Chicago River Day

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

18th annual Chicago River Day - Saturday, May 8, 2010

What an amazing day!!

Friends’ 18th annual Chicago RIver Day was a smashing success!! We have received reports from across the watershed with stories of amazing achievements and exciting progress made cleaning, repairing and reinvigorating the banks of the Chicago River.

We want to thank our many partners, sponsors and friends for your support of this volunteer-driven event. We will be posting photographs and stories from the event within the next couple of weeks. Please feel free to share your Chicago RIver Day story with us! Email Cynthia at cfox@chicagoriver.org with your awesome Chicago RIver Day story and photo’s from your site!

THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER AMAZING CHICAGO RIVER DAY!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is participating in Chicago River Day?

Friends of the Chicago River and over 4,000 volunteers which include school groups, corporate teams, families, community organizations, and individuals working side-by-side to enhance and restore the river…and you!

How long will I be volunteering?

Chicago River Day is scheduled from 9 a.m. - noon with enough work to keep you busy at your site for those three hours.

What is the minimum age of volunteer that can attend?

At most sites, the minimum age of event participant is eight years old. There are a few sites that are listed as “family friendly.” Those parks and preserves were identified as locations where younger children can enjoy park facilities with a parent while the rest of the family works at Chicago River Day.

What will volunteers being doing that day?

Volunteers will be working side-by-side to collect garbage, sort trash for recycling, remove invasive vegetation, spruce up river-edge trails, plant native seedlings and more. Activities may range from site to site.

How do I sign up for a Chicago River Day location?

Anyone who wants to participate in Chicago River Day needs to click the box above to see which sites are still accepting volunteers. Review the list of available sites and contact the site captain listed to let them know you would like to attend. If a site is listed as “closed,” that means that location has already reached its maximum capacity. If you are a group of 10 or more, you should contact Cynthia or Gina at Friends’ office to register and find a site that can accommodate your group.

How do I get to my site? Where will I park?

You are responsible for getting to the site on your own. Site captains will provide you with the address of their sites as well as some advice on parking and directions.

What can I expect when I arrive at my site?

Chicago River Day is an outdoor event located in a variety of city parks, forest preserves, school yards and businesses all along the banks of the Chicago River and its tributaries. Volunteers should expect to get a bit dirty and do a lot of hard work. Your morning will start out with a welcome from your site captain, an overview of the day’s activities, a safety talk, and distribution of supplies and T-shirts to all volunteers.

All volunteers need to sign liability waivers. Minors (under the age of 18) must bring waivers signed by a parent or guardian either before the event or at the event if the parent or guardian is attending. Friends’ cannot allow volunteers to participate or have an event T-shirt without these waivers. If you are not sure about what waivers you need, ask your site captain or call Cynthia at (312) 939-0490, ext. 13 to get the right one.

What happens if it rains?

Chicago River Day will proceed rain or shine.

What should I bring to Chicago River Day?

You should plan to bring all of the things you think are necessary for working in the outdoors. Volunteers should wear close-toed shoes and comfortable clothes that can get dirty or damp. You should dress for the weather to make sure you are comfortable and warm. If it looks like it might rain, rain coats or ponchos are advisable. We also strongly encourage you to bring water, sunscreen, and your favorite work gloves.

Will you be providing gloves?

Friends’ will provide basic gloves. For the most part, the gloves are plastic gloves to protect your hands from unsanitary garbage. We highly recommend bringing your favorite pair of work gloves with you if you want something sturdier. We cannot guarantee cloth work gloves for volunteers.

Is there going to be a post-event picnic?

No. In order to ensure that the greatest proportion of our resources directly supporting the efforts of our volunteers to improve the Chicago River, Friends’ will not to hold the picnic/festival anymore.