It's time to pitch in and help pick up trash around town

The time for Barrington's annual fight against litter is nearly here.

During this week's trustee meeting, Barrington President Karen Darch proclaimed April 26 as "Rid Litter Day" in the village.

"This is the third year we have done a 'Rid Litter Day,' " Darch said. "It is a great community project."

The village is encouraging individuals and groups to walk the streets, with trash bags in hand, picking up any debris that may have accumulated in rights-of-way over the winter months.

"With the amount of snow and wind we had, there is a lot of work to do," said trustee Beth Raseman.

Besides picking up trash, the day can also be used to help beautify the community by planting flowers in the area.

Garbage bags and other tools to assist in the effort will be available at village hall, 200 S. Hough St. between 8 a.m. and noon.

For student organizations, school credit is available.

For more information, call (847) 304-3444.

Batter up: Barrington Middle School students recently found out just how persuasive the power of the pen can be.

Students in Tim Kramer's sixth-grade social studies and language arts class were recently given an assignment to write letters to large companies, institutions or even famous people, trying to persuade them to do something different.

Some students wrote to Apple asking them to lower their prices, while others tried to convince Abercrombie and Fitch to tone down its somewhat risque advertising campaign.

Kramer said the students wrote great letters and for their efforts received a variety of responses from the different companies.

While some sent coupons, gift certificates and T-shirts, others responded with letters in return.

The highlight of the project was the response Jack Pricher got to his letter to baseball bat maker Louisville Slugger.

"I persuaded them (in the letter) to sell more wooden bats because aluminum bats are more dangerous," Pricher said.

Louisville Slugger Vice President of Corporate Communications wrote Pricher a two-page response complimenting him on the thought provoking and well written letter. In addition, the company sent along an authentic wooden baseball bat, identical to the one used by Major League Baseball players Albert Pujols and Adam Dunn.

"It was very compelling," said Barrington Middle School -- Prairie Campus Principal Art Fessler on Pricher's letter.

Pricher and his family, representing the entire sixth-grade class, were honored at this week's school board meeting for their excellent work.

School board President Brian Battle told Kramer that he was very impressed with the project.

"I think it is a great thing to challenge the kids with," Battle said.