Sheriff Dart and Friends of the Chicago River Join Forces to

Clean-Up the Ford Heights Community and River

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office co-hosted a volunteer community clean-up of the Deer Creek River in Ford Heights Village Thursday, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Friday Nov. 10, 2023.

Approximately 30 volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office and Friends of the Chicago River, an organization that works to improve the health of the Chicago River system, participated in the clean-up yesterday of the Chicago-Calumet River system, which is continually threatened by an influx of litter.

The Sheriff’s Office also provided supplies, administered safety education, and supported the clean-up for volunteers.

Since 2008, the Sheriff’s Office has been the primary law enforcement agency for south suburban Ford Heights assuming police duties 24/7 and providing ongoing outreach programs for citizens of the village, including safety education, support for senior citizens, holiday gift donations, and food drives.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart talks with volunteers during a cleanup of the Deer Creek River in Ford Heights Village Friday Nov. 10, 2023. Photo courtesy of Sheriff Tom Dart

“We’ve been invested in Ford Heights for more than 15 years, and maintaining a strong and active presence in Ford Heights is a top priority of this office,” said Sheriff Dart.

“This is an extremely underserved community, and I am always grateful to receive collaborative support from our partnerships to meet this goal.”

“Hands-on community clean-ups are a powerful way to connect with local residents and have an on the ground impact that improves their community, public health, and our natural areas such as Deer Creek which is a tributary to the Little Calumet River,” said Friends of the Chicago River Executive Director Margaret Frisbie.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office co-hosted a volunteer community clean-up of the Deer Creek River in Ford Heights Village yesterday, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Friday Nov. 10, 2023. Photo courtesy of Sheriff Tom Dart

“We were thrilled to work side by side with the volunteers who came out to help and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, which co-hosted this clean-up to support the people of Ford Heights. These kinds of events build community, camaraderie, and awareness of the problems litter pollution presents for people, water, and wildlife.”

Together, the volunteers collected and disposed approximately 8 tons of waste. The Sheriff’s Office and Friends of the Chicago River also thanked WM for providing essential disposal equipment for a safe and effective clean-up event.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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