Applications will be accepted beginning Sept. 5 to be a part of the Batavia Boardwalk Shops next year.
Batavia Boardwalk Shops is an incubator program run by the Batavia MainStreet group where small independent businesses rent spaces at a cluster of tiny shops at the corner of Wilson and River streets in Batavia.
A number of the businesses that have taken part in the program have went on to open brick-and-mortar locations of their own.
Over the last five seasons, the Batavia Boardwalk Shops have had 21 businesses move to a permanent location following their season in the program, with 10 currently occupying spots in downtown Batavia, officials said.
Applications to be part of the program next yer are due by Dec. 15. For more information or to apply, go to https://downtownbatavia.com/vendor-application/.
“We will be holding our first virtual Q&A for interested vendors on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m.,” Batavia MainStreet Assistant Director Kristen Desler said in a press release. “This is a great opportunity for those considering applying to learn more about the program from Batavia MainStreet directors, former tenants and Boardwalk Committee members, and get business advice from Waubonsee Community College’s Small Business Development Center expert.”
Those interested can email info@downtownbatavia.com for a link to join the session.
Applicants will be invited for interviews with members of the jury committee this fall and 2025 tenants will be selected no later than Jan. 1, officials said.
The shops are scheduled to begin their sixth season on May 9, 2025.
For more information, email info@downtownbatavia.com or call 630-761-3528.
Volunteers sought to clean Fox River, Island Park
The city of Geneva’s Natural Resources Committee is looking for volunteers to spruce up the Fox River and Island Park.
The Fox River Clean Up Day event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 21, at two locations due to the ongoing Union Pacific Third Main Line construction project, city officials said in a press release.
Volunteers who want to work in the Fox River should meet at the Fabyan Forest Preserve parking lot accessible from Route 25 just south of the Fabyan windmill. For those preferring to stay dry on land, the second group will meet at Island Park, 2 E. State St., on the spillway near the playground, according to the release.
Volunteers are asked to wear old clothes, gloves and boots to help remove debris from the park and river, officials said. Garbage bags, water, snacks, washing stations and canoes will be provided.
For more information and to RSVP, contact Natural Resources Committee member Kelvin Limbrick via email at kelvin.limbrick@gmail.com.
Waubonsee Foundation golf outing set for Sept. 16
The Waubonsee Community College Foundation will host its 37th annual golf outing fundraiser on Monday, Sept. 16, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Aurora Country Club.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Waubonsee Foundation Scholarship Program, organizers said.
The foundation’s goal is to raise sufficient financial resources to provide scholarship opportunities and to equitably award those scholarships to students, officials said.
For the 2024-25 academic year, the foundation provided 377 awards, but 598 scholarship applications were submitted. Events like the golf outing help raise funds to see that as many students as possible get the financial support they need, according to organizers.
The cost to participate is $1,400 for a foursome. Registration includes 18 holes of golf, entry for on-course individual and team contests, lunch, appetizers and two drink tickets. A cash bar will also be available.
To register for the golf outing, go to Waubonsee.edu/golfouting. For more information on the event, contact the Waubonsee Development Office at 630-466-2316 or foundation@waubonsee.edu.
Program planned on military records
The St. Charles Public Library will present “The Nuts and Bolts of Military Records” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, in the Huntley Community Room at the library, 1 S. Sixth Ave. in St. Charles.
Military records can be a valuable resource in personal and genealogical research, event organizers said. During the program, professional genealogist Jenny Warner will discuss what military records are available, and how to find, order and read them.
To register, go to scpld.org or call 630-584-0076.
Kane Forest District offers series for young children
The Kane County Forest Preserve District’s “Little Saplings” series invites 3- to 5-year-olds and their caregivers to take part in monthly sessions that focus on the wonders of the natural world.
All sessions will run from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Creek Bend Nature Center in the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W700 Dean St. in St. Charles. They will include a combination of stories, nature hikes and songs, along with games or crafts, district officials said.
Programs include “Chippy Chipmunks” on Thursday, Sept. 19; “V is for Vulture” on Thursday, Oct. 17; and “The Bears” on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Each session costs $5 and advance registration is required. To register, go to www.kaneforest.com/register, call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com.
To see a full roster of Kane County Forest Preserve District nature programs, go to www.kaneforest.com or find the district on social media by searching @forestpreserve.