Friends Otter Society: Otterly Fun After-Work Party A Blast
Members of the Otter Society of Friends of the Chicago River and their guests gathered September 27 for an evening cruise to celebrate the Friend’s many accomplishments and look forward to the organization's 40th anniversary in 2019.
The Otter Society consists of individuals and businesses who make a generous annual commitment to Friends of the Chicago River.
Friends board member and Otter Society chairman Craig Coit told the group aboard a Shoreline Sightseeing vessel that their generosity has helped make a real difference in the overall health and vitality of the river.
“We look around downtown and see what’s happening and it is absolutely stunning considering where we were ten years ago,” he said. “It’s truly remarkable.”
Join Friends and Help Protect the Chicago River System
“The variety of activities, the quality of the water, the ability to do things on the water that we never had, is fundamentally the result of a lot of hard work from lots of different organizations. Leadershipwise, Friends was the only organization totally dedicated to the Chicago River and deserves a lot of credit for the progress we’ve made,” Coit said.
Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends, spoke of recent accomplishments, including a dam removal at River Park, restoration work at Horner Park, the building of the latest bat nursery at Joe Orr Woods and ongoing turtle and osprey efforts. “Your support helps make these things happen,” she said.
For questions regarding The Otter Society, please contact Kim Olsen-Clark at (312) 939-0490 ext. 19 or kolsenclark@chicagoriver.org.
Take a look at some photos from Raf Winterpacht Photography and Friends of the Chicago River of the "Otterly Fun After-Work Party" cruise below.
Climb aboard everybody. (Raf Winterpacht Photography)
Friends board member Craig Coit welcomes the Otter Society. (FOCR)
What a skyline! (FOCR)
What a sky! (Raf Winterpacht Photography)
Having a good time...(Raf Winterpacht Photography)
Raffle tickets anyone? (FOCR)
Great people, great conversation, great river. (Raf Winterpacht Photography)
Friends of the Chicago River Executive Director Margaret Frisbie, right, chats with some Otter Society guests. ( (Raf Winterpacht Photography)
One for the memories. (Raf Winterpacht Photography)
The river, a warm evening, drinks and snacks? The perfect after-work party...(FOCR)
If you haven't been on a river cruise at night, you haven't been on a river cruise. (Raf Winterpacht Photography)
