Journal & Topics Media Group

‘Partnering Through StoryWalks’

Unveiling Marks Merging Of 2 Rotary Clubs

The Rotary Club of River Cities has donated permanent signage for the StoryWalk at the Nature Preserve in Prospect Heights.

The Rotary Club of River Cities was formed by the merging of the Rotary clubs of Des Plaines and Mount Prospect/Prospect Heights. In keeping with one of Rotary International’s goals to support literacy, the Rotary Club of River Cities donated permanent signage for the StoryWalk at the Nature Preserve in Prospect Heights, a project of the local library and park districts.

A celebration of these local partnerships and the unveiling of the permanent StoryWalk is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at 101 Elm St. in Prospect Heights.

The community is welcome to join members of the River Cities Rotary and staff from both the library and park districts at the Nature Preserve for hot cider and cookies at this celebration. Each child will receive a free book at the event while supplies last.

“The Rotary Club is proud to donate the signage to encourage literacy in an innovative manner,” Rotary Club President Steve Pokrak said.

The StoryWalk concept was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and was developed with the help of Rachel Senechal of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

“It encourages people of all ages to get out and walk while enjoying children’s books,” Prospect Heights Public Library Executive Director Alex Todd said. “This fosters family bonding to early literacy, connections to nature and community building.”

This StoryWalk began as a pilot project with the Prospect Heights Library and park district in 2018. A series of signs featuring sequential spreads from a children’s picture book, allowing readers to follow along with a story by walking was erected. As people stroll along the path, they’re directed to the next page in the story. Each page of a children’s book was enlarged, laminated and attached to over a dozen lawn signs and placed along the perimeter of the nature preserve.

The StoryWalk has been well received by the community so the temporary lawn signs have been replaced with permanent stationary sign holders donated by the Rotary Club of River Cities. The children’s stories will be changed quarterly and families can walk along the gravel path and read to their child or have their child read to them. The community can enjoy this free service every day of the year.

Once one sees the StoryWalk, take a hike through the nature preserve, located north of Lions ball field and tennis courts and east of the Prospect Heights Library. In 2017, with a matching Green Regions ComEd grant, the city of Prospect Heights and the park district funded creation of the nature preserve.

The Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission transformed overgrown, underutilized two-acre parcel behind the Gary Morava Recreation Center in Prospect Heights into this nature preserve. With help from local Eagle Scout Sam Sobczak of Arlington Heights Troop 468, and numerous volunteers, a stepping stone bridge was built, 650 ft. of trail was laid, a natural staircase was built, and over 2,000 natural species plugs were planted.

“Its location is ideal for the Prospect Heights park and library districts and Eisenhower School to host educational programs at the nature preserve,” Prospect Heights Park District Executive Director Christina Ferraro said.

The Rotary Club of River Cities welcomes guests to attend lunch meetings at noon on the second and fourth Mondays at the Holiday Inn, 200 E. Rand Rd. in Mount Prospect.

 

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