Fishing party, from left, Klara Humenikova, sister Sara, Erik Timko and instructor Joe Kruczek prepare for day of fishing [Photo from 2017]
19th annual Wolf Lake Wetlands, Wind & Water Festival
Contributed By:The 411 News
Fishing lessons, nature hikes, and learning about the Wolf Lake watershed from Hammond to Avenue O
Youngsters will learn to fish and families will take nature hikes to view spring wildflowers on Saturday, May 25 on the first day of AWLI’s 19th annual Wolf Lake Bi-State Wetlands, Wind & Water festival.
Free to the public, the festival is sponsored by the Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative (AWLI).
The fishing clinic, with instructors Joe Kruczek, Jim Buiter and other members of the Izaak Walton League, begins at 10 a.m. at Wolf Lake’s old beach area in Hammond. Vanessa Villarreal of the US Army Corps of Engineers will provide information on water safety.
At 11:30 a.m., Joan Crist, coach of the Calumet College of St. Joseph (CCSJ) rowing crew, will give a rowing demonstration. She is associate professor of theology at the school.
The morning session of AWLI’s festival begins at 9 a.m. with the honoring of poster winners at the Environmental Education Center. At 10 a.m., a hike led by Dr. Young Choi will leave the Center to view migrating birds and spring wildflowers along the lake’s north shoreline.
A presentation on Two Decades of AWLI by Michael Boos begins at 10 a.m.
Lunch for participants will follow.
Afternoon activities begin at 1 p.m. with kite flying at William W. Powers State Recreation Area, 12949 S. Avenue O, Chicago. It will be held near the Visitors Center.
Inside, Michael Boos will give a presentation on Two Decades of AWLI. At 2 p.m, there will be a a nature hike to view spring wildflowers
On Sunday, the festival will resume at 7 a.m. on the Chicago side of Wolf Lake with a Sunrise Worship service conducted by Benjamin Basile, brother of C.PP.S. He is associate professor of mathematics at CCSJ.
The service, held just east of the Visitors Center, will include an ecumenical choir directed by Mary Kuzniar and a color guard formed by Cub Scout Pack 733 of Annunciata Church. Breakfast for participants will follow.
A brief history of Wolf Lake will follow at 8:30 a.m. by Michael Boos of AWLI. He will lead a bike ride through the Wolf Lake watershed afterward at 9 a.m. to conclude the two-day festival.
AWLI is a bi-state, not-for-profit organization and land trust seeking to improve and protect the Wolf Lake watershed.
Story Posted:05/13/2019
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