• Items should be typed and must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the publication date to Club Notes, in care of Suburban Life Newspapers, 1101 W. 31st St., Suite 100, Downers Grove, IL 60515. Club Notes also can be faxed at least two weeks in advance of the publication date to Club Notes at (630) 969-0228, or e-mailed to clubs@mysuburbanlife.com.

• Catholic Alumni Club of Chicago will be holding a picnic from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 20, at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve in Hinsdale. At the picnic, people can hike along Salt Creek or explore the two museums that are in the forest preserve. The club will provide some food and drink for $5 per person. Food will be served shortly after 2:30 p.m. In the event of steady rain, the picnic will be cancelled. For further information, contact John at (708) 485-4036.

• The National League of Junior Cotillions, a program of etiquette, character education and social dance training for middle and junior high school students, has announced plans to establish its national program in DuPage County. The purpose of the NLJC program is to give students instruction and practice in the courtesies that make life more pleasant for them and those around them. Students actively learn courtesies through a creative method employing role playing, skits and games. Standard ballroom and line dancing is taught using nationally approved top 40 music. Applications or nominations for cotillion director are being received. For further information, call (800) 633-7947 or visit www.nljc.com.

• The DuPage Community Foundation has announced it will award $235,141 in grants to 23 DuPage County nonprofit organizations working in the areas of Health and Human Services. The grants, which range in value from $5,000 to $25,000, were awarded during a special distribution breakfast June 26. Seven grants totaling $70,7000 were awarded from the Foundation’s Health category, and 15 grants totaling $139,441 were awarded from its Human Services category. In addition, a $25,000 special initiative grant was awarded to the St. Charles-based Northern Illinois Food Bank to benefit its Take 50 “Stock the Shelves” Food Grant Fund that matches 50 cents of every dollar of the cost of food acquired by 38 DuPage County partner food pantries.

• The Darien Seniors Club will not have regular meetings in July and August, but its annual picnic is planned for Wednesday, July 9, at the Darien Community Park. Members are to bring their own lunches, but the club furnishes coffee, soda, ice cream and bakery. There will be lawn games and bingo.

• Boy Scout Troop 69, sponsored by St. Helena’s Church, Burr Ridge, will again be serving up pancakes and sausage on the Fourth of July. The Troop 69 pancake breakfast will be held at Pleasant Dale Park District’s Walker Park, 7425 S. Wolf Road, Burr Ridge. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. The menu includes pancakes, sausage, fruit, orange juice and other beverages. Eggs are available for a nominal charge. Tickets to the all-you-can-eat breakfast are $5, and are available from any Troop 69 scout. Children younger than 5 are free. Tickets will be available at the door.

• Scott Donars of Hinsdale, Coldwell Banker real estate agent, has been named Rotarian of the year by the Hinsdale Rotary Club. Donars has served on the board of directors and has published “The Wheel” newsletter for the Hinsdale Rotary Club the past few years.  During the 2007-08 Rotary year, the Hinsdale club awarded area youth scholarships, contributed to both international and local charitable programs, and supported the Rotary International campaign to eradicate polio.
Donars, a member of the board of directors, also served on the club’s major fundraising committee, as part of the Salt Creek adopt-a-stream project and as a club officer. Donars is a Paul Harris Fellow. This designation reflects a financial commitment to the Rotary Foundation, a trust that funds educational, health care and humanitarian projects throughout the world.
The annual Rotarian Dinner was held at the Hinsdale Golf Club in Clarendon Hills June 20. The following members were installed by District 6450 district governor, Michael Slevnik of Homewood, as 2008-09 officers and directors: Roger Herring of Western Springs, president; Jerry Cierniak of Downers Grove, first vice president; Janet Klotz of Clarendon Hills, second vice president; Steve Stricker of Berwyn, secretary; Zenia Chow of Clarendon Hills, treasurer; Robert Kramer of Oak Brook, sergeant at arms; Greg Donnelly of Hinsdale, immediate past president; and Scott Donars, “The Wheel” editor.

• The Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties Inc. wrapped up its 2007-08 service year last month. The organization of more than 250 women committed to helping at-risk youth gathered to celebrate its accomplishments and honor members and community partners for their dedicated service. They served more than 3,500 children at the Children’s Waiting Room in the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles; they outfitted 350 high school girls for prom during Cinderella’s Closet; they taught valuable lessons about peer pressure and bullying to groups of fifth-grade girls; they educated more than 500 children and their parents about the importance of good nutrition through Kids in the Kitchen; and they read aloud to more than 2,000 at-risk children through Story Wizards.