Thank YOU for helping us celebrate IOFRD 24
Saturday, September 21
It’s Our Fox River Day (IOFRD) is held each year on the third Saturday of September. Individuals and groups organize events to celebrate, protect and restore the health of the Fox River.
The Fox River “watershed” is the total land area that drains into the Fox River; it encompasses over 2500 square miles and serves over 1 million residents. Protecting a watershed requires thinking and acting as a watershed. It’s Our Fox River Day (IOFRD) is the largest demonstration of Fox River watershed-wide protective and celebratory action.
Host a River Celebration Event
FOTFR invites you and your affiliates to register an event now for IOFRD ’24 to enable watershed-wide advertisement of your organization’s event and all of the collective events. FOTFR will help you plan your event.
Join Us in Celebrating the Fox River
FOTFR and its partners organize events that include celebrations along the entire Fox River like clean-ups, restoration activities, educational activities, shoreline yoga, meditation, paddling parties, a flower blessing, and more.
Become a Business Supporter
Each year, IOFRD has grown to involve more people and in more creative and fun ways. Consider becoming an IOFRD business supporter to help us in our river protection efforts, and FOTFR will help promote your business on our website and social media.
Issue a Proclamation
A handful of cities and villages along the Fox River watershed have issued proclamations in recognition of It’s Our Fox River Day. Is your town on the list? Let us know how we can help get your town on the map.
Contact us at IOFRD@FOTFR.org or call 815.365.6605 for questions.
The Fox River Watershed map below highlights events that happened in 2023 across the 200-mile span of the river.
To see all 2024 IOFRD events, the map must be in full screen mode.
Click the icon in the top left corner to open the index. Zoom in to see where events were hosted. Click on a logo to see event details.
IOFRD 2024 Events by Location North to South
IOFRD 2024 Community Proclamations North to South
| Waterford, WI | https://www.waterfordwi.gov |
| Rochester, WI | https://rochesterwi.gov |
| Burlington, WI | https://www.burlington-wi.gov |
| Spring Grove, IL | https://www.springgrovevillage.com |
| Johnsburg, IL | https://www.johnsburg.org |
| McHenry, IL | https://cityofmchenry.org |
| Crystal Lake, IL | https://www.crystallake.org |
| Carpentersville, IL | https://www.cville.org |
| Elgin, IL | https://www.cityofelgin.org |
| South Elgin, IL | https://www.southelgin.com |
| Batavia, IL | https://bataviail.gov |
| Oswego, IL | https://www.oswegoil.org |
| Yorkville, IL | https://www.yorkville.il.us |
| Ottawa, IL | https://cityofottawa.org |
IOFRD = “I Offered”
IOFRD is pronounced “I offered” – a day intended to be both an individual and collective event that offers a thank you to the Fox River. The concept originated as a 200-mile cleanup to symbolize the need for a unified approach to protect and restore a watershed. IOFRD has evolved to include celebrations that go beyond the standard trash removal. It is intended to grow awareness throughout the entire watershed for the need to work collaboratively to protect and restore the health of the Fox River. It is also an opportunity for residents to be able to say, “I offered” thanks to my Fox River.
The Fox River serves 1 million residents
Without interruption the Fox River serves over 1,000,000 watershed residents every day. It carries the wastewater and stormwater from over 100 communities, and provides drinking water for over 300,000 residents. It also provides habitat for a diversity of plants and animals and is an exceptional resource for boaters, paddlers, anglers, hikers and photographers. All the while, the Fox River brings economic value through its aesthetic appeal to every riverfront community.
Managing a resource that crosses a state line and several municipal borders is a huge challenge. FOTFR’s founder, Pat Reese called for a unified effort for watershed management in 1988. It’s Our Fox River Day is a step in that direction.
FOTFR’s Director of Education Operations Jenni Schiavone organized a full-length river paddle trip to help raise awareness about IOFRD and the importance of the Fox River’s natural resources. Jenni experienced unique challenges, inspiring moments and beautiful scenery along her 10-day river journey, paddling and portaging.
Jenni said, “I watched giant fish, turtles, and invertebrates in their natural environment as though it were an aquarium.” Throughout her trip, she also identified threats to the health of the river such as stormwater inputs, combined wastewater overflow, agricultural runoff, and litter.
See IOFRD Event Photos
We are always gathering information and welcome additional materials, photos, logos and/or corrections.
Friends of the Fox River is grateful for the support of organizers and participants whose impact was too enormous to fully tabulate.
IOFRD Organizers
- Municipalities
- Service Organizations
- Business hosts
- Individuals
- Large Events with Multiple Partners
IOFRD Business Supporters
Each year, IOFRD has grown to involve more people and in more creative and fun ways. This year is no different. Check out the special discounts our business sponsors are offering for you as we gear up for It’s Our Fox River Day on September 21, 2024!
Fox River Yoga
187 North Adams Street
Oswego, IL
Ellen Von Ohlen
630-417-7775
evonohlen@comcast.net
Free Yoga Classes
via Zoom the week
before or after IOFRD
www.foxriveryoga.com
Howling Wolfe Canoe & Kayak
550 Clearwater Drive
North Aurora, IL
Jake Wolfe
630-344-9744
jake@howlingwolfe.com
Rent a Kayak or Canoe
the week before or
after IOFRD and
save 25% off your rental
www.howlingwolfe.com
Fox River MedSpa
1543 S. Randall Rd.
Algonquin, IL
224-241-8489
Come in for a treatment
the week before or
after IOFRD and
save 50% off the service*
*exclusions apply
www.foxriverspa.com
Green Guerrilla
665D Waverly Dr.
Elgin, IL
Chris Flaherty
630-270-9483
greenguerrilla422@gmail.com
$10 off Rain Garden Plug Packs, purchased on Green Guerrilla’s Native Nursery App. Contact Chris for additional info.
www.Green-Guerrilla.com
Riverlands Brewing
1860 Dean St.
St. Charles, IL
Steve Marck
630-488-8854
steve@riverlandsbrewing.com
Join our clean up crew on IOFRD and enjoy a free beer or soft drink at Riverlands Brewing
www.riverlandsbrewing.com
Brilliance Subaru
1500 Randall Rd.
Elgin, IL
Rich Dencs
224-764-1945
Come in between 9/7-9/21 and receive a 20% discount on an oil change when you mention It’s Our Fox River Day
www.brilliancesubaru.com
Faust Investments LLC
PO Box 365
Burlington, WI
Angela Faust
angela@faustinvestments.com
262-206-7322
It’s Our Fox River Day!
www.faustinvestments.com
Become an IOFRD Business Supporter
Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) is inviting businesses as supporters in exchange for advertising their IOFRD promotion. The public has an increased way to benefit the Fox River, FOTFR grows our Fox River protection capacity, and you grow your business.
It only costs $100 to become a business supporter. For more details, contact Gary Swick at 815-356-6605.
Business Supporter Sign-Up Page
