The Kane County Forest Preserve District is inviting the public to participate in a volunteer clean-up of the Fabyan Windmill, at 1500 Crissey Ave. in Geneva, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 17.
Staff and volunteers will get the windmill ready to open for the season by sweeping floors, polishing windows and assisting with general cleaning throughout the structure, according to a press release from the Kane County Forest Preserve District.
Activities will focus on preparing the interior from top to bottom, ensuring the site is ready to welcome visitors, the release said. Cleaning activities will wrap-up around noon, followed by a lunch provided by the Forest Preserve District.
Participants at the event will have the opportunity to learn more about the site and how to get involved as a volunteer miller for the upcoming season, officials said.
The windmill will be open to the public from noon to 3 p.m. on Sundays, June 7 through Sept. 27, according to the district. Visitors can step inside the fully-restored Dutch windmill and learn about its history and engineering, officials said.
For more information about the Fabyan Windmill, volunteer opportunities or other Forest Preserve District programs, go to www.kaneforest.com.
Bike rodeo planned in Geneva
Families are invited to bring their children and their bicycles for a day of fun, education and safety at the Geneva Bike Rodeo, event organizers said.
The free event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 17, at the Wheeler Park north parking lot, 822 N. First St. in Geneva.
At the event, children can participate in bike education led by the Geneva Police Department and local experts, according to organizers. Activities will include skill testing at the bike safety riding course, free safety checks and a repair station hosted by a local bike shop, a helmet fitting station with Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, safety education regarding bike and pedestrian rules and more.
The event is sponsored by the city of Geneva’s Bike and Pedestrian Committee, which is comprised of community volunteers focused on promoting a safe, walkable and rideable Geneva.
Students take part in climate contest
Several area students took part in Accelerate Climate Solution’s third annual Building Leadership Around Sustainable Transformation, or BLAST, competition, which encourages students to create solutions to address climate change and sustainability.
First place in the competition and a $1,000 prize went to Ian Wang, of Naperville, and Oscar Lee, of Northbrook, who are students at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora.
Their project, OPIS: Oil Pipeline Impact Simulation, created an interactive app that simulates the environmental and economic impacts of oil pipeline spills, a news release from Naperville-based Accelerate Climate said. Their app took complex data and transformed it into a user-friendly tool for the public and policymakers, the release said.
In second place and earning $500 were Oyuka Battulga, Stephanie Jiang and Sunny Friedman from Glenbrook South High School. Third-place winners of a $250 prize were Talia Robinson and Andrew Sandoval from Romeoville High School.
An honorable mention prize of $100 went to an Illinois Math and Science Academy team consisting of Eric Chen and Nikhil Baman, of Dunlap, Isaac Lee, of Champaign, and Matthew Park, of Northbrook. They plan to partner with Naperville Park District on their project, RideCrew, which creates a carpool app to make getting around easier while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the release said.
