COMMEMORATION OF THE 40™ ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS OF THE CHICAGO
RIVER
WHEREAS, for forty years, Friends of the Chicago River has promoted and protected the Chicago River system for people, plants and animals; and
WHEREAS, Friends has worked in the areas of policy, on-the-ground projects, and education on behalf of the river system; and
WHEREAS, since 1979 Friends has educated more than 400,000 students about science, nature, and the environment; received over 200,000 visitors to its McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, and taken 20,000 individuals canoeing to build new and future advocates, and
WHEREAS, each year Friends' Centennial Volunteers and River Action Days attract over 6,000 volunteers who participate in restoration activities instream and on adjacent lands; and
WHEREAS, each year Friends' Chicago River Day attracts about 2,000 people to around 70 loca-tions across the Chicago region for a clean-up effort that removes tons of litter from the waterway; and
WHEREAS, the organization has worked on behalf of the Chicago River system to raise overall water quality, foster healthier wildlife habitat, reduce flooding, and raise public awareness of com-bined sewer overflows; and
WHEREAS, Friends has grown from a handful of people concerned about the neglect of the river system in 1979 to an organization of 10,000 members, volunteers and online advocates; and
WHEREAS, generations of Chicagoans now value the Chicago River system as a natural resource; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this tenth day of April, 2019, hereby officially commemorate the 40th anniversary of Friends of the Chicago River System; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Margaret Frisbie, Executive Director of Friends of the Chicago River
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