Barrington Area Conservation Trust is excited to feature Chad Pregracke, 2013 CNN Hero of the Year, as our keynote speaker at BACT’s upcoming Annual Gathering on Tuesday, April 26.

As a driven teenager, Chad started his own campaign to clean up the shores of the Mississippi River where he lives. He is President and Founder of Living Lands & Waters (LL&W), the world’s only “industrial strength”, not-for-profit river cleanup organization. After spending his life growing up and working on the Mississippi River, Chad formed LL&W in 1998 at age 23. He was appalled by the amount of garbage in the river and decided he would do something about it. His determination has grown his quest into a national effort with a full staff and fleet of equipment cleaning rivers around the US.

Chad is a perfect fit for our event as his story mirrors the journey we are beginning to undertake with high school students in our area. Through BACT’s Conservation @ School program with Barrington High School students, we are inspiring future generations here in our own community. As we introduce students to local impacts on Flint Creek, which runs through the high school campus as well as much of our community, we are helping to create an environmental ethic in young people and develop our next generation of environmental stewards.

Chad and his crew, along with over 94,000 volunteers, have removed over 8.5 million pounds of garbage out of our nation’s rivers over the past 18 years. He has broadened his mission to include Adopt-A-River Mile Project and The Million Trees Project. He and his crew live on a floating barge 7 months of the year that also serves as a floating classroom where students, educators and individual citizens learn about the value of our rivers and natural resources.

Chad will take BACT guests on a journey filled with endless challenges and gripping adventures during his time with us. He will motivate with his captivating, genuine, and refreshingly spontaneous delivery. Chad’s story tells us that one person can truly make a difference. Chad will have his book, From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers available to purchase and for signing.

Please plan to join BACT staff and members for this inspirational evening. Event is free to members & students, $15.00 for non-members. Light snacks and a cash bar will be available. To purchase tickets, please email us at bactrust1@gmail.com or call 847-387-3149 or visit our event page at www.bactrust.org​.