Aqua Illinois volunteers time and energy to local conservation initiative
On Tuesday, Oct. 17, Aqua Illinois team members, including company president Craig Blanchette, volunteered both their time and energy to a site restoration project at the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in Richmond, Illinois - the first federally designated wildlife refuge in the region.
Working with representatives from Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and Openlands, Aqua volunteers removed brush and invasive species at an open space site known as the Blackmon Tract.
Friends of Hackmatack secretary Cindy Skrukrud and Openlands conservation manager Aimee Collins also presented the team with information about the importance of protecting natural amenities, their efforts to protect and restore open space at the refuge site and discussed the Community Stewardship Challenge Grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation received by Friends of Hackmatack.
The time Aqua Illinois team members donated will be added to community service hours needed to realize the grant.