Hosted by: Friends of the Chicago River
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Site Captain: John-Theresa Mueller
Meeting Spot: Meet at the north end of the Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve, RAIN or SHINE. Park along the entrance road—South Doty Avenue—directly across from Carver Military Academy's athletic field.
Register Today
Please join us for Chicago River Day 2019 at Beaubien Woods!
In 2018, MPC helped execute a design workshop, as part of Better Beubien, which included a charrette with more than 50 design professional and an open house with the Forest Preserves of Cook County and the Chicago Chapter of the AIA, to develop a vision plan for improvements to Beaubien Woods and increased connections for the surrounding communities.
This year Friends is celebrating 40 years of bringing the river to life and invites you to show your support for a healthier river by volunteering! Together, throughout the 156 miles of watershed, everyday heroes will improve river habitat by collecting harmful and ugly litter. Some sites will also do additional stewardship activities like trail building, mulching and removing invasive species. The Little Calumet River is a part of the Chicago River watershed and a great place to explore.
The Chicago River system is home to over 70 species of fish and provides critical habitat for millions of birds and butterflies during migration. It's the river that brought explorers and tradesmen to create our great city. It's also a place to relax and have fun! Let's show our respect and join together to take care of this amazing natural resource. Volunteers receive a Chicago River Day T-shirt as a special thank you gift!
Please register so we can ensure we send enough bags, gloves and T-shirts for each location. Be sure to wear closed toed shoes, work clothes that can get dirty, and bring a full water bottle. Registration for all Chicago River Day sites is open until Sunday, May 5, 2019 or until the site is at capacity.
Looking for a volunteer option on the water at Beaubien Woods (Site Captain: Chris Parson), click the button below:
Volunteer on the Water
About this site:
Beaubien Woods, part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, sits along the Little Calumet River. It is a recreational and ecological amenity for many Chicago communities—including Altgeld Gardens, Golden Gate, Riverside Village, Concordia Place and Pangea Lakes—as well adjacent suburbs such as Dolton and Riverdale. Beaubien is one of eight sites where we are building a community of stewards to help bring back the native habitat as part of the Centennial Volunteers program. If you enjoy restoration work, look into the Centennial Volunteers program and continue to help improve river habitat year-round! The Centennial Volunteers program is a partnership between Friends of the Chicago River, the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Friends of the Forest Preserves, and the Field Museum. Be a part of forest and river revitalization by joining this inspiring movement of volunteers gathering to restore sites along the Chicago and Calumet Rivers. Everyone is welcome to come help take care of this community resource.
Help spread the word! Share this event on social media and use the hashtag #ChicagoRiverDay.
Visit Friends' Chicago River Day FAQ page for more information about how to be best prepared for the day and other general information. Have a question? Contact Annette Anderson, Friends’ volunteer and events associate, at aanderson@chicagoriver.org or at 312.939.0490, ext. 14.
Liability Waivers:
Please print out, sign, and bring with you the waivers below, or be prepared to sign waivers upon arrival. Children attending with a group need to have this waiver signed by their parents and brought with them. If you do not sign the waiver, you will not be able to participate. NOTE: Some sites will require additional waivers which will be passed out and collected the day of the event.
The following waiver(s) need to be completed and signed for this location:
Friends Waiver
Forest Preserves
Additional Notes:
Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to participate on Chicago River Day. Children without parents/guardians will NOT be allowed to participate unless they are part of a school or scout group with a teacher or group leader, and bring signed waivers from their parent or guardian.
Volunteers must be at least 8 years old to participate. As each site is unique, some are more suitable than others for families and children. If you have questions about whether the site is family-friendly, please email Friends of the Chicago River.