FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Contact: Hannah Flath, hannahlee.flath@sierraclub.org, 860-634-0225
ALTON, IL -- On Saturday, July 9, the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois, Community Cultivators, and the Village of Godfrey will host a Pollinator Party at the Jaime Hines Prairie at LaVista Park in Godfrey in honor of the region’s ongoing work to protect pollinators and create a culture of conservation. During the Pollinator Party, community artists will unveil the Prairie Portal—an outdoor sculpture designed by Merrilyn Shoemaker and fabricated by Tom Cundiff—and guests will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of prairies and pollinators like Monarch butterflies. Community members and activists are invited to register for the pollinator party at bit.ly/pollinatorparty22.
“The Jaime Hines Prairie at LaVista is in its third year of growth thanks to Godfrey resident and native plant enthusiast Trevor Bennett. He worked with the Village of Godfrey's Parks and Recreation Department to establish phase one of the prairie,” said Christine Favilla, co-Coordinator of the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois. “We are proud to support the movement across Illinois to stop the decline of Monarchs and other pollinators by supporting policies and practices that protect these critical species and their habitats. Sierra Club Illinois aims to educate and inform community members about the importance of pollinators, and this beautiful sculpture is an incredible educational instrument to that end.”
Community Cultivators and the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois funded the design and construction of the beautiful sculpture at the Jaime Hines Prairie as part of their efforts to restore the biodiversity and ecology of Illinois’ pollinator landscapes. Sierra Club and Community Cultivators will continue to plant native plants, maintain the prairie, and educate local residents through additional programming. Interpretive signage will be installed at the Prairie later this summer so that community members can learn about the sculpture itself as well as the importance of pollinators and prairies in Illinois.
“I originally suggested this project in 2020 and am proud to have championed and supported the project throughout the process,” said Janet Riehl, local artist and advocate. “The Prairie Portal shows us how beauty and function come together to give us a powerful ecological message on the importance of native habitat and pollination.”
Join the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois, Community Cultivators, and the Village of Godfrey on Saturday, July 9 at 9:30 for the Pollinator Party! Children’s activities will be offered from 9:30 to 10:00am and the sculpture unveiling and ceremony will take place at 10:00am. Light refreshments will be provided. Register to attend at bit.ly/pollinatorparty22.