The
Friends of
Earth Day
Earth Day “Bring it on
Home”
at MCCD’s
On April 19, 2008 we set up displays promoting the Friends of Volo Bog and the Friends of Moraine Hills State Park. Revolving around the event’s “Bring it on Home” theme, our display emphasized three things people can do at home:
1. Gardening with Native Species
2. Bluebird Monitoring
3. Waste Reduction as demonstrated by Volo Bog’s Waste-Not Lunch Challenge.
Many other environmental organizations participated with displays and activities. Children enjoyed participating in Earth Day activities and making Earth Day crafts.
The Friends of Volo Bog donated a couple of caps and a book as door prizes
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Bob Vetter & Neil Whitman |
Display for FOVB |
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Christine Steffy & Neil Whitman |
Display for FOMHSP |
Earth Day
with the Jewel/Osco store managers (April 22, 2008)
One hundred plus Jewel/Osco store managers from as far away as Kankakee, Illinois came to the Moraine Hills State Park's McHenry site to volunteer their time on Earth Day 2008. Heading up the Volunteers was the North Area Vice President, Mark Driscoll, and the District Manager Glen Nielson of the North Area. In addition, Jewel/Osco donated a Trex bench made from recycled plastic bags, a $1,500 check, and a delicious lunch for everybody.
The morning started out stringing out a grid for the new garden plot, followed
with the laying of newspaper weighed down with sand. While that was going
on, a bench for the Park was presented to Site Superintendent, Greg
Kelly. Everybody then gathered together for speeches and the
presentation of the check, followed with a group photo. Before the crew
went back to work, lunch from the Chief's Kitchens was provided for all to
enjoy The majority of volunteers did clean up , such as policing the
roadway adjacent to the Park, along Park's shoreline of the Fox River,
and the clearing of brush. The garden
volunteers went back to the plot laying down over the newspaper & sand a
layer of manure, and then mulch. Following a planting chart made up by
Site Naturalist Stacy Iwanicki, the volunteers then planted some 500 native
forbs (wildflowers) and grasses. Observing and assisting was Bob Vetter,
Volunteer Garden Coordinator for both Moraine Hills and Volo Bog
State Natural Area. After all the volunteers left, the park staff led by
assistant superintendent, John Laskowski, watered in the plants and removed the
excess sand etc.
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Planting Chart |
Working First Layer |
Stacy & Bob Checking |
Finished First Layer |
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Above photos by Paul Howerton |
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Mr. Kelly & State Senator Pameia Althoff R-32nd Dist. |
Mr. Driscoll & Mr. Nielsen donating Bench |
A light drizzle fell at speech time, but we kept
going |
Mr. Kelly receiving check from Mr. Nielsen & Mr.
Driscoll |
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Volunteers’ Banner |
Everybody Together |
Chow Time for
all |
River bank clean up begins |
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River bank clean up |
There was a lot of fallen branches and brush to clear |
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Spreading manure |
Scraping the bottom |
More manure delivered |
Time to spread the mulch |
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Spreading the mulch over the manure |
While getting ready to plant, clearing brush is still going on. |
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Ready for the planting |
Bring out the plants |
Studying Plant placement |
This plant Here |
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Above photos from Jewel/Osco |
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Placing each plant |
Digging and planting |
Finishing up the planting |
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Above photos by Paul Howerton |
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A month after Earth Day, and protected by an electric fence the plantings are doing just fine. |
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Photos by Bob Vetter