Friends of the Fox River’s Stream Monitoring Network held their annual Monitor Appreciation Banquet on Tuesday, January 31, at Rosie O’Hare’s Public House in East Dundee. Over 60 people were in attendance to recognize the dedication and hard work by the volunteer stream monitors throughout the Fox River watershed.
Two awards were given out to an individual or organization that helps fulfill the Monitoring Network’s mission of “building a watershed of caretakers.”
The recipient of the Fox Environmental Hero Award 2006 was Judy Boehmer of Elgin. The Fox Environmental Hero Award is given to an individual or group who exemplify the passion set by the The Fox of giving to the people of the Fox Valley a better environment for the future.
Boehmer received the award because of her commitment to water quality monitoring and water quality education. Gary Swick, Director of the Monitoring Network said, “Judy is the model for volunteer monitoring. Her data submissions are the most meticulous in the entire network. She does it for environmental and community service reasons, but it is a source of personal joy for her. This high level of proficiency and love for the activity is a wonderful example to the many children she serves as a resource person.” For the past five years, Boehmer has monitored water quality for FRWMN on Fitchie Creek in Elgin. She submits very detailed and comprehensive data. In addition to her exemplary water quality monitoring efforts, she has inspired hundreds of students while assisting teachers in the stream and she also shares her expertise with many new stream monitors. "Judy's enthusiasm and passion for the environment is contagious. She is an inspiration to everyone who knows her," said Sue Bennett, Programs Manager for the Monitoring Network.
The Reese's Cleanup Award 2006 was given to the Kane County Forest Preserve District. The Reese’s Clean-Up Award , which is named after one of Friends of the Fox River’s founders Pat Reese, was awarded to the Kane County Forest Preserve District. The award recognizes entities that “work to build a foundation for protection of the Fox River and commit to improve water quality.”
Over the past five years, KCFPD has awarded Friends of the Fox River two Fox River Trust Fund grants totaling $128,000 to establish and maintain the Fox River Monitoring Network Program. Since the program’s inception in 2000, the Monitoring Network has trained over 400 adult leaders to monitor water quality and has successfully built a strong network of water quality caretakers in the Fox River Watershed. Swick said “The Kane County Forest Preserve District has evolved into a very progressive agency. Their aggressive land acquisitions, restoration efforts and support of the monitoring network are resulting in an exemplary level of environmental management that should make our citizens proud. We are fortunate to have them as a partner.”
Grant funds from KCFPD have enabled Friends of the Fox River to:
Sue Bennett explained "Without the funds and strong support from the Kane County Forest Preserve District, Friends of the Fox River’s Monitoring Network Program would not have achieved the rapid success and growth that it has experienced."
For more information on the Monitoring Network and how to get involved as a stream monitor, visit www.friendsofthefoxriver.org.
