River Commitment Awards Honor Partners and Volunteers

2017 River Commitment Award Honorees:

River Champion Award
Michael Borgstrom (President, Wendella Sightseeing)
for his leadership and support of Friends’ many projects including Overflow Action Days, Annual Summer Cruise, Chicago River Day, and The Big Jump

Spirit of the River 
President Mariyana Spyropoulos (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District)
for her leadership in overseeing major water quality initiatives which include the installation of disinfection technology and the innovative phosphorous recovery program

Spirit of the River
Commissioner Debra Shore (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District)
for her steadfast commitment to protecting the environment and partnering with Friends to implement water quality improvements

Spirit of the River 
Commissioner Josina Morita (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District)
for her enthusiasm to promote the health of the river and bring together partners from every level of government to commit to a cleaner, safer, and more vibrant Chicago River

Volunteer of the Year 
Heather Gustafson (Volunteer extraordinaire)
for devoting her time and energy leading workdays through our Centennial Volunteer program and adding fun to so many of Friends’ events throughout the year

Congratulations to this year's honorees. We're grateful for all that you do to keep the Chicago River system and local wildlife thriving and healthy, and we’re excited to see what you accomplish next. For the full news release, please view here.