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Downers Grove proclaims April 18 as River Sweep 2026; Conservation Foundation asks residents to register
Summary
The village council declared April 18 River Sweep 2026 Day and presented a proclamation to the Conservation Foundation; the countywide cleanup has recorded more than 16,000 volunteers removing over 300 tons of debris since 1991. Amy Phillips asked residents to register before April 6.
Downers Grove’s village council on March 10 proclaimed Saturday, April 18, 2026, as River Sweep 2026 Day and presented the proclamation to representatives of the Conservation Foundation.
Acting Mayor Leslie Sidowski Fugat read the proclamation noting DuPage County’s long-running stream cleanup partnership and the role municipal volunteers play in preserving waterways. The proclamation cited countywide figures that more than 16,000 volunteers have removed over 300 tons of debris from DuPage County waterways since 1991.
Amy Phillips, DuPage County programs director at the Conservation Foundation, accepted the proclamation and thanked the village for continuing to host local collection points. “On behalf of our staff and our volunteers and our trustees, we appreciate partners like the village of Downers Grove,” Phillips said, and urged residents considering participation to register in advance: “We do like you to register before April 6th.”
The council’s proclamation listed five Downers Grove sweep locations — Dunham wetland near Lamont, Apprentice Creek from Dunham to Springside, the Wetland Bank at 40th and Glen Denning, Valley View Pond, and St. Joseph’s Creek on Webster — and encouraged resident volunteers to sign up through the Conservation Foundation’s registration page. The council noted a staff liaison will be present at each site.
The village did not take any formal votes tied specifically to funding for the sweep during the meeting; the proclamation is a ceremonial recognition and public outreach tool. For volunteer details, the Conservation Foundation web page listed in the proclamation includes registration instructions and location assignments.
