Congressman Joe Walsh will keynote our regular monthly meeting on Saturday, Feb. 11, 8:30 a.m. here at HQ, 909 E. Rand Road, Arlington Heights. Part of Wheeling Township is now the northeast corner of Joe's new district and our captains in that section endorsed him last month, so I am pleased he is going to meet with us.

Vote by Mail?
Absentee ballot applications are now available at HQ or by download from the county clerk's office at www.voterinfonet.com. They're now called "Mail Ballots," as any voter can now vote by mail without having to provide a reason for not being available to go on election day. Let's take advantage of this and get our friends and neighbors to vote by mail - as soon as they know whom they're voting for.

Speak Spanish?
Help wanted! We are in need of five election judges who speak Spanish. Please help us with this; we don't want the Democrats putting their own people in because we were unable to fill these openings. Leave a message at HQ (847/632-1774) for Frank Palisi if you can do this (March 20) or know someone we might be able to recruit.

Lincoln Day Dinner Ads
We are still selling ads for the Lincoln Day Dinner program book. Patron listings are only $25, and display ads are available at various sizes and prices. Can you give us some help?

Bob Dold's Campaign HQ
Greet Congressman Robert Dold at the grand opening of his new campaign headquarters, 3330 Skokie Valley Road (Rt. 41) # 200, Highland Park. Saturday, Feb. 4, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. No RSVP needed.

Act! for America
America's national security and the threat of radical Islam will be the topic for a meeting of the new Des Plaines chapter of Act! for America on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2 to 4 p.m. in the Des Plaines Public Library at 1501 Ellinwood Street. No RSVP needed.

NRA Firearm Safety & Training
An NRA-certified class in firearm safety and training will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 pm. on Sunday, Feb. 12, here at HQ, 909 E. Rand Road, Arlington Heights, followed by shooting range practice from 5:30 to 7:30 at Maxon's, 1226 Rand Road, Des Plaines. Reservations are required; $120 fee. Call Angela Volpe at 847/347-7009.

Cards for Mark
Sen. Mark Kirk is still in intensive care; if you want to send him a card or note, I suggest you send it to his office at 230 S. Dearborn # 3900, Chicago 60604.

A big thank-you to Harriet Keramidas for joining our Wednesday daytime HQ crew.