It’s Our Fox River Day 2022 was the largest Fox River watershed celebration event in history! With over 50 different event locations covering the full length from Waukesha, Wisconsin to Ottawa, Illinois, Friends of the Fox River reached its goal of demonstrating the collaboration of caretaking and offering thanks to the Fox River over its 200-mile length.
It’s Our Fox River Day is a watershed-wide thank you celebration. It is a series of offerings, supported by partnering efforts. This year, it involved 33 different cleanup locations organized by municipalities, local service clubs, park/preserve districts, and individual organizations and committees. Some events featured opportunities for shoreline planting of native species, land restoration of removing invasive species. six events involved paddling opportunities. On a spiritual side, participants enjoyed yoga at four locations, Tai Chi at two locations, a flower blessing, art making and a photo contest. The event in Algonquin added a food truck and music by the Belvederes. Some events had a participation fee but offered a generous contribution to Friends of the Fox River watershed education initiatives.
It’s Our Fox River Day was unofficially kicked-off when Friends of the Fox River Educator, Jenni Schiavone put her canoe in at the Fox River’s headwaters on September 8. This began her river length paddle which ended at the mouth of the river on September 18. The official kick-off was on September 13 at the Hackmatack Wildlife Refuge’s 10th Anniversary celebration in Lake Geneva Wisconsin at the George Williams College campus. Celebrity and superstar of river cleanups Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands and Waters, gave the event an endorsing shout-out. All day on September 17, over 1000 folks offered their thanks to the Fox River at an It’s Our Fox River Day event.
Living Lands and Waters
The Fox River is a wonderful natural, cultural, and economic resource
Its unique habitats support a diversity of plants and animals from dragonflies to bald eagles. Every day, the watershed serves 1.3 million residents as the Fox River flows across the borders of a state line, 15 county lines and includes over 100 municipalities. It carries our waste and storm water, provides drinking water for over 300,000 residents, and offers a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities.
Friends of the Fox River works to protect, maintain, and restore the natural resources of the Fox River Watershed. They do that by building a watershed community of caretakers, Friends. The water quality, fish diversity, and human attitude toward the Fox River has been improving for 50 years, but to protect a watershed, you must think and act like a watershed. It’s Our Fox River Day is an opportunity to develop partnerships and practice collaboratively by providing awareness and care for our Fox River.
Join Friends of the Fox River in their many opportunities for protecting the Fox River and start planning your event for It’s Our Fox River Day 2023. It’s bound to make the history books again. For more information, visit www.FOTFR.org
