HELP!! CRITICAL NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS
Chicago River Day & Big Fish Ball Projects

With two MAJOR events right around the corner, Friends' needs a bunch of
volunteers to help  with mailing nights and packing nights for both the Big
Fish Ball and Chicago River Day.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE see if you can spare
time for one or two of these dates

As an incentive to entice more volunteers, all volunteers will entered into
a drawing for one of two hotel packages!  (See details below.)

CHICAGO RIVER DAY
River Day is right around the corner - Saturday, May 13th.  There are two
crucial needs for volunteers.

Wednesday, May 10th = Packing Night
LOCATION - Fletcher Chicago, 1000 N. North Branch Street.  
TIME - 5:30 - 8 p.m.
JOB DESCRIPTION - Packing night is the Wednesday before River Day.  We will
be packing a box for every site that will have volunteers working the
following Saturday.  We will be packing t-shirts, garbage bags, gloves,
sponsor giveaways and more for all 66 sites.  
PERKS - All volunteers will receive a dinner, snacks and beer for their
efforts.  Also, volunteers can get their Chicago River Day t-shirts
featuring the Red Fox.  
RSVP - Call Cynthia (312) 939-0490, ext. 13 or cfox@chicagoriver.org.  RSVP
is highly encouraged so we can order enough food and give proper directions
or arrange your transportation.  

**HOTEL DRAWING**
Everyone who volunteers for packing night will be entered into a drawing for
a 1-night hotel stay for two people at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.
I'M NOT KIDDING.  If 10 people show up, those are the 10 people we will
chose from.  You can't beat those odds with a stick!  Volunteers must commit
to a minimum of 2 hours of work to qualify.


Saturday, May 13th = Festival Setup and Preparation
LOCATION - River Park, 5100 N. Francisco
TIME - 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.  (We ask people to commit to a 3 hour block of time.
Not all 6 hours.)
JOB DESCRIPTION - The Festival is Friends' way of thanking the volunteers
who will have spent the morning cleaning riverbanks, planting seeds,
repairing nature trails and more.  We need an army of people to help with
the setup the food tent, the supply tent area and the tables and chairs for
the environmental booths.  
PERKS - All volunteers will receive lunch, an event t-shirt featuring the
Red Fox and a FREE canoe ride.  (The canoe rides are based on availability
and you must sign-up day of).  The Festival itself will be loads of fun with
live music by The Stoneflys, lots of environmental booths, and other fun
activities for all.   


BIG FISH BALL
The Big Fish Ball is Friends' newest event that will be our annual gala
fundraiser.  Being super swanky and all that jazz, the Big Fish Ball has a
variety of tasks that need to be filled some sooner and some day-of.  See
the critical areas below.

Invitation Mailing Nights -- THREE DATES
Wednesday, May 3rd and  Thursday, May 4th --- 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 7th  --- 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
LOCATION - Friends of the Chicago River offices, 407 S. Dearborn, Suite 1580
JOB DESCRIPTION - Friends needs at least 15 people each night to help
address and get out the invitations to the Big Fish Ball.  There is a grand
total of 4,500 invitations that need to be hand-addressed, personalized with
notes and mailed out.  We need at least half of the group to have good
handwriting for the notes and addresses.  Others will be stuffing, stamping
and whatever else is needed to get the invites out.
PERKS - All volunteers will receive a food and snacks for their efforts plus
the hotel drawing.
RSVP -- Call Cynthia (312) 939-0490, ext. 13 or cfox@chicagoriver.org.  
RSVP is highly encouraged because the building will be closed when you
arrive.  We will need to give you the code to enter the building.  Walkups
are acceptable but you will need to contact the staff person in charge that
evening.  We will post a sign in the lobby with the number to call.

**HOTEL & DINNER DRAWING**
Everyone who volunteers to help with the Big Fish Ball Mailing Nights will
be entered into a drawing for a 1-night hotel stay with luxury
accommodations  at the Hyatt Regency Chicago AND dinner for two in Stetson's
Chop House located in the Hyatt Regency.  The volunteers from all three
nights will be entered into a drawing.  If a volunteer shows up for all
three nights, the volunteer will have three entries in the drawing.
Volunteers must commit to a minimum of 2 hours of work to qualify.

Thanks to all!!!

Cyn

~~~
Cynthia Fox, Manager of Stewardship and Volunteer Programs
Friends of the Chicago River
407 South Dearborn, Suite 1580
Chicago, Illinois 60605-1119
P 312-939-0490, ext. 13
F 312-939-0931
www.chicagoriver.org

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