Mark Your Calendars: Des Plaines River Cleanup

The 16th Des Plaines River Cleanup is right around the bend.

The event is scheduled to begin, rain or shine, at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 28. This year's goal, organizers say, is to clean the river's east and west sides, from North Avenue to Madison Avenue. A map accompanies this story as a PDF.

Registration is required. Here's the link to the form. The first 100 people to register will get a free T-shirt.

On cleanup day, participants can check-in at The Depot, 401 Thatcher Ave., to pick up garbage bags and maps, and to get assigned into a cleanup zone.

Organizers are also stressing a couple of safety tips for participants: Wear long pants, long sleeve shirts (preferably bright colors) and boots; bring a cell phone; organize into groups.

When things wrap up around 11:30 a.m., cleanup sponsors with the are hosting a free zero waste lunch — no water bottles, no pop cans — "to tie into the idea of cleaning up and not creating more waste," said Karen Scherrer, recreations manager with the park district.