Chicago River Day: Sponsorship
See What You Can Do as a Sponsor
Friends of the Chicago River started Chicago River Day in 1992 just 25 people signed up. Originally called “River Rescue Day,” volunteers rescued the river by dragging old shopping carts, mattresses, and plastic bags from its banks.
Those rescuers were early visionaries who, like Friends, could see past the garbage to a future for the Chicago River that was bright and hopeful. And they were willing to work with us to make that vision real.
Twenty years and more than 42,375 volunteers later, the rescue has been dropped and the river is no longer a back alleyway filled with sewage and junk. It is vibrant and alive with people in canoes, kayaks and tour boats, river edge trails, 70 species of fish, 60 species of birds, and all kinds of native animals including beavers, muskrats, and turtles. This progress was only made possible because of sponsors including Exelon, HSBC-North America, Firestone Complete Auto Care, and Wrigley who invested in this successful region-wide initiative. Now, we invite other companies to join them for this 20th anniversary celebration.
In 2012, to commemorate our success, between April 23 and May 12, Friends will bring the river to all our communities through Chicago River Day 20/20 - See What You Can Do - 20 days of activities and special events on the river and beyond its banks. This wonderful whirlwind will range from art projects and fish releases to habitat days and themed river tattoos and even a river-edge pub crawl. 20/20 will culminate with the 20th annual Chicago River Day on Saturday, May 12.
We companies like yours to join us and support this critical milestone as we continue to move from rescuing the river to embracing its renaissance by partnering with us for these 20 days. We encourage you to join us as a sponsor at one of the leadership levels listed in the Chicago River Day 20/20 Benefits Packet. Joining at a leadership level ensures your company is recognized creatively and widely for making Chicago River Day 20/20 our best event yet.
To learn more about what it means to become a Chicago River Day 20/20 sponsorship and benefits, click the links below.
Chicago River 20/20 Sponsorship Overview
Leadership Sponsors Levels and Benefits
Other Sponsor Levels and Benefits
Sponsorship Reply Form
For more information about becoming a Chicago River Day sponsor, contact:
- Mary Beth Sova, Director of Development, at (312) 939-0490, extension 19 or msova@chicagoriver.org.
- Cynthia Fox, Manager of Community, Volunteers and Leadership, at (312) 939-0490, extension 13 or cfox@chicagoriver.org.
CHICAGO RIVER DAY 2011 SPONSORS
Exelon
HSBC North America, Midwest Generation, and Pactiv
AECOM, Cynthia Weglarz Rountree Fund, Firestone Complete Auto care, Illinois EPA, and Wrigley
Hu-Friedy Manufacturing, Inc. and Sims Metal Management
Email Newsletter