKalb Women’s Club, established in 1896, is now a member of the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership and is participating in the “Give DeKalb County” initiative. As a philanthropic local organization, giving high school scholarships, supporting local non-profit organizations as well as Heifer International and Smiles, we are hoping to expand our work with your community support. Please consider giving on the May 1 event.

Thanks to the remarkable talent of nationally acclaimed actress Leslie Goddard, the legacy of Lucille Ball is coming to the Rockford Theatre, 317 Park Ave, Rockford, at 7:30pm on May 2nd!

In the 1950s, Lucille and her husband Desi Arnaz captured the hearts of television audiences across the nation with their ground-breaking “I Love Lucy” collaboration. But what does it mean when a TV star’s on-screen legend clashes with her off-screen reality? Goddard’s historical portrayal pays tribute to both the comic legend and the real woman behind the myth.

In the “I Love Lucy” program, Desi played himself as a Cuban bandleader with the pseudonym “Ricky Ricardo,” and directly after Leslie’s performance, the night of gala entertainment will shift to a “Tropicana” nightclub setting with the Trinadora Rocks band playing Latin favorites from 8:30pm to 11:00pm.

Leslie Goddard is a nationally celebrated Chicago actress and scholar who has been portraying famous women and presenting history lectures for more than ten years. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University specializing in U.S. history and American Studies as well as master's degrees in both theater and museum studies.

Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.tix.com, at (815) 965-4233, or at the door. Questions: Nancy Whitlock- 815-494-6922

Earth Club Boone County Conservation District invites you to come and learn about light pollution and how it prevents you from seeing the stars. After hearing from our Earth Club representatives, join a Boone County Conservation District environmental educator on a night hike to experience Spencer Park after dark! Meet at the Roger Gustafson Nature Center located at Spencer Conservation Area. This is a family-friendly event. Registration is required. Please register by calling 815-547-7935 or emailing dgrelecki@bccdil.org

Genoa Public Library is hosting a free community shred event on Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 9:00 am until Noon. The shred truck will be located in the parking lot behind the library. Persons wanting to drop off documents to be shred can pull into the alleyway behind the library and drop off directly to the shred truck. There is a 100 pound limit per person. Questions can be directed to the library at (815) 784-2627.

Discover the unique ways that animals build and create structures through storytime and hands-on activities! Be prepared to be outdoors and get our hands dirty while we get creative! This program is geared towards ages 4-6. Registration is required. To register, call 815-547-7935 or email dgrelecki@bccdil.org.