Individuals and groups are invited to come out and join Fiends of the Fox River and partners at their annual Spring Fox Rescue river clean-up on the Fox River or one of its tributaries.
In 2005 Friends of the Fox River and its partners coordinated nineteen individual Fox Rescue cleanups. Over four hundred volunteers removed eleven tons of trash from twenty-five river miles. Join us at a 2006 Fox Rescue Cleanup and help Friends of the Fox River and their partners clean up more river miles than last year.
Volunteers should dress for the weather and are strongly encouraged to wear waterproof boots and bring gloves if available due to the wet and muddy conditions.
Currently Fox Rescue cleanup sites have been set up in McHenry, Carpentersville, Elgin, Geneva, Batavia, Oswego and Yorkville.
McHenry
A Boone Creek cleanup will run from 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Jewel parking lot on Rt. 120, west of Rt. 31, in the City of McHenry. To register, contact Mary Kozub at 815-479-5779. Adults of all ages; children 9-14 years old only, accompanied by an adult. Sponsored by the McHenry County Conservation District and Friends of the Fox River.
Carpentersville
The Carpentersville Fox Rescue Team will meet at the Fox River Shores Forest Preserve, located along the east side of the river on Williams Road between Lake Marian Road and Bolz Road. All ages are welcome. Cleanup begins at 9:00 a.m. till noon. A crew working from canoes will travel from Buffalo Park Forest Preserve in Algonquin to Fox River Shores. Other crews will work along the shoreline and bike path. There will be canoe shuttles to opposite sides of the river. If available, volunteers can bring a canoe or boat. For more info and to sign up, call Gary Swick at 847-426-1322. Sponsored by Friends of the Fox River.
Elgin
Join the Fox Rescue team along the Fox River at Voyageur's Landing Forest Preserve located at 50 Airport Road in Elgin. Cleanup starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m. All ages welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult. For more info and to sign up, call Mary Alice Masonick at 847-931-4363. Sponsored by Friends of the Fox River.
Geneva
A Fox River Rescue cleanup will run from 9 a.m. till noon on the west side of the Fox River, just north of the Geneva RiverPark which is located about a block north of State Street in the City of Geneva. Organizers and volunteers will be removing debris on both the banks of the river and in the water. All ages welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult. For more info and to sign up, call Darcy Costello at 630-262-0636. Sponsored by The Geneva RiverPark, City of Geneva Natural Resources Committee, The Geneva Kayak Center, and Friends of the Fox River.
Batavia
Join Batavians for a Healthy River and Friends of the Fox River at Clark Island Park on Route 25 just south of Wilson St. from 9 a.m. to noon. If available, volunteers can bring a canoe. In-river and stream banks will be the trash removal focus for all water lovers, higher up the bank and trails for land lovers. Children must be accompanied by an adult and waivers signed by all. The Batavia Park District and City of Batavia will help with the removal of trash from the site to dumpsters donated by the Onyx Environmental Group. For more info and to sign up, call B randon or Jeniffer Zaleiski at 630-469-8010.
Batavia/Mooseheart
Les Arends Forest Preserve Fox Rescue clean up will be held from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Call 847-741-9798 for more information. Sponsored by Kane County Forest Preserve District and Friends of the Fox River.
Oswego
The Oswego Fox River Rescue Team will meet at Hudson Crossing Park, located near Rt. 34 and the Oswego Public Library. The cleanup will focus on Waubonsee Creek, its shoreline and nearby islands on the Fox River. Anyone with a canoe is invited to bring it down. Volunteers are asked to arrive at 8:30 a.m. to sign waivers. Cleanup begins at 9:00 a.m. until noon, with lunch provided following the cleanup. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Trash removal and bags have been provided by Oswegoland Park District. Canoes have been donated by WATERDOG ink. For more info and to sign up, call Jody Strohm at 630-217-7510. Sponsored by Friends of the Fox River, Scout Troop 31 and The Church of the Good Shepherd of Oswego.
Yorkville
The Yorkville Rescue Team will meet at the Park and Recreation Building at 301 E. Hydraulic Drive in Yorkville (just above the dam on the south side of the river). All ages are welcome. Sign in at 8:20 a.m., cleanup begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 11:20 a.m. Shoreline areas and islands will be the focus of the cleanup. Canoes are needed for island hopping. For more info and to sign up, call Chuck Roberts at 630-553-1912. Sponsored by Friends of the Fox River.
To set up a site in your area or to get more information on the Spring Fox Rescues, call Jessi DeMartini, Fox Rescue Coordinator, at 630-871-7548.
Friends of the Fox River’s mission is "... to preserve, restore and protect the Fox River Watershed's resources by connecting people with nature through education, research, restoration and advocacy." For more information on Friends of the Fox River visit www.friendsofthefoxriver.org.
