Help maintain Elmhurst's stretch of 10,000-year-old prairie. Volunteers meet at the Great Western Prairie (intersection of Berkley Avenue and Prairie Path, just west of Spring Road) 9 am-Noon on the third Saturday of the month. Wear sturdy shoes and bring work gloves.
Volunteer Tips
- Volunteers will need to sign an Elmhurst Park District Liability Waiver prior to the work day.
- Volunteers should wear durable work clothes: Long sleeved shirt, long jeans, closed-toed shoes (boots are best), and a hat. If you have work gloves, please bring those as well, but we can provide. You will get dirty and might find a few seed passengers attached to your clothes.
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellent are advised depending on the season. There is no drinking water on site, so please bring some refreshment.
- Neighboring Grace Bible Church has kindly offered us use of their restrooms.
- Most of our work involves cutting brush, so if you have loppers, bring them along. No power tools are permitted.
- Hazards to be aware of include: Thorns and sharp-edged plants, trip hazards, sun exposure. There are currently no known poison ivy or ticks in the EGWP, but the possibility of exposure cannot be ruled out.
- Children over 12 years old can be very helpful, but will require direct supervision by their sponsoring organization. Children under 12 will require one-on-one supervision during work days.
- Groups of more than four new volunteers are encourage to contact Eric Keeley (see below). Our regular volunteers can happily arrange special volunteer work days and educational walks on days other than our usual monthly dates for corporate, school and community groups.
Questions
Michelle Karabetsos (Elmhurst Park District Horticulturalist) at mkarabetsos [@] epd.org (mkarabetsos[at]epd[dot]org) or (630) 993-8909
Eric Keeley (EGWP Steward Volunteer) at keeley.eric [@] gmail.com (keeley[dot]eric[at]gmail[dot]com) or (630) 336-1852
Keith Olson (EGWP Steward Volunteer) at keitholson [@] usa.net (keitholson[at]usa[dot]net) or (630) 834-7357
