Volunteers Participate in Montgomery and Waubonsie Lake Clean-Up

Dedicated volunteers gathered Saturday morning to assist in cleaning the areas around Montgomery Dam on the Fox River in Montgomery and Waubonsie Lake Park in Aurora. The event, initially planned for April 25 to honor Earth Day, experienced a delay due to heavy rains, which raised water levels in the Fox River. As a result, the Fox Valley Park District rescheduled the clean-up to May 16.

Ivan Chambers, a community outreach coordinator for the Fox Valley Park District, emphasized the reasons behind the decision. “Due to the elevated levels on the Fox River and out of caution for the safety of the community and volunteers, postponing the event was necessary,” he explained.

The annual event, running for several years, has recently been held at both Montgomery Dam on the Fox River and Waubonsie Lake Park. Chambers noted, “With Montgomery, we’ve been working there for at least 10 years, and then we added Waubonsie. Generally, we average about 30 volunteers at each location.”

The clean-up focuses on removing trash and debris that accumulate along the waterways. Chambers highlighted the importance of these efforts: “Volunteering for these events creates visual improvements in public spaces, strengthens community connections, and enhances civic spaces. It helps protect the environment and builds community pride.”

“Most importantly, it creates an immediate visual impact,” he added.

Donna Smith, a volunteer from Aurora, assisted at Waubonsie Lake and recognized the significance of the event. “The clean-up is something we had to get done,” she stated, mentioning that they often find litter like candy wrappers and bottles along the shoreline.

Another volunteer, Theresa Solan, stressed the collective responsibility in maintaining the beauty of public spaces. “If we all pitch in, everything stays beautiful, and we can all enjoy it,” she said.

Angie Ng, from Oswego, participated in the clean-up for the first time since moving from Wisconsin. “I thought this would be nice as I enjoy the biking trails here,” Ng mentioned. “I like to exercise out here and want to keep the place beautiful.” Ng noted the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment from taking part in such community efforts.