Glencoe’s Earth Day Clean-Up event on Saturday, April 20, renewed Glencoe Beach and the Robert Everly Wildflower Sanctuary along Linden and Jackson Avenues this year thanks to dedicated volunteers. The two-hour event, which took place on a bright and breezy day, was a success with a large group of volunteers collecting debris from the beach and the sanctuary. Children were actively searching for items in the sand, and volunteers were seen carrying bags filled with collected trash. The Glencoe Park District estimates that over 100 pounds of trash were collected last year, and they expect to surpass that number this year. Nate Van Allen, special events and community engagement manager for the Glencoe Park District, said that the event is a testament to the community’s commitment to preserving the natural beauty of Glencoe. “It shows that they’re invested in the place they live and they care about the places they visit and recreate,” Van Allen said. “We do this to get people in the community involved with taking care of our natural habitats in Glencoe.” One of the most interesting finds from last year’s cleanup was a pair of gym shoes discovered at Everly, likely left over from the Park District’s “The Great Mud Run,” where kids run through mud in autumn. Other items found at Everly included concrete chunks and plastic bottles. At Glencoe Beach, a long metal pole was discovered past the boathouse to the north of the public recreational beachfront. The pole was carried back to the Adda & Paul Safran Beach House by Highland Park siblings Sean Collins, a fourth-grader, and Jack Collins, a sixth-grader. The brothers described the pole as “very heavy” to carry back, even with the two of them. Jack’s and Sean’s father, Bobby Collins, Glencoe Park District’s deputy director, identified the pipe item as a seven-foot-long fence post that washed up on the boating beach. Bobby Collins expressed pride in his sons for volunteering and emphasized the importance of giving back on Earth Day. “Everybody’s got to give back on Earth Day,” he said. “They’re going to come back next year to see if they can even get something better.” The Earth Day Clean-Up event also included educational activities for children and adults. Erika Doroghazi, arts and youth program manager for the Glencoe Park District, staffed a table to explain beekeeping to patrons. The district maintains three honey bee hives that produce enough honey to sell at the Takiff Center front desk when there is enough to comfortably share with the public, without impacting the honey-friendly home. Doroghazi emphasized the importance of teaching about the ecological benefits of pollinators. Meridith Clement of Glencoe and Dorr St. Clair, also of Glencoe, staffed a community table where patrons could assemble free bird nest buffet tubes for birds to find and use in nest building this spring. Clement and St. Clair are both trustees with the Friends of the Green Bay Trail. They explained that something as simple and useful as a bird nest buffet, made with a cardboard toilet paper core to house a stuffing of nest-friendly items, is an example of what families can do at home to support the local ecosystem. Clement was delighted to see the volunteer turnout at Glencoe Beach and emphasized the importance of teaching children early about taking care of their community. “We’re really ecstatic to see the families,” Clement said. “They’re tuning in,” Clement said with a smile. “And they’re supporting sustainable practices.”
Glencoe Beach and Robert Everly Wildflower Sanctuary Get a Clean-Up for Earth Day
