Fox River Day cleanups set for Sept. 21 in St. Charles, Oswego and Yorkville

The Conservation Foundation, in partnership with local groups, will host cleanup events along the Fox River from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, in St. Charles, Oswego and Yorkville as part of “It’s Our Fox River Day.” Advance registration is recommended.

This annual event is coordinated by Friends of the Fox River and lands on the third Saturday of September. On this day, river cleanups and community celebrations will happen in towns along the Fox River from Waukesha, Wisconsin, to Ottawa, according to a news release from the foundation.

• St. Charles’ cleanup will start at Ferson Creek Park off Illinois Route 31 in St. Charles, in partnership with the River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles and St. Charles Park District. Register here.
• Oswego’s cleanup will begin at multiple locations near the downtown area in partnership with the Village of Oswego and Oswegoland Park District. To register, visit here.
• Yorkville’s cleanup will start at Riverfront Park, 201 E. Hydraulic St.,Yorkville, in partnership with the Kendall County Outdoor Education Center, Yorkville Parks and Recreation and the City of Yorkville. Register here.

Over 400 volunteers supported these three cleanup events in 2023, resulting in a cleaner Fox River and widespread community action, according to the release.

“The Fox River is the heart of Kendall [and Kane] County, and ties our communities together,” said Ellen Von Ohlen, trustee for The Conservation Foundation, in the release. “Now the Fox has its own day of honor, and cleaning it is a good way to show appreciation. I look forward to this event every year.”

Partner organizations will assist with paddlers, transporting larger debris and disposing of trash collected by volunteers. The Kendall County Outdoor Education Center will provide canoes for the Yorkville Cleanup, while paddling clubs will join the Oswego and St. Charles cleanups to address litter on the water, including hard-to-reach areas, according to the release.

“Every year, the Oswegoland Park District looks forward to participating in the ‘It’s Our Fox River Day’ clean-up event,” said Chris Hanley with the Oswegoland Park District, in the release. “This is a largely collaborative effort that would not be possible without the help of all our partners, and we look forward to helping grow the event.”

Trash bags and collection tools will be provided. Volunteers are asked to provide their own gloves. Experienced canoeists and kayakers are welcome to bring their own boat and put in at launch sites.

“The commitment from the community and our partners to a healthy Fox River is both inspiring and critical,” said Jessica Mino, Kane and Kendall County program director for The Conservation Foundation, in the release. “We look forward to another great event, experiencing the joy our community gets by coming together to support a healthy, beautiful environment for people and wildlife.”

For specific questions or to coordinate a large group of volunteers, contact Mino at jmino@theconservationfoundation.org.

For more information on “It’s Our Fox River Day,” visit the Friends of the Fox River website.