Please join us in helping to keep Chicago beaches beautiful and help the environment! Make a difference and have fun!

This is the 25th Anniversary for this event so it will be a special one! This is an effort held around the world on Sep. 25th to improve beach & water quality. This is a big event that will attract hundreds of people, and there will be other groups in attendance along with ours.

We will be joining our forces at The International Adopt-A-Beach Clean Up with REI and The Sierra Club. Every volunteer who signs up with REI will receive a free "Get Dirty" volunteer t-shirt. Sign up with REI at http://www.rei.com/Ad.... Make sure to stop by the REI Tent at Montrose Beach to sign the participation waiver and to pick up your t-shirt!

This beach clean-up is important because everything that is picked up will be documented and weighed. The data is sent to the Ocean Conservancy for its special Great Lakes section in their annual report on the condition of the world's beaches. The data we collect will also significantly determine the facts and totals of trash collected for Chicago's data point in the report!

The event will focus on cleaning up Montrose Beach from 9:00 am to noon. There will also be opportunities to participate in the only dunes habitat restoration in Chicago and tours of the very special dunes area throughout the morning, a designated Illinois Natural Area which hosts rare plants and many migrant and nesting birds. A nature walk will show you how special this rare habitat really is. In addition to seeing migrant and nesting birds, really cool dune plants and maybe a coyote, we may get a glimpse of the beaver that is living inside the pier!

This event is great for groups, families and kids and an opportunity to learn! So invite your friends and bring your families! There will also be free T-shirts for volunteer's compliments of Sierra Club and REI!

Whole Foods will also be there to provide FREE healthy snacks and a breakfast at 9:00am!

You may come for all or part of the work period. Dress for the weather, wear a hat and sunscreen, bring a reusable water bottle and work gloves if you have them.

Please use "Talk about this Meetup" area in the bottom of the event page to offer/ask for rides or to post any questions/comments.