GLIN==> Adopt-a-Beach Press Conference in Chicago Saturday

Alliance for the Great Lakes

Friday, Sept. 18,2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Stephanie Smith: 312-497-1049
ssmith at greatlakes.org


Media Advisory: September Adopt-a-Beach™ Press Conference in Chicago Saturday

A press conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 at Chicago’s North Avenue
Beach to launch the September Adopt-a-Beach™ cleanup, the same day thousands are
expected to converge on Great Lakes beaches for the annual Alliance event.

Congressman Mike Quigley and Marc Miller, Illinois Department of Natural Resources director,
will join acting Alliance President Joel Brammeier in kicking off the cleanup. Representatives of the Ocean Conservancy and Bank of America will also deliver comments.

The Alliance hopes to build on last year's record-breaking participation of 6,191 volunteers in
three states, an increase of 2,000 volunteers -- or nearly 50 percent -- from the prior year’s
total.

"The September Adopt-a-Beach™ event is something everyone can do to help their communities and themselves,” said Stephanie Smith, education program director for the Alliance.

Dates and times for the event – which is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal
Cleanup and takes place in Michigan, Illinois and Indiana -- may vary depending upon location.

"Trash is one of the most widespread pollution problems threatening our oceans, lakes and
rivers, yet it's entirely preventable," said Dianne Sherman, director of the International Coastal Cleanup. “On a single day each year, volunteers from around the world remove debris from beaches and waterways -- keeping track of every piece of trash they find.”

Volunteers last year cleared away nearly 25,000 pounds of trash from 185 locations in Illinois,
Indiana and Michigan. Adopt-a-Beach™ volunteers also collected and entered data into a
regional database the Alliance uses to identify the most common types of beach litter, and
which forms the basis of an educational campaign to discourage public littering on beaches.

Congressman Quigley stressed the importance of the program’s ground-level volunteer work.
“Each and every volunteer helps make these beaches the clean and safe environments we
cherish,” he said. “I will continue to keep my sleeves rolled up to join you in local cleanups
whenever possible.”

Noting the Great Lakes are the largest freshwater source in the world and a one-time gift from
the last glacial period, IDNR Director Marc Miller said “Keeping them clean is everyone’s
responsibility, so that future generations will enjoy them just as we do today.”

The Illinois and Indiana events are supported by Brunswick Public Foundation, Bank of America,
ITW Hi-Cone, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Searle Fund at the Chicago
Community Trust, the Grand Victoria Foundation, the Field Foundation of Illinois Inc., Scotts
Miracle-Gro, Aveda, Dr. Scholl, and in partnership with park districts along the shoreline.

“We recognize that the health of our business is linked to the health and vitality of the
communities we serve,” said Tim Maloney, Illinois president of Bank of America. “We are
proud to partner with Ocean Conservancy and Alliance for the Great Lakes. Last year hundreds
of our associates volunteered to pick up trash along beaches and waterways at ICC events
around the globe, and we’re pleased to take part again this year.”

For more information on the Illinois cleanup, see http://www.greatlakes.org/adoptabeach.

###

Formed in 1970, the Alliance for the Great Lakes is the oldest independent citizens' organization in North America. Its mission is to conserve and restore the world's largest freshwater resource using policy, education and local efforts, ensuring a healthy Great Lakes and clean water for generations of people and wildlife. More about the Alliance for the Great Lakes is online at www.greatlakes.org.


Susan Campbell
Communications Manager
Alliance for the Great Lakes
414-540-0699
Visit http://www.greatlakes.org




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