Elgin spreads ‘Got Mulch’ project

This spring, the NorthEast Neighborhood Association formed a successful partnership with the city of Elgin and Parks Superintendent Jim Bell to provide free mulch to residents as a trial Public Works and community program.

For two weeks before the Memorial Day weekend, NENA took mulch orders from residents online, on Facebook and by email to re-purpose the city’s never-ending mulch supply from the forestry and parks maintenance activities. More than 30 households participated in requesting as little as 2 cubic yards up to two truckloads (12 cubic yards). The mulch was delivered by Elgin’s Public Works crews over a total of four days to the north end of St. Francis Park (at Prospect and Jefferson) with great excitement and curiosity from the neighborhood kids.

Resident pick-up was opened May 27 with many neighbors using leaf bags, wheel barrels and plastic bins to transfer their mulch to their lawns. To help neighbors with some of the larger reservation requests, JB Harris Construction Inc. and owner Josh Harris organized a unique delivery service for May 28 that also served as a fundraising opportunity for NENA, a non-profit organization. Harris used his company’s tractor and dump truck to provide driveway delivery with donated labor and nominal fuel fee.

Overall, a few hours of work and more than 100 cubic yards of free municipal mulch raised a little bit of money, saved the neighbors some cash, re-purposed Elgin’s mulch supply and helped beautify the NENA’s lawns in a sustainable way.

NENA is planning to hold a fall “Got Mulch” event in October or November and is anticipating even a greater response from the neighbors.

For Elgin neighborhoods interested in organizing a “Got Mulch” event, contact the city public works department at (847) 697-3160 or have your association contact NENA for advice on “Got Mulch” organization at info@nenaofelgin.org.