address PO Box 5634, Elgin, Illinois 60121
p (815) 356-6605  |    f   (815) 377-3616   |  contact us

Blog

Friends of the Fox River highlights and news

New Education Team

Wednesday, October 4, 2017
New Education Team for the Fall Season By Gary Swick For many years, Friends of the Fox River’s streams outreach education program was a one-man show, run by retired Johnsburg teacher David Rigby. In 2009, the project was funded by a federal grant for 3 years. The program quickly grew...
Read More
rainbow darter

2017 Fox River Basin Survey

Wednesday, October 4, 2017
The 2017 IDNR Fox River Basin Survey By Steve Pescitelli, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries During the summer of 2017, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources conducted fish surveys in the Fox River basin as part of a statewide program to monitor the health of Illinois stream...
Read More

Lessons from the Total Eclipse

Thursday, August 31, 2017
By Gary Swick Picture yourself standing on the banks of the Fox River 1,000 years ago. Imagine experiencing a total solar eclipse without any knowledge of what is actually occurring, or why it’s happening. It is more likely that it would be regarded as frightening than interesting or exciting. After...
Read More

2017 Annual Photo Contest Results

Tuesday, August 29, 2017
A beautiful foggy morning photo near Saw Wee Kee Park in Oswego. Photo by Bradford Vineyard Our 2017 Annual Photo Contest has ended and our selection committee is in the process selecting winners. We received a wonderful assortment of photos- 47 total- portraying this year’s theme of “The of Flora...
Read More

Flooded Fox brings some Lessons

Tuesday, August 1, 2017
by Gary Swick Rivers and their tributaries usually have seasonal cycles of spring and fall flooding, with a “low flow” condition in summer. Flooding has benefits to the natural river system through nutrient distribution and scouring of sediment. The land areas that absorb the flood conditions are referred to as...
Read More

Why Do I Think You Owe Me A Beer?

Monday, July 31, 2017
by Gary Swick, FOFR President For a non-profit organization, finding financial support for their important work is always a challenge. Friends of the Fox River (FOFR) has a long and strong reputation for incredible achievements from volunteer efforts. FOFR is now at a point where we are expanding our services,...
Read More

Fly Fishing the Fox

Monday, July 31, 2017
By Pat Okonek, Board Member, FOFR One of my favorite hobbies is fishing, especially fly-fishing. I took it up as a youngster and had the good fortune of growing up next to a river. Besides lots of actual fishing, I learned how to “read” rivers and learn how fish behave and...
Read More

2017 Annual Photography Contest

Sunday, July 16, 2017
It’s that time of year again when spring is in full bloom and some of the best opportunities for photographing life on the Fox River abound. And the time has come for Friends of the Fox River’s Annual Photography Contest. So in keeping with the season, the theme for this year’s...
Read More
CC BY 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17323964

Life Lessons from the River

Monday, July 3, 2017
by Gary Swick, FOFR President Life is a process of transformations. All organisms go through stages that are ultimately driven by sex and conclude in death. Understanding this can help us to cope with the events of our lives. Our lives, our endeavors, and the river, all have seasons. This...
Read More
Fox River gravel bar

Our Waters, Our Fox

Sunday, May 14, 2017
Article written for the April 2017 “Bravo Magazine” by Dean Tripp Our Fox By its very nature a river belongs to more than one people, place and time. Our Fox is no exception. The water flowing into and out of it is a resource we can’t create or destroy; we...
Read More

Help Friends – Drink Beer?

Monday, July 25, 2016
How on Earth does having a beer party help Friends of the Fox River clean up the river?!? Friends of the Fox River President Gary Swick explains: “Our annual fundraiser is a reminder that without protecting the Fox River we’d lose many of the things we enjoy and take for...
Read More

No Water No Beer Auction and Raffle Items

Monday, July 25, 2016
You can make this FUNdraiser  an over-the-top success! Local businesses support Friends of the Fox River because it’s a public water drinking source, our key recreational resource, and clean water equals great beer! Favorite local businesses, and our special friends, are pitching in to make this FUNdraiser over-the-top successful. Sure,...
Read More

May 2010

Saturday, May 1, 2010
For Immediate Release Event: Monitor with your Mother Sunday 5/9, 10am – 2pm Fox River Shores Forest Preserve Carpentersville For more information, contact Gary Swick 815 370 0026 Mothers Day is next Sunday; Forget the Flowers, Bag the Brunch, & Can the Candy Join us to try something different on...
Read More

March 31, 2010

Wednesday, March 31, 2010
For Immediate Release The Friends of the Fox River announce: Fox Rescue River Clean-Up Call for Volunteers! Saturday, April 17th 2010 9:00 – 1:00 For the first time in the history of the organization, the Friends of the Fox River are teaming up with folks in the northern-most section of...
Read More

November 30, 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009
For Immediate Release The Friends of the Fox River announces: 2009 Annual Meeting On Monday December 14th, 2009 The Friends of the Fox River will host its annual meeting from 7 – 9 pm at the Historic Kendall Count Courthouse in Yorkville. Agenda items include committee reports outlining 2009 projects...
Read More

June 17, 2009

Wednesday, June 17, 2009
For Immediate Release The Friends of the Fox River announces:   Water Willow Planting on the Fox River Saturday, July 11th 2009 8:00 am- 11:00 am River Street downstream of the Montgomery (IL) Dam   Friends of the Fox River and the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance are once again joining forces...
Read More

