Volunteers get ready to beautify West Dundee

West Dundee officials plan to recapture the enthusiasm residents showed last year for Earth Day and have another planting party on Saturday, April 30.

If village trustees are successful, an army of volunteers will attend the party to plant flowers and pick up litter along the Route 72 business district and along the Fox riverwalk.

Coordinator Trustee Becky Gillam said a dozen or so high school students, their families and neighbors have already agreed to donate their Saturday morning so the village is ready for summer.

“I've had people ask me when the cleanup day is going to be,” Gillam said. “This is something that people are starting to look forward to. Last year, we had from 40-50 people help us plant flowers and clean up gardens along the river.”

This year, the party will begin at 9 a.m. and go to noon. During those three hours, some volunteers will install flowers in the concrete planters on both sides of West Main Street. Others will trim shrubs, rake leaves and pick up discarded wrappers and bottles along the River's banks.

“This is the 41st anniversary of Earth Day. It's one of those days that shows when people work together and do something small, they make a big difference,” she said. “This year's slogan is ‘A Billion Acts of Green.'”

The actual Earth Day is April 22. It was started in 1970 to draw attention to the environment. As in West Dundee and across the nation, people are encouraged to plant flowers and shrubs and be caregivers of the planet at least for a day.

Last year, West Dundee's effort was so popular among residents that volunteers worked three days.

“We're hoping for the same response this year,” Gillam said. “Our first work day will be April 30. The second will be June 25 and (then) Aug. 27. If it rains on April 30, we will reschedule until May 7.”

Village officials will contact church groups, garden club members and principals of area schools to help with their Earth Day effort.

Residents who want to volunteer are asked to call Kim Tibbetts at the West Dundee village hall, (847) 551-3800. Also, they are asked to wear comfortable clothing, bring their own work gloves and planting and garden trimming tools.

And, residents will have an opportunity to adopt a concrete planter that was taken out of the business district last year. People who participate in the program will buy and install the flowers in them. Village officials then will put a sign in the planters identifying the families that adopted them.