NEWS and 4 next steps to help us Save 8.3 pristine acres and protect the IPP

We are making great progress with the Save the Special 8 campaign. Here is the latest news and the recommended next steps (listed in priority order) we are asking you to follow:

NEWS: The Illinois Prairie Path not-for-profit corporation has committed to put $10,000 towards purchasing the Special 8. The DuPage County Forest Preserve District Land Acquisition Committee is becoming inclined to investigate purchasing the Special 8. We filled their meeting room on Thursday morning! Thanks to all for attending. We now need to get the Glen Ellyn Park District and Village officials to agree to take over the parcel if it is purchased by the DuPage County Forest Preserve District.

  1. Write to Sandra Minogue, President, Glen Ellyn Park District, 185 Spring Ave, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 asking the Park District to take over the 8.3 acres if they are purchased by the DuPage Forest Preserve Dist. Note the Park District is concerned that there will be high maintenance costs with the Special 8. The facts are we just want them to preserved "as is" as a nature preserve. A volunteer group organized as the "Friends of the Special 8" can be helpful in getting them cleaned up in the Spring and Fall. Please tell Ms. Minogue you want the 8.3 acres preserved "as is" and you will help out as a Friend of the Special 8. If the Glen Ellyn Park District does not agree to take over the parcel, the DuPage Cty. Forest Preserve District will not want to purchase the parcel and maintain it.

  2. The State Legislators have $10Million available to them to allocate to save open space. We need to write to our legislators to ask them to direct the state to save these pristine acres as a nature preserve. Note the property is for sale at "only $275,000." The perspective developer Carlos Moran has not yet taken title to the property. Call 312-814-6440 to get the correct names and contact info. for your state legislators.

  3. If you have not yet written to the DuPage County Board members there is still time to get your letters in to ask them to purchase the Special 8. Call 630-682-7993 or 7440 to learn the correct Board members in the recently redrawn County Board member boundaries. Include a copy to Robert Schillerstrom, County Chairman and Dewey Pierotti, President of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. Send all letters to 421 N County Farm Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187

  4. Letters to the Editor like the ones recently written by Phil and others have a positive effect on popular opinion and the elected officials. Please consider letters to the Daily Herald (click on this site fencepost@dailyherald.com), Press Publications (News), Suburban news (Sun) (click on this link thesun@suburbanchicagonews.com) and Tribune (click on this site http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-lettertotheeditor.customform?coll=chi%2Dnewsopinionvoice%2Dutl) or Sun-Times.

Thanks again for your continued support. Please pass on the news to everyone.

Remember we have more lawn signs and flyers available. Let me know your address and I will get them to you in a day or two. Check the IPP website www.ipp.org for info on the Special 8 (including the petition form) and info on how to join the group.

Don Kirchenberg, Email or Call with any questions. Home office: 630-682-9297


Last Modified:
Tue Dec 11 19:53:32 CST 2001