Young activist to speak at McHenry Defender's award dinner
Submitted by Environmental Defenders of McHenry County
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will be celebrating its 43rd year of working to protect and preserve the environment in the county at the annual meeting and Theta Award Ceremony on Sunday, March 10. The event will be at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus, 2710 S. Country Club Road, Woodstock, beginning at 5 p.m. with social time, a raffle and silent auction prior to dinner at 5:30 p.m.
After the dinner, the Defenders will present their annual Theta Award. Theta is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet, and has come to be a symbol of the threat of pollution to Earth and its atmosphere. It is usually displayed on a flag of green stripes, representing unspoiled land and white stripes denoting pure air. In 1970, the Defenders chose this symbol and title for their award honoring an individual or group who has shown an outstanding commitment to improving the environment of McHenry County.
The program for the evening begins at 7 p.m. Speakers at the event will share their passion for protecting the environment through environmental advocacy. The first will be Jennifer Walling, director of the Illinois Environmental Council, a statewide group that promotes sound environmental policy and protections for land, air, water, wildlife, and human health in the state of Illinois. Young activist Abby Goldberg also will give a presentation about her successful campaign to obtain a veto from Gov. Pat Quinn of the plastic bag bill that was promoted by plastic bag manufacturers last year.
The public is invited to attend. Tickets may be purchased at www.mcdef.org through Friday, March 1. The cost of $50 for nonmembers includes a one-year family membership. The program alone is free with advanced reservations. Contact the Defenders' office at (815) 338-0393 or mcdef@owc.net to RSVP or for information.
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides the community with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource conservation. Donations are encouraged and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions. For more information, visit www.mcdef.org or call (815) 338-0393.