Friends of Elmwood Dunes Seeks Volunteers

Friends of Elmwood Dunes, a group made up of people interested in the 80-foot wide and 600-foot long strip of lakefront property in Wilmette, will hold its first village sanctioned Elmwood activity between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 13. 

The group is seeking volunteers to help with heavy brush removal, tagging and culling invasive plants, bagging trash, photographers and people to coordinate refreshments for the volunteers. 

Last fall, members of the group walked the site with staff from Wilmette’s forestry division and engineering department to get a sense of the cleanups needed. Those interested in participating can contact Friends of the Elmwood Dunes at: Elmwood.Dunes@gmail.com, Wilmette Life reported. 

Last year, the village’s Municipal Service Committee recommended turning the Elmwood Avenue property into a public nature preserve, which would allow anyone to access the property from sunrise to sunset, would prohibit boat launchings and use of motorbikes and includes plans for a path to be built over or through the area’s nature preserve portion.  

Volunteers should bring work gloves, sturdy footwear, eye protection, tools for cutting and raking such as loppers, handsaws or rakes. 

Here’s wish list from the group:

• Fruit, such as oranges or apples
• Several dozen bagles
• Hot chocolate mix
• 2-3 boxes of coffee
• Biodegradable paper plates, cups
• Igloo-type water cooler 

Friends of Elmwood Dunes have set up a nonprofit to help finance restoration, development and planting costs. Donations can be mailed to Friends of Elmwood Dunes, 827 Elmwood Ave., Wilmette

Related Coverage 

• Wilmette’s Elmwood Beach Cleanup Set for April 13
• Committee Recommends Public Nature Preserve for Elmwood Avenue
• POLL: Do You Agree with the Elmwood Avenue Beach Recommendation?
• Property Gallery: Residents Clean Up Elmwood Beach in 2011
• Wilmette to Narrow Ideas for Elmwood Beach