UPDATE

The riverbank workday was delayed due to rain.

but the rain’s passed and a few people are on the riverbank gardening and will stay till 11.

on this quiet rainy morning. BYO clippers if you have them..

There’s a riverbank workday Sunday morning 9-11ish

9am coffee and flower walk, learn the flowers in bloom and in seed this time of year.

then, weeds, seed gathering, and clearing the path.

no update about Waters Ecology for now.

For those wanting news, please be patient. thank you.

Dear community, This is a true call for support, for solidarity with Riverbank Neighbors and Waters Garden, because the ability of the community to protect Waters Garden from destruction, the ability for Pete Leki to continue to take the next generation of students to the lake, the forest, the river, the garden, and to learn to be intelligent and strong forces for a healthy future for themselves on this planet, all of this work is under true threat, true peril.

Chicago Public Schools have destroyed parts of the garden time and again. The community has had to rise up over and over, to protect the garden, stealing our family and work time.

The Waters Ecology and Riverbank Neighbors community are intertwined and have shared common communities, common organizers, shared shovels and work ethics. We both are advocates for justice, environmental and social justice. We are activists, advocating for clean water (the river/lake), clean air (solidarity/hunger strike with General Iron protestors), clean land (in so many ways), and for protection and support for those of us in need, disempowered by the forces that be.

There isn’t time to fully explain the present peril. Envision the best of the riverbank and waters community and then envision our last steward gone, replaced by a low-paid part time contractor employed and controlled by CPS. If you want to take action, here are some ideas:

1. Pete Leki invites you to the garden this morning 10-12. Please email him if you can come early or on time and help set up. PeteLekisan@gmail.com
2. Write a letter of support. Or at least, quickly email that you are looking for ways to come together.
3. Make a note to read the news coming your way from Pete in coming days.

It’s exhausting to fight these battles. But, if we shy away, what is good will be left unprotected. I ask Riverbank Neighbors far and wide, and long out of touch, please write to Pete. Let him know you are there. This isn’t just about him and what he does, it’s about what he enables the community to do at the Riverbank and in the places where he is one of the last stewards standing.

~from other stewards of the Riverbank

Dear Neighbors, I’m putting Election day on our google calendar.

I’m inviting you all to do the same. Actually, as some of you know, we’ve got quite a few people in the neighborhood who’ve spent most of their lives volunteering for campaigns, so they would advise us to reflect on our commitment to having a good result in the next election .. how much does it matter? Would you like to join a group that is working together to make a difference? There are many good organizations to join, working for causes you believe in, of course.

People who work on campaigns and advocacy spend time in weeks and months before elections, making phone calls, going door to door, and working on elections. Maybe some of you would like to share your experiences. I’d like to find a way to share your stories. Please let me know. Jules