Go green at Earth Day events in the Fox Valley
Earth Day is Saturday, April 22. Fox Valley residents are invited to celebrate spring in an environmentally conscious way by attending one of these events.
Elgin
The Elgin Sustainability Commission will hold its fourth annual Earth Day Celebration from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Hawthorne Hill Nature Center, 28 Brookside Drive, Elgin. Family activities include hikes, seed planting, healthy snacks, face painting, giveaways, nature play, crafts, live music and a photo booth sponsored by the Elgin Sustainability Commission. Vendors and environmental-themed organizations will be in attendance. The event is free. Visit www.cityofelgin.org/index.aspx?NID=248
Geneva
Families will celebrate 10 years of going green in Geneva at an Earth Day event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Peck Farm Park, 4038 Kaneville Road. The festivities are sponsored by the city's Natural Resources Committee and the Geneva Park District. Residents can purchase rain barrels, receive a bicycle safety check, learn best green practices from vendors, shred documents for free, drop off clean No. 6 Styrofoam and pick up a free tomato plant.
Stop by the Geneva Public Library's table for the "take a book or leave a book" program. People also can clean out their closets by recycling their shoes with Jolly Old Soles, which provides new and used shoes to local organizations helping needy families. US Again will accept old textiles (no rugs or carpets) at the Earth Day event. Electronics recycling will occur at the event through the Kane County Recycles program. All monitors will be accepted at a cost of $25 or $35 each based on size.
Other Earth Day highlights include a small petting zoo, chalk art, children's activities, chair massages and more. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
For details, call the Geneva Park District at (630) 262-8244 or visit www.genevaparks.org.
McHenry County
Celebrate Mother Earth from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Road, Crystal Lake, with the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County and the McHenry County Conservation District.
More than 20 environmental booths on sustainable practices as well as a variety of activities are planned including kids' crafts, games and activities, puppet shows at 11:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., guided nature hikes at 12:15 and 3 p.m., and a household recycling drop-off.
Food and beverage vendors - Toasty Cheese mobile eatery and AJs Kettlecorn Company - will be on hand or bring your own "no waste" picnic lunch. There will be live music by Anna Stange at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Learn how you can take measures closer to home to help protect, restore, and make an impact. Activities are both inside and outdoors; the event goes on rain or shine.
Donations and membership to Environmental Defenders of McHenry County are encouraged and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions. For details, visit www.mcdef.org or www.facebook.com/Environmental Defenders or call (815) 338-0393.
South Elgin
Celebrate Earth Day by planting trees with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. Volunteers are needed to help plant trees at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 22, at Kenyon Farm Forest Preserve in South Elgin. Hundreds of oak trees will be planted in a few hours. Holes will be pre-dug. Volunteers will simply plant the tree, tamp down dirt, add water and mulch. Other activities are planned such as brush cutting and clearing.
Arrive promptly at 10 a.m. Planting will continue until all trees are in the ground or 1 p.m. - whichever comes first.
Each year, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County plants trees as part of an Earth Day celebration.
Groups of 10 or more, contact the volunteer coordinator at (630) 762-2741 or volunteer@kaneforest.com to register. Groups of less than 10 do not need to RSVP.
Kenyon Farm Forest Preserve is at 8N700 Barry Road, South Elgin. Public parking is available at South Elgin High School, in the southeast corner of the lot. Visit www.kaneforest.com.