Fort Sheridan Cleanup Set For Sept. 5 After Storm Delay

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Fort Sheridan beach cleanup postponed by storms and flooding has been rescheduled for the morning of Sept. 5 in Highland Park.

Go Green Deerfield, Go Green Highland Park and State Rep. Bob Morgan are hosting the annual Community Cleanup Day from 9 to 11 a.m. Sept. 5. Organizers said volunteers should meet at the Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, on the far east end of the parking lot.

If the lot is full, organizers said participants should use the Metra parking lot at Sheridan and Old Elm Road. Street parking is not allowed, according to the event information, and tickets may be issued by local police.

The cleanup had originally been planned for Aug. 1, but was postponed because of storms and flooding. Organizers described the event as family-friendly and said all supplies will be provided.

“Come lend a helping hand as we work together to keep our community clean and beautiful for our neighbors,” organizers said.

The event is part of the broader Adopt-A-Beach cleanup movement, which aims to make beaches along all of the Great Lakes cleaner and reduce plastic pollution affecting the water. The source material cites research and advocacy groups to explain why organizers say the work matters beyond one shoreline.

More than 22 million pounds of plastic pollution end up in the Great Lakes every year, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology. The Alliance for the Great Lakes also warned about the lasting effects of discarded plastic in the water.

“Plastic never really goes away. Instead, it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces known as ‘microplastics,’” the Alliance said.

According to the alliance, researchers have found high amounts of tiny plastic pieces in all five Great Lakes, which provide drinking water for 40 million people. Microplastics have been found in Great Lakes fish, drinking water, bottled water and beer.

People who want to attend can RSVP through the Adopt-A-Beach registration page.