Five community organizations and groups have been awarded a total of $7,745 to support regional environmental and conservation projects, in the annual Judy Beck Grant program, the Glenview Park District announced.
Cool Learning Experience was awarded $5,000 to support a spring break program designed to teach middle school students about the Pike-Root Watershed, nearby lakefront ravines and watershed advocacy, according to a news release.
This program will illuminate an often-overlooked aspect of the local environment, recognizing its significance and devising strategies for preservation and enhancement for ongoing environmental stewardship, the release said. Cool Learning Experience was formed as an anti-poverty initiative providing science-based environmental education and activities for kids during days off of school when parents are working.
Greener Glenview was awarded $1,000 to support hosting a Clean Energy Technology & Conservation Fair (identified as a “working” title by a project team member), according to the release.
This event will aim to educate the public on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money on energy costs, and create a more healthful home environment through electrification of our energy supply, homes, and cars, the release said. Greener Glenview is a not-for-profit with a mission to protect and enhance the environment, both natural and built, for ourselves and future generations.
Mitch Ransdell was awarded $400 to support a local volunteer project affectionately named “River Rats Cleanup”. A staff member at The Grove, Ransdell noticed the vast amount of garbage in the Des Plaines River while on a hike, the release said.
According to the release, he and a friend loaded their car with wet boots, pitchforks, and milk crates and headed to Camp Pine Woods to begin cleaning the area up. The trash has included items dating to the 1940s and has become an eyesore for those taking recreation in the area and an impediment to local wildlife. Having finished cleaning the Camp Pine Woods section, Ransdell plans to lead volunteers to continue the work along the North Branch of the Chicago River.
Boy Scout Troop 55 was awarded $500 for tree seedling distribution at Glenview Summer Fest. Through this outreach, they hope to encourage the growth of trees in Glenview through awareness and education about the environmental benefits of having more trees within the community, the release said.
The cost of the grant will help support the purchase of 200-250 tree seedlings, pots, soil, and printing for informational materials. Boy Scout Group 55 was founded in 1926 and is the oldest troop in Glenview.
In 2020, The Beck Family Foundation and Hurvis Family launched the Judy Beck Grant program to support generations of new conservation leaders to continue the great work and legacy of building and strengthening our local community, according to the release.
A dedicated environmentalist, Judy Beck served as a park board commissioner for 32 years, and was a village natural resources commissioner and member of the Glenview/Glencoe League of Women Voters, the release said. In addition to her local leadership, Beck also worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for 30 years, served as the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) Board President in 1994, and was named IAPD Commissioner of the Year in 1996.
