EARTH DAY PARKS AND PRESERVES CELEBRATION AND CLEAN-UP
SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
SITE Captain registration is (SORT OF) Closed!
MARCH 18 UPDATE: Thanks to the nearly 100 individuals and groups who have stepped up to host Earth Day Clean Ups. We will soon be posting links for volunteer sign ups for each park. If you are still interested in being a site captain or have a large group looking for a park to help with, please contact us at info@fotp.org.
Earth Day Background
For over 30 years, Friends of the Parks has coordinated park clean ups across Chicago as part of our annual Earth Day Celebration in partnership with the Chicago Park District and Forest Preserves of Cook County. This year's event is Sat, April 20, 2024. As usual, we will be supporting Park Advisory Councils (PACs), park partner organizations and other volunteer groups by providing them with gloves and garbage bags as well as an online event sign-up. In addition, we are accepting requests for mulch, woodchips and fibar, which we will direct to the Park District.
Last year's first "emerging from the pandemic" Earth Day was a great success with thousands of volunteers spread out across nearly 100 parks in spite of a classic Chicago spring mix of sleet, cutting wind--and some peeks of sunshine. We look forward to even bigger numbers this year! |
Site captain responsibilities
If you are a member of a Park Advisory Council (PAC), park partner organization or other volunteer group and wish to host an Earth Day clean-up on April 20 in coordination with Friends of the Parks as part of our annual Earth Day Clean-up and Celebration, please fill out our site captain signup sheet here by March 8. Once site captains are in place, we will open up slots for volunteering.
Being a site captain involves:
Being a site captain involves:
- Making a commitment to organizing a cleanup crew on April 20 at a park.
- Connecting and coordinating with the park’s supervisor and Park Advisory Council (PAC), if it exists. Park supervisors can assist with planning and may have access to tools or other materials. PACs are familiar with a park’s specific needs and might be able to help with organizing, promotion and recruitment.
- Promoting the volunteer signup page through avenues such as social media, individual outreach, and posting flyers in the park, library and local businesses.
- Setting up a meeting site for Earth Day and communicating with volunteers regarding the location.
- Coordinating with FOTP staff to receive gloves and trash bags for the cleanup.
- Hosting Earth Day Clean up!
- Collecting and returning any paperwork to FOTP.
Special thank you to our 2023 partners and sponsors for their support! Our annual Earth Day Celebration and Clean-up is a team effort and would not have been possible without them.