January 2009

Thursday, January 1, 2009
For Immediate Release Contact: Gary Swick, 847.426.1322 The largest environmental film festival in North America is coming to McHenry & Kane County, IL. Join Friends of the Fox River (FOFR) as they host the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival Tour at McHenry County College on Thursday evening, January 31...
Read More

December 2008

Monday, December 1, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friends of the Fox River will hold its Annual Meeting on Monday, December 8, 2008 at 7:00pm at the historic Kendall County Courthouse, 111 Fox Street, Yorkville, IL 60560. The meeting will be held in the third floor courtroom. Friends and members of Friends of the Fox...
Read More

September 30, 2008

Tuesday, September 30, 2008
For Immediate Release It’s Our River Day! Fox Rescue River Clean-Ups John J. Duerr Forest Preseve: South Elgin 9:00 am- 12:00 pm Fox River Shores Forest Preserve: Carpentersville 8:00 am- 11:00 am The Friends of the Fox River are hosting River Clean-Ups at three watershed locations. All are welcome to...
Read More

May 1, 2007

Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Celebrate Spring by Helping to Clean Up the Fox River! Friends of the Fox River’s Fox Rescue Cleanup is Saturday, May 19, 2007. Locations are scheduled throughout the watershed. For more information about river cleanups, please contact Fox Rescue Coordinator Jessi DeMartini at 630-871-7548 or jdemartini@dupageforest.com. Cleanups Aurora – Join Friends...
Read More

May 2007 Newsletter

Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Last month’s successful passage of five open space referenda in the Fox River watershed gives us 10,000 reasons to celebrate — one reason per acre of additional land that will be preserved in McHenry, Kane and Kendall Counties! Let’s keep up the momentum. Stay informed, get involved and be active...
Read More

April 30, 2007

Monday, April 30, 2007
For Immediate Release: April 30, 2007 Monitor With Your Mother Event Annual Mothers Day Celebration Forget the Flowers, Bag the Brunch, and Can the Candy. Try something different on Mothers Day. Join Friends of the Fox River on Mothers Day, May 13, 2007, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., for our 8th annual...
Read More

April 18, 2007

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
For Immediate Release: April 18, 2007 Calling all stream enthusiasts! “Meet the Macros” Workshop for stream monitors, teachers, fishermen & anyone curious about what’s living in their local stream. McHenry County Conservation District and Friends of the Fox River’s Monitoring Network are co-sponsoring a free introduction to benthic (stream bottom)...
Read More

March 30, 2007

Friday, March 30, 2007
For Immediate Release: March 30, 2007 ‘Meet the Macros’ Workshop for Stream Monitors, Teachers, Fishermen, and Stream Ecology Enthusiasts Friends of the Fox River’s Water Monitoring Network is co-hosting a workshop on Saturday, April 28 from 1:00-4:00 PM at The Conference Center at Glacial Park, 6316 Harts Road in Ringwood....
Read More

March 27, 2007

Tuesday, March 27, 2007
For Immediate Release: March 27, 2007 Friends of the Fox River Announces Spring Events Get to know your local waterways and help protect water quality. Friends of the Fox River is co-sponsoring workshops and river clean-ups. Sign up for stream monitoring training workshops, monitoring workshops specifically for teachers, and macroinvertebrate...
Read More

February 2007 Newsletter

Thursday, February 1, 2007
Welcome to the first issue of Friends of the Fox River’s e-News — our monthly hot sheet for Fox River Watershed conservation news. Our quick-reference format highlights news, workshops, events, and other conservation resources (with links leading to expanded text). There’s great things happening throughout our watershed. We urge you...
Read More

RiverWatch

Friday, February 24, 2006
2005 Illinois RiverWatch Program Friends of the Fox River was pleased to receive a generous $15,000 grant from Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn and the Illinois River Coordinating Council in May 2005 to administer the 2005 Illinois RiverWatch Program. The grant enabled RiverWatch citizen volunteers previously trained by the Illinois Department...
Read More

Troubled Waters

Friday, January 13, 2006
Meeting Future Water Needs in Illinois
 Report Released Water shortages are forecast for at least 22 townships in the Chicago metropolitan area in the next 15 years and many more shortages are expected in the years beyond 2025 states the recently released report “Troubled Waters: Meeting Future Water Needs in...
Read More

FOFR Action Alert

Thursday, September 22, 2005
IDOT Announces Public Meetings to Present Recommended Routes for Prairie Parkway The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently announced two open houses that the public is invited to attend regarding recommended alternative sites for the Prairie Parkway. At these open houses, IDOT will present their recommended routes for the Parkway...
Read More

The Prairie Parkway

Thursday, September 1, 2005
Potential Threat to Sensitive Areas in the Fox Watershed By Tom Schrader Vice President, Friends of the Fox River Various routing alternatives for the proposed Prairie Parkway connecting I-88 and I-80 are currently under consideration by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The Friends of the Fox River has a...
Read More

Get Involved

Donate Join Volunteer

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
New Education Team
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
rainbow darter
2017 Fox River Basin Survey
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Winners of the 2017 Photo Contest
Tuesday, October 3, 2017