Boneyard Cleanup

In some more inspiring news volunteers and local organizations, in coordination with the Champaign Park District, braved the elements recently to help the environment. From today's News-Gazette:

Volunteers brave cold for Boneyard Creek cleanup

Hundreds of volunteers — some wearing orange Boneyard Creek cleanup T-shirts over their coats — pulled litter and invasive plants from the Champaign waterway and other local sites Saturday morning, as part of the 13th Boneyard Creek Community Day.

At least 200 people, according to an unofficial lunchtime count by Zoe Stinson of the Champaign Park District, searched waterways in Champaign, Urbana and Savoy for trash despite the day's cold weather.

"At this time, we have 391 volunteers registered through the website. We have walk-ups the day of the event as well," she said before the cleanup.

It was only 27 degrees out midway through the event, which began at 9 a.m., but by the time things wrapped up and volunteers were munching on Jimmy John's sandwiches at Scott Park near noon, the sun was out and the temperature had climbed to about 32. That was an improvement over last year's event, which had been rained out...

Stinson said the volunteer event promotes appreciation, stewardship and naturalizing of urban stream corridors.

In addition to the original members that created the event — the University of Illinois; city of Champaign and Champaign Park District; city of Urbana and Urbana Park District; and the Prairie Rivers Network — other groups have taken on an involved role, she said.

They include Champaign Rotary, Champaign Rotary West, Savoy Rotary, Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation, Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club and Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District.