Congratulations to Marianne Logsdon, the $500 cash prize winner who entered our rubber-duck race to support restoration at West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve in West Chicago. Her prize-winning pintail crossed the finish line first in a duck race on September 22, 2018 at Spring Brook at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville.
Logsdon donated $250 — or half of her duck race winnings from sponsor the DuPage County chapter of Pheasants Forever — to tackle the removal of woody trees and shrubs at 6 acres of habitat at West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve. This restoration project is just one of the Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s philanthropic projects.
The Friends of the Forest Preserve District sold 100 rubber ducks at $20 per piece — for a total of $2,250 — to support the restoration project at the recent “Night For Nature” benefit for wild areas and wildlife.
One hundred ducks were sold to support habitat restoration. Image © Larry Larson, Friends of the Forest Preserve District Ambassador Circle
DuPage County Pheasants Forever President Gary DeCata dumps the rubber ducks into Spring Brook. Image © Larry Larson, Friends Ambassador Circle
The rubber ducks round a Spring Brook bend. Image © Larry Larson, Friends Ambassador Circle
Proceeds from the duck race go towards the Friends of the Forest Preserve District’s goal to raise $7,000 to support the West Chicago Prairie project. The Friends have already raised $3,406 towards that goal. To make a tax-deductible donation toward the project, visit the priority projects page.
The Friends of the Forest Preserve District also received a Community Stewardship Challenge Grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to restore the 6 acres of habitat. The ICECF will donate $3 up to $21,000 for every $1 raised by the Friends. The foundation will contribute an additional $4,000 if volunteers at the preserve log 400 hours before October 2019.
The forest preserve was eligible for the grant because of the active support of the West Chicago Prairie Stewardship Group, the nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to helping the high-quality site. The Friends of the Forest Preserve District, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, advances the vision of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County through philanthropic endeavors and raises financial support to benefit 60 forest preserves.
Some of the 100 ducks race to the finish downstream. Image © Larry Larson, Friends Ambassador Circle
Three pintail ducks finish first, second and third in the 32-minute race: first — Marianne Logsdon (53), second — Allison Finn (47) and third — Sandy Fejt (2). Image © Larry Larson, Friends Ambassador Circle
Watch highlights from the duck race, and see pintail 53 swim to the finish.