The Valley of the Fox Group is one of 14 groups comprising the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club. Chartered in 1992, the group draws its membership from the Fox River Valley and the counties of Kane and Kendall. Also visit us at www.facebook.com/sierraclubvof.

Message From Our VOF Chair

Thanks to everybody who joined us for our hike and Box Lunch Picnic at Johnson’s Mound. Our hikes and outings are always a highlight of our program year.  This is one of the unique things about Sierra Club: we actually go out and enjoy the environment we are trying to protect. Like our slogan says: Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet.  

We had a great time in Springfield lobbying our legislators for the Power Act, our flagship bill that will help to regulate data centers in Illinois. Lobby Day is always so much fun, running around the state capital, trying to get our legislators to take time from their busy schedules to talk to us. We are proud and excited to say that Senator Karina Villa signed on to the bill right after our visit.

All our best to you and your family, 
Mavis Bates
630-605-9244

Upcoming Local Events
The Illinois Power Act:  Protecting Our Water, Energy, and Ratepayers from Data Center Impacts

REGISTER HERE
Monday, September 14 - 7:00 pm
Santori Aurora Public Library 

It’s Our Fox River Day

An initiative of Friends of the Fox River that aims to encourage and empower people to protect the quality of the Fox River and its tributaries. 

Saturday, September 19 - 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Please see this list for locations (there are many!)

For more information about our programs, please call Jan Mangers at 630-917-1779. 

Regional Events

Northern Illinois' natural gas monopoly Nicor has already raised our rates five times this past decade. Now they are trying to do it again! These rate increases have sent their corporate pay packages to the moon in recent years, just as the fossil-fuel driven climate crisis continues to escalate. On Tuesday, September 15, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is holding a public forum at Lake Park High School in Roselle. This is our opportunity to tell Illinois' regulators to stop rewarding the companies fueling our climate crisis. The time has come to end business as usual and turn Illinois towards a clean energy future. The hearing is scheduled from 6-8pm at 500 West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Roselle.  REGISTER HERE

Outings and Hikes

• Friday, September 25: Big Rock Forest Preserve — 10:00 am
• Saturday, October 3: Hike Burlington Prairie and View the Bison — 12:00 pm
• Sunday, November 1: Starved Rock, Fall Color Hike — 12:00 pm to 3:00 Meet at the visitors’ center
• Friday, November 20: Silver Springs State Park — 10:00 am

Conservation

Bliss Woods Clean-up Day
Fourth Saturday of every month — 9:00 am to 12 pm

Meet at the Templo Belem parking lot at 42w635 Kedeka Road. 
Dress appropriately for the weather with sturdy footwear and work gloves.

Communication and Engagement

We are always looking for new ways to communicate with you, our Valley of the Fox members, and let you know how you can get involved. We are eager to engage members of all ages. To let me know how we can better reach out to you, or to let us know your ideas for our group, please call me, Mavis Bates, at 630-605-9244 or email me at mavis@myinnerharmony.com.