Volunteers Invited to Salt and Addison Creek Cleanup Day

Photo via Facebook. EGV Boy Scout Troop 95 Cleaning the creek. Source: Salt Creek Watershed Network

Volunteers are invited to Salt and Addison Creek Volunteer Cleanup Day, where they can help remove debris along and in Salt Creek and nearby Addison Creek.

This annual outside event helps preserve open and scenic waterways while enhancing their use for bike trail riders, path walkers, as well as canoes and kayakers who enjoy the scenic creek area the year around, according to the Salt Creek Watershed Network.

Salt and Addison Creek Volunteer Cleanup Day will take place April 25 at 9 a.m.Volunteers can report to the sign-in table at North Bemis Foot Bridge by 9 a.m. for waiver signing, supplies and location directions. Younger groups interested in a shorter morning can meet at 9:30 am.

This is a new starting location. Enter off Wolf Road south of 31st Street.

Volunteers are advised to dress for the day’s weather and keep in mind that you may be walking through dense and/or wet undergrowth.

The Forest Preserve District of Cook County will be contributing to this effort.

After the cleanup activity, all volunteers are to return to the North Bemis Forest Preserve foot bridge. Katie Slivovsky, wildlife biologist and nature educator at the Chicago Children’s Museum, will help identify bones and other animal signs found during the cleanup. Steve M. Sullivan, nature museum curator, will display reptiles.

Huff & Huff, Inc. will begin serving free brats and burgers at 11 a.m.

For planning purposes, large groups are asked to email or call Ron Hursh at rrhursh@comcast.net, 708.354.4434 (home), or 708.989.0506 (cell) with expected participant count.

While SCWN cannot supply watercraft, volunteers may bring a canoe or kayak. Otherwise, all cleanup supplies are provided. Watercraft Info: Stan Zarnowiecki, 708-606-4148 or Tom Longo, 708.308.4987.

This annual event offers a wonderful opportunity for family, church, school, those interested in community projects, and scout groups to participate in maintaining one of our area’s treasured resources.

Schedule Summary: All activities are at the North Bemis Foot Bridge located off Wolf Road, north of Ogden Avenue.

• 7 a.m. Watercraft sign-in and launching
• 9 a.m. Volunteer sign-in, obtain area assignments
• 9:30 am Younger groups sign-in, begin cleanup activities
• 10:30 am Meet back at foot bridge, nature study exhibits and programs (after cleanup)
• 11:00 am Free cook out lunch begins, all volunteers welcome

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