Highland Park issues Arbor Day and Crime Victims’ Rights Week proclamations, highlights Blue Kids Month

Mayor Nancy Rotering used the April 13 meeting to present several community proclamations and event reminders, including Arbor Day, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and Blue Kids Month.

Arbor Day and trees: The mayor noted Highland Park’s 46th consecutive recognition as a Tree City USA community and acceptance of a growth award from the Arbor Day Foundation. She proclaimed April 25, 2026 as Arbor Day and promoted the city’s Arbor Day event on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Ravinia Festival West parking lot (301 Ravinia Park Road), which the proclamation said will offer more than 600 live native trees and shrubs for planting and community exhibits.

Crime Victims’ Rights Week: Rotering proclaimed April 2026 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, emphasizing victims’ rights to participate in the justice process and thanking Lake County victim-services partners, the city’s police social worker (Amy Bricker), resiliency specialist Jasmine Alejandro, and senior services social services specialist Rachel Treveras for their work.

Blue Kids Month: Officer Leslie Senos briefed the council on Blue Kids Month, an initiative of Blue Kids Lake County and the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center that provides resources, toolkits and events to promote child-abuse prevention. Senos noted resources are available at the county center’s website and at cityhpil.com/bluekids.

Other community notes: The mayor urged residents to participate in America250 events and announced the Volunteer Awards Ceremony on April 23 at Highland Park High School Auditorium at 6:30 p.m.

The proclamations were presented as acknowledgments and community outreach; no formal council action was required.