THREE PEOPLE WITH ELGIN TIES HONORED BY STATE TREASURER
Three people with ties to Elgin were among the nine community leaders honored Thursday, Sept. 24, by Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs at a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in Chicago.
Elisa Lara, clinical coordinator at VNA Health Care in Elgin, received the award for Outstanding Commitment to Community Service, according to a news release.
Christina Gonzalez and her brother Larry Gonzalez were recognized with the Outstanding Service in Business award. The siblings co-own Los Comales, which has 18 restaurant locations throughout the Chicago area, including one in Elgin.
Frerichs told those at the celebration that they gathered to show their respect and appreciation for Hispanic and Latino neighbors whose contributions are making communities better places to live, work and raise families, according to the news release.
EV TECHNOLOGY OPEN HOUSE AT ELGIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Elgin Community College will host an electric vehicle technology open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the Manufacturing and Technology Center, Building S, Room 111, 1600 Spartan Drive.
The open house will feature interactive demonstrations, an outdoor EV showcase and a chance to learn from ECC faculty about high-voltage battery systems, EV charging infrastructure, renewable energy and career opportunities.
To register to attend the free event, go to elgin.edu/about/campus-visitor-information/mtc/ev-tech-open-house.
YOUTH AND FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR TUESDAY AT ELGIN LIBRARY
State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, will host her annual Youth and Family Resource Fair from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.
Two dozen vendors are expected to be at the free event to provide information on volunteer opportunities, after-school programs, health and wellness resources, and career readiness tools, a news release said. Light refreshments will be served.
“I look forward to our Youth and Family Resource Fair each year because it gives us the chance to invest in our young people and connect families with resources and make a meaningful difference in their lives,” Moeller said in the release.
For more information, call 847-841-7130.
ELGIN FUNERAL HOME REBRANDS, ADDS LOCATION IN CARY
Symonds-Madison Funeral Home in Elgin is now known as Symonds Family Chapels and has added a location in Cary.
“While our name and look are changing, Daniel and Joy Symonds and the team you know remain here, continuing to provide the same personal and compassionate care,” a social media post about the rebranding said.
The Elgin chapel, located at 305 Park St., was founded in downtown Elgin in 1921 and, according to the business’s website, has undergone several incarnations over the decades. Daniel Symonds, a second-generation funeral director, and his wife, Joy, bought what was the Madison Funeral Home in 2013.
The Symonds Family Chapel in Cary was formerly known as the Kahle-Moore Funeral Home, 403 Silver Lake Road, according to the website. It was built in 1964 by James Kahle and purchased by Steven Moore in 1978.
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ELGIN MAN NAMED PRESIDENT OF KIWANIS CHILDREN’S FUND
Elgin resident Rick Poulton will serve as the 2026-27 president of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund.
Poulton previously served as president-elect and vice president of the fund after becoming a trustee in 2022, according to a news release. He is a member of the Kiwanis clubs of Elgin and Geneva and has served the Kiwanis Illinois-Eastern Iowa District as a lieutenant governor and governor.
His volunteer work includes 10 years as a court-appointed special advocate for children in Kane County, participating in a Reading Buddy preschool program, and working with Food for Greater Elgin and with Senior Services of Elgin. Poulton also is a member of the housing board for the Association for Individual Development.
Prior to retirement, he was a marketing director for AT&T.