Environmental Defenders of McHenry County celebrates 42 years with award ceremony

Submitted by Environmental Defenders of McHenry County

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will celebrate its 42nd year of working to protect and preserve the environment in the county at their annual meeting and Theta Award Ceremony. The event will be held Sunday, March 11, at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus, 2710 S. Country Club Road, Woodstock, beginning at 5 p.m. with social time, a raffle and silent auction before dinner at 5:30 p.m.

After the dinner, the Defenders will present the annual Theta Award. Theta is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet, and has come to be a symbol of the threat of pollution to Earth and its atmosphere. It is usually displayed on a flag of green stripes, representing unspoiled land and white stripes denoting pure air. In 1970, the Defenders chose this symbol and title for their award honoring an individual or group who has shown an outstanding commitment to improving the environment of McHenry County.

The program for the evening begins at 7 p.m. Tim Loftus of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Nancy Tuchman of Loyola University will speak on the importance of watershed planning and its application for sustainability on the Loyola Ecology Campus.

The public is invited to attend. Tickets can be purchased at mcdef.org through Thursday, March 1. The cost of $40 for nonmembers includes a one-year family membership. The program alone is free with advanced reservations. To RSVP or for more information, call the Defenders’ office at (815) 338-0393 or email to mcdef@owc.net.