RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 4, 2025
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RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners honoring Friends of the Chicago River for winning the Thiess International River Prize
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WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago are pleased to recognize organizations that have made transformative contributions to environmental stewardship, river restoration, climate resilience, and public service to Cook County; and
WHEREAS, on September 10, 2025, Friends of the Chicago River (Friends) was awarded the prestigious Thiess International River Prize by the International River Foundation at the International River Symposium in Brisbane, Australia; and
WHEREAS, established in 1999, the Thiess International River Prize is an esteemed award for river restoration and management, honoring trailblazing organizations that advance lasting ecological, social, and economic benefits worldwide; and
WHEREAS, since its founding in 1979, Friends of the Chicago River has worked as the only organization exclusively dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Chicago River, in partnership with community members, government agencies, scientists, educators, and volunteers to support the restoration and protection of the 156-mile Chicago-Calumet River system; and
WHEREAS, Friends of the Chicago River was selected as the 2025 winner from a distinguished group of finalists including Cumbria Rivers of the United Kingdom, the Klamath River of the United States, and the Vjosa River of Albania, all recognized for pioneering watershed-scale interventions; and
WHEREAS, through its dedicated staff and volunteers under the leadership of Executive Director Margaret Frisbie, Friends contributes to education, outreach, hands-on stewardship, and policy initiatives that engage more than 60,000 people annually and help strengthen regional efforts to improve water quality, support biodiversity, and build climate resilience; and
WHEREAS, the ongoing preservation of the Chicago-Calumet River system reflects the combined efforts of residents, businesses, scientists, government agencies, and nonprofit leaders who unite behind a shared vision of ecological renewal, environmental justice, and civic pride; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, do hereby recognize the awarding of the 2025 Thiess International River Prize to Friends of the Chicago River as a testament to the collective stewardship of the Chicago-Calumet watershed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to Friends of the Chicago River as a symbol of our congratulations, support, and pride in their international Achievement.
Dated: December 4, 2025