Chicago River Day: FAQs
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is participating in Chicago River Day?
Friends of the Chicago River and over 4,000 volunteers which include school groups, corporate teams, families, community organizations, and individuals working side-by-side to enhance and restore the river…and you!
How long will I be volunteering?
Chicago River Day is scheduled from 9 a.m. - noon with enough work to keep you busy at your site for those three hours.
When can I sign up for Chicago River Day 2012
The sign up for this year’s event is open. The site list with contact information for each site will be posted on that day. Registration ends on Friday, May 11th at Noon.
How do I sign up for a Chicago River Day location?
Anyone who wants to participate in Chicago River Day needs to click the box above to see which sites are still accepting volunteers. Review the list of available sites and click the button for any site that still is open. If a site is listed as “closed,” that means that location has already reached its maximum capacity.
What is the minimum age of volunteer that can attend?
At most sites, the minimum age of event participant is eight years old. There are a handful of sites that are family friendly, meaning that the little ones of your family can hang out at other parts of the site with a parent while the rest of the family volunteers.
What will volunteers being doing that day?
Volunteers will collect garbage, sort trash for recycling, remove invasive vegetation, spruce up river-edge trails, plant native seedlings and more. Activities will range from site to site
How do I get to my site? Where will I park?
You are responsible for getting to the site on your own. Site captains will provide you with the address of their sites as well as some advice on parking and directions. We will also have a link to a Google Earth map listing all sites. You can click on your site and get directions to the location listed. CLICK HERE for a Google map of all current and potential Chicago River Day site locations. (It will open in a new window.)
What can I expect when I arrive at my site?
Chicago River Day is an outdoor event located in a variety of city parks, forest preserves, school yards and businesses all along the banks of the Chicago River and its tributaries. Volunteers should expect to get a bit dirty and do a lot of hard work. Your morning will start out with a welcome from your site captain, an overview of the day’s activities, a safety talk, and distribution of supplies and T-shirts to all volunteers.
All volunteers need to sign liability waivers. Minors (under the age of 18) must bring waivers signed by a parent or guardian either before the event or at the event if the parent or guardian is attending. Friends’ cannot allow volunteers to participate or have an event T-shirt without these waivers. If you are not sure about what waivers you need, ask your site captain or call Cynthia at (312) 939-0490, ext. 13 to get the right one.
What happens if it rains?
Chicago River Day will proceed rain or shine. Plan your clothing accordingly.
What should I bring to Chicago River Day?
You should plan to bring all of the things you think are necessary for working in the outdoors. Volunteers should wear close-toed shoes and comfortable clothes that can get dirty or damp. You should dress for the weather to make sure you are comfortable and warm. If it looks like it might rain, rain coats or ponchos are advisable. We also strongly encourage you to bring water, sunscreen, and your favorite work gloves.
Will you be providing gloves?
Friends’ will provide basic gloves. For the most part, the gloves are plastic gloves to protect your hands from unsanitary garbage. We highly recommend bringing your favorite pair of work gloves with you if you want something sturdier. We cannot guarantee cloth work gloves for volunteers.
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