Events

Below is our list of upcoming environmental conservation events and river cleanups. You can browse our listings and register online. Not finding the event you are looking for? Then use our handy event search or click here for a downloadable version of our 2013 schedule!

Living Lands & Waters also participates in several other community events, that you can learn more about here.

Educator Workshops

Educational Teacher Workshops

In partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers, LL&W will be hosting FREE one-day workshops to educators (both traditional and non) on the Corps’ new curriculum and activities guide-Our Mississippi.  This curriculum is awesome—and aligned to each state on the Mississippi’s educational standards to make it as easy for teachers as possible.  In addition to curriculum training, LL&W spends some time in the field with each group—showing them first hand via our work boats, different facets of the River.  To take a sneak peak at the curriculum, visit:  http://www.meetingoftherivers.org/html/our_mississippi_files.html   Be sure to check out lesson 2.5 featuring our own, Chad Pregracke!!  And while the Curriculum is called “Our Mississippi”, much of the content pertains to the entire watershed, encompassing the Illinois and Ohio Rivers as well!

 

 

   To print or download a copy of our Educator Workshops Promotional Flyer, click HERE.

   If you are an educator and you would like to come aboard when we are in your area, please email us at workshops@livinglandsandwaters.org or call 309.236.0725.

Dates
  • Memphis, TN - March 01, 2013
  • St. Genevieve, MO - June 14, 2013
  • Cape Girardeau, MO - June 28, 2013
  • Rock Island, IL - August 05, 2013
  • Rock Island, IL - August 06, 2013
  • Quincy, IL - October 11, 2013
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Alternative Spring Break & Memphis Community Cleanups

Alternative Spring Break (ASB) is a great opportunity for students to assist with cleaning debris along the Mississippi River. This year we will be working in Memphis, TN. During ASB, students will focus their efforts on removing trash and sorting out recyclable materials. Students will traverse the Mississippi River both on foot and in boats while working with the Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) crew and other college students to remove debris (tires, appliances, barrels, etc.) that is polluting the rivers and impairing the habitat of indigenous fish, birds, and wildlife. LL&W will provide volunteers with all the necessary equipment for the cleanups including shovels, gloves, trash bags and life jackets. For more information, please contact Nora Coyne-Logan 309.236.0728.

ASB 2013 Detailed Flyer

Living Lands & Waters ASB Video

We will also be offering a limited number of scholarships for this event. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship please click here for more information and to fill out an application.

REGISTRATION FOR WEEK 2 (MARCH 10-15) IS NOW CLOSED. WE HAVE REACHED OUR MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERS!

Dates View
Tree Wrapping

LL&W will be needing volunteers in March to help package and prepare bare root saplings for delivery. For more information about the MillionTrees Project, please contact Ashley Stover or by phone at 309.737.5913.

2013 Tree Wrapping Flier

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Educational Student Workshops

LL&W will be hosting workshops,  for high school students (other groups welcome; inquire within) aboard our new floating classroom.  These FREE workshops will bring students to the river to learn about the value of fresh CLEAN water, waste reduction, and the importance of recycling—using the work and operations of LL&W as a visible example of their importance.  Further, LL&W staff have put together a “menu” of other river-related topics that span all disciplines and will work with each individual teacher to cater a portion of the workshop to meet the needs of the students and their classroom curricula.  The workshops are fun.  They’re free.  And they’ll hopefully leave each student inspired to make a difference.

 If you are a teacher and you would like to bring your class aboard when we are in your area, please contact us by email workshops@livinglandsandwaters.org or by phone 309.236.0725.

To print or download a copy of our Student Workshops Promotional Flyer, click HERE.

Community Action Student Scholarship Application
Are you an active student leader in your community?  If so, Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) wants to know how you have helped to make your community a better place to live.  We want to reward two students for their community activism with a chance to win a $500 scholarship. These scholarships are open to all junior high and high school students who complete the application in full.  The winners will be selected by LL&W’s staff, which bases their decisions primarily on the submitted personal statement.  There will be two winners selected to receive an award the winners will be chosen and notified by May 31, 2013 and November 30, 2013.

For questions, please contact us at workshops@livinglandsandwaters.org or call us at 309.236.0725.

To fill out an application please follow the link below! 

Community Action Student Scholarship Application

Dates View Register
Great Mississippi River Cleanup

As Chad grew up on the Mississippi River, he has always said that the Mississippi will be Living Lands & Waters’ first love and focus. To honor our roots on the “Father of Waters”, we host a series of regional cleanups throughout the summer as part of our annual Great Mississippi River Cleanup (GMRC).

