It takes a church to clean a river ... the United Methodist Church and the Des Plaines River, that is.

On Sunday, June 28, 18 members of Oak Park-River Forest Methodist churches gathered at the river - not "where bright angels' feet have trod," as the old hymn goes, but where thoughtless clods have tossed all manner of trash, from beer cans and Styrofoam coffee cups to fast-food containers and the occasional spork.

Working in Thatcher Woods, along Chicago Avenue, and in the river itself (thanks to Gordon Hanson's canoe and his amazing swimming dog), the volunteers collected bags of refuse and helped bring our local natural treasure a little closer to cleanliness (and godliness).

Many thanks to staff of the Forest Preserve of Cook County and Trailside Museum, as well as all volunteers: Clarisse Donini-Lenhoff, Gordon Hanson, Jose Ojeda, Jerry Hills, Rev. Char Hoffmann, Fred Lenhoff, Chris Majrzak, Cindy Rakers, Judy Sora (River Forest United Methodist Church), Rev. Edgar and Nancy Hiestand and youth (First United Methodist Church of Oak Park), Rev. Harriette Cross (Cornerstone United Methodist Church), Doug Dixon, and high school youth from Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church.

Fred Donini-Lenhoff
River Forest