Volunteer to help clean up local waterways
Join in local volunteer efforts this Saturday to clean up local waterways.
• The Elgin Police Department and the Friends of the Fox River are looking for volunteers to help with the river cleanup from downtown Elgin to Route 20. The cleanup will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 20, starting at Walton Island, near the Hemmens, 40 Symphony Way in Elgin.
If you are interested in volunteering, email to Elgin Police Officer Rick Demierre at demierre_r@cityofelgin.org. Dress for the weather, bring gloves and repurpose plastic bags if you have them. Visit www.friendsofthefoxriver.org.
• On Saturday, June 20, the public is invited to help protect the Sleepy Hollow Creek Watershed by removing invasive species from Wingate Prairie in Veteran Acres Park in Crystal Lake. This restoration workday will be jointly sponsored by the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County and the Silver and Sleepy Hollow Creeks Watershed Coalition. The goal for the day will be to improve the water quality in Sleepy Hollow Creek by helping to restore native species and increase plant diversity in the area by removing invasive species such as buckthorn and honeysuckle.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 11:30 a.m. Volunteers are asked to wear work clothes, gloves, and boots and to meet at the Crystal Lake Nature Center, 330 N. Main St. in Crystal Lake. All necessary equipment as well as water and snacks will be provided.
If you have any questions about this event, call Nancy Schietzelt at (815) 356-1710. Come help make a positive difference in the environment and enjoy some time outdoors.
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a citizen organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides community residents 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.