From St. Paul, Minnesota to St. Louis, Missouri, our crews hit the riverbanks, leading volunteers and community supporters up and down the banks of the Mighty Mississippi. In its inaugural year we hosted 19 cleanup sites simultaneously! Click here to see the 2012 GMRC results!

We're always looking to add more cities to the cleanup but are dependent on good site coordinators to make it happen.  If you're interested, please check out the Site Coordinator Duties and get in touch!

For more information about the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, please contact Project Coordinator, Nora Coyne-Logan 309.236.0728 or Project Assistant, Justine Lentz 530.227.7889.

If you are interested in participating in a Quad Cities river cleanup location as part of the annual XStream Cleanup on August 8, 2013, please visit www.xstreamcleanup.org for more information and to register!

Did you participate in a Great Mississippi River Cleanup site in 2012? Please let us know how your experience was by filling out the survey here!

Dates View Register
Ohio River Cleanups

We are looking for volunteers to help us cleanup up the Ohio River. Cleanups will take place in May and exact locations are still TBD.

For more information please contact, Nora Coyne-Logan 309.236.0728.

Dates
  • Paducah, KY - May 03, 2013
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Educational Leader Luncheons

Coming to a River Near You…

FREE Educational Leader Luncheons aboard Living Lands & Water’s’ Floating Classroom

Attention all Educational Leaders: Living Lands & Waters, Chad Pregracke’s river cleanup organization, is coming to your town and we would like to invite superintendents, administrators, principals, and teachers to a FREE luncheon aboard our barge.


In 2011, we finished construction of our brand new floating classroom and river cleanup headquarters.  We would like to offer you an exciting opportunity to tour our floating classroom and facility, and learn about our on-the-river educational workshops and ways to get students and teachers involved.  Our goal is to expose educators and students to a variety of river-related educational topics with the intention of inspiring, empowering, and engaging them in activities that will enhance their learning, help to assist them in mastering the content of their classroom, and promote stewardship of our waterways.

If you or a group would like to attend an educational leader luncheon please email us at workshops@livinglandsandwaters.org or call 309.236.0725.

Dates
  • Chester, IL - June 21, 2013
  • Rock Island, IL - August 16, 2013
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Illinois River Cleanup

Throughout the season, we'll be hosting cleanups from Channahon, IL all the way down to Grafton, IL. Dates for the 2013 season are still TBD.

Questions? Please contact Nora Coyne-Logan 309.496.9848.

Dates
  • - July 15, 2013 to July 31, 2013
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Starved Rock Cleanup

WOW!  We already have all the volunteers we need for this cleanup!  Hopefully we can work together soon!

For more information, please contact Tammy Becker  309.236.0725.

Dates
  • Utica, IL - July 17, 2013
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Barge Party

SAVE THE DATE! 

12th Annual LL&W Barge Party

When:  August 8, 2013
Time:  5:30pm-9pm
Where: Schwiebert Park, Rock Island, IL

Festivities include:

  • FISH FRY & SHRIMP BOIL DINNER
  • BARGE TOURS
  • LIVE MUSIC
  • SILENT ART AUCTION
  • CASH BAR
  • MEET & GREET THE LL&W CREW

Tickets go on sale in July so be sure to check back!

Donate to LL&W’s Art Auction. Entry Forms being accepted now and must be turned in by July 26, 2013. As a token of our appreciation, all artists will receive 1 complimentary ticket to the party.

About the Auction:

‘Elements’ - an *Environmental Art Theme. This year we are going back to the roots of the art auction and pushing forward with a titled show. Artists are asked to submit work that uses theme or materials directly in their work, or conceptually. Examples could include book art, found object or readymade art, a sculpture made of drift wood, functional pieces for the home or garden or craft made from reuse materials, quilts, paintings on found objects or painted with eco-friendly materials, salvaged material metal work, or even plant art.

**FYI Artists please note... you can donate 1 piece or 5... it’s up to you. Works that have minimum bids of $15.00 - $150.00 in the past have generated the best interest. If you do not put a minimum bid, we will be happy to do so for you.

Questions about the theme, entry form, special needs for hanging or display or about your project?
Email Heidi Sallows at hmspina4productions@gmail.com or Sarah Robb at Sarahrobb15@yahoo.com

Dates
  • Rock Island, IL - August 08, 2013
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