Cheers, Captains! Chicago River Day Training For Leaders Features Info, Fun (And a Little Beer)

It  may have been chilly and wet outside. But inside the Bieszczat Volunteer Resource Center, 6100 N. Central Ave., the focus was on that warm and sunny Saturday (we're confident!) on May 12 when thousands will participate in our annual cleanup event, Chicago River Day.

Nearly four dozen Chicago River Day captains met to prepare ahead of the May date. Led by Annette Anderson, our volunteer and events associate (and Chicago River Day guru), the gathering included the do's and don't's of Chicago River Day, a little lunch and a cold beer from our friends at Metropolitan Brewing.

Executive director Margaret Frisbie noted this will be our 26th year! Some in attendance have volunteered for decades but there were a few new-bies in there, too. You don't have to be a captain to participate: We're looking for some 2,500 people to show up for a few hours on a Saturday morning to help tidy up our gem of a river. You may get a new appreciation for the nature all around us and maybe make a few new friends, too.

Check out some of our captains below and, at the end, there's an EZ link to how you can join them for this rewarding and fun project.

Why not come and join us for a few hours on May 12th? Click here to see a map of more than 75 locations and how to register.

Among the many generous sponsors this year of Chicago River Day are Exelon, PepsiCo, and the Wrigley Company Foundation.