Community Calendar

Learning English can be difficult, and pronouncing the words correctly is a real challenge. In this six-week workshop you’ll learn to pronounce consonant and consonant blend sounds, practice hearing and saying the 20 vowel sounds of English, and learn how to pronounce common prefixes and suffixes.

This program is for adults. Registration is required.

For more information or to register, please contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2100.

Speakers:

Nick Newman, ENV-SP, Environment and Technology Manager, Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District, NIU Alumnus (2019, ENVS/NNGO)

Ben Meier, Operations Foreman, Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District

Wastewater treatment is crucial for public health and has saved more lives than penicillin. However, treating wastewater is an extremely energy intensive process. The Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District (KWRD) has developed exciting innovations to make this high-energy process much more environmentally sustainable. By turning the waste that remains at the end of the treatment process into a source of energy, they’ve made the treatment process nearly energy neutral.

Each day, an average of 5.5 million gallons of wastewater flows through the sanitary sewers under DeKalb, NIU, the Village of Malta and Kishwaukee College. During heavy rainfall, the volume can be as much as 10 times that. Join Nick Newman and Ben Meier to learn about the daily operations at KWRD and hear how innovation helps the district monitor and evaluate the condition of more than 180 miles of sanitary sewer mains, while prioritizing energy efficiency.

A selection of favorite paintings created by members of the Plein Air Painters of Rockford during the 2025 season. These are images created during Plein Air painting sessions in the Rockford area. The exhibit is located in the Visitor Center at Klehm Arboretum.

Joy Meyer

Taft Gallery Artist, February 1 – March 31

Joy Meyer earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Art and Art Education from Northern Illinois University. She retired in 2005 after teaching art for thirty years, the last twenty years at Rock Falls High School in Rock Falls, IL. Joy also taught many workshops for both teenagers and adults during her career and shortly after retirement. She has won numerous awards for both her painting and her teaching.

Joy has enjoyed working in many different media including watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, glass etching, stained glass, and silk painting, but the medium she has chosen to specialize in during recent years is Acrylic Painting. She enjoys working in a fairly realistic style using primarily bright, cheerful colors. Her actual painting techniques vary depending on the subject matter being painted and the mood desired, often using many techniques within a painting to better represent the details within the painting. Joy also enjoys the challenges of working in an increasingly wider variety of subject matter.



America the Beautiful Art Exhibit
February 4 – March 21
Sponsored by Ron Bry

Awards Reception
February 13, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Judge: Stuart Roddy
Music: Jim Kanas & Roger Hintzsche

Participating artists include Cindy Bear, Alice Blue, Richard Born, Bob Cholke, Rick Davis, Connie Fry, Beverly Garcia, Chuck Gregory, Timothy Griffith, Dan Grossmann, Stephen Hart, Kat Heitzman, Maggie Isaacs, Bob Kapheim, Julie Kennelly, Linnea Koch, Paula Kuehl, Bob Logsdon, Colleen Logsdon, Henry Matthiessen III, Joy Meyer, Gary Pearson, Joe Popp, Stephonie A Schmitz, and Joseph Virbickis.

Today Was Tomorrow - a solo show by Kari McDonald will kick off our 2026 exhibition season. Lemuette is the artistic moniker of Rockford-based printmaker Kari McDonald. Her meditative, nature-inspired work invites viewers to slow down and find moments of calm. Her intricate designs in woodblock often feature native prairie plants, whimsical flowers, and playful critters, capturing the beauty and wonder of the natural world.

FAM is open Tuesday - Friday 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 12 to 5 PM.

Homecoming: In Color celebrates the reopening of Rockford Art Museum after a year-long renovation closure. This exhibition features a selection of popular pieces and hidden gems, showcasing the rich diversity of our revered collection. Come witness the power of art and community as we welcome you back to a vibrant space of creativity!

This event will feature two presentations about women in sports. The first speaker, Dr. Stanley Arnold, NIU History Associate Professor will give a talk titled, “Bronze Dianas: African American Female Olympians and the Struggle for Identity, 1932-1948.”   The second presentation by NIU students, Annie Kamps, Kweku Mensah Aggrey, and Sarah Lindell, will discuss “The Golden Era of NIU Women's Basketball (1984-1995).”

Explore the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan in The Inquisitor. Jordan was a groundbreaking Texas congresswoman whose sharp intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. From Nixon’s impeachment to civil rights battles, her voice demanded accountability, while she privately faced struggles few ever knew of. The film is 60 minutes, not rated, and is made possible through partnership with Independent Lens. The program is free and open to the public.

Whooooo's that calling?! Join the Boone County Conservation District for a special evening program to discover all about owls! The program will start indoors at the Roger Gustafson Nature Center for a presentation about IL owls and then head outside for a hike to listen for our nocturnal friends. Registration is required. This program is best suited for ages 10+.