CHICAGO — More than 2,000 volunteers spent their Saturday morning taking part in the annual Chicago River Day, in order to help restore wildlife and keep the river pristine ahead of the start of summer.
Volunteers met at 85 different locations, stretching from Lake County to the far south suburbs of Chicago to clean up litter, clear trails and get rid of invasive plants.
“We’re getting habitat ready for healthier ecosystems for all wildlife to exist all the river,” Annie Hanrahan, Director of Development for Friends of the Chicago River, said.
Among the teams was a dedicated group busy doing some spring cleaning at Horner Park on the city’s North Side.
“This has been a part of my life so this is helping out in my community so this feels great to do this,” volunteer William Grammatis Cooke said.
The annual event has been going on since 1992 and it marks the start of the year-round cleanup effort for the Chicago-Calumet River system.
“We’ve collected nearly 2 million pounds of trash since our beginning really great to be a part of this,” Hanrahan said.
Through actions like this, organizers believe it will leave a long-lasting impression on those around them.
“If there’s less trash there’s less people less prone to leave it,” John Friedmann, VP of the Horner Park Advisory Council, said.
To protect the environment and help keep the Chicago River System clean, organizers say there is a particular practice all can follow.
“One of the golden rules you know in terms of nature leave it better than when you found it,” Friedmann said.