'It's Our River Day' in Algonquin is part cleanup, part celebration

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County and the village of Algonquin will sponsor the seventh annual "It's Our River Day" celebration and cleanup. The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at Cornish Park along the shoreline of the Fox River in historic downtown Algonquin. The theme is "Explore the Outdoors." Marc Miller, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is invited. This is a local celebration of the statewide "It's Our River Day," now in its 10th year.

The Sierra Club will provide bags and gloves for the shoreline cleanup at the main location at Cornish Park. Everyone is welcome to lend a hand with the cleanup. The Illinois Water Trailkeepers from the Illinois Paddling Council and members of the Prairie State Canoeists will participate in an in-river cleanup between Cornish Park and Fox River Shores in Carpentersville. They also will give paddling demonstrations during the event on the river at Cornish Park. The Fox River Jeep Club will be located at Buffalo Park for trash/recycling pickup downstream. The event is free and open to the public. Groups are welcome.

For more information, call the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County at (815) 338-0393; Cynthia Kanner, event co-organizer, at (847) 309-8582; or the village of Algonquin at algonquin.org/eco.