Dominican University To Host Communitywide Green Block Party

Dominican University is hosting a family friendly Green Block Party on Sunday, July 20 to celebrate and promote the sustainability initiatives occurring throughout the Oak Park/River Forest/Elmwood Park/Forest Park communities. The event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on the university Quad, followed by the screening of the animated environmental feature film FernGully: The Last Rainforest from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The event will include a Farmers Market featuring locally grown fresh produce and foods from Seph’s Sweets, Ready Jam Farms, Johnson’s Apple World, K & A Organics, and Six Generations Farmin’ Local as well as an organic cooking demonstration by students in Dominican’s nutrition program. Elevate Energy will offer information on weatherizing your home and cutting down on energy consumption, and composting demonstrations will be available. Representatives from Working Bikes, a nonprofit organization that refurbishes bikes for distribution throughout Africa and Latin America, will be on hand to take bicycle donations. Since its founding in 1999, Working Bikes has donated more than 40,000 bikes to individuals in developing countries. The organization also sells used and new bikes and parts at its storefront at 2434 S. Western Avenue in Chicago.


In addition, representatives from The Repair Café, a local organization of unpaid experts and volunteers who repair home appliances, clothing and toys, will be available to give your old and broken stuff a new lease on life.


Children’s art activities will include making flower pots from old albums and creating pinwheels and flowers from book pages, newspaper, paint and VHS tape. Lisa Nordstrom of Art Gecko in Oak Park will have available jewelry and other works of art created with found objects and recycled materials.

Attendees are invited to bring their own picnic suppers to enjoy on the Quad during the event before the screening of FernGully in the Lund Auditorium. Complementary iced tea and lemonade will be provided by the university.


This event is free-of-charge. For more information, please visit the website at www.dom.edu/green or contact Jessica Mackinnon, director of public information, at (708) 524-6289. Dominican University is located at 7900 W.

Division Street, River Forest.