The Conservation Foundation continues celebrating its 45^th anniversary saving land and rivers with an evening on the beautiful Fox River aboard a paddle wheel riverboat 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15.

Passengers will board the St. Charles Belle II and the Fox River Queen at the dock at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles for a two-hour tour up the river cruising past several forest preserves showcasing the natural beauty of the area.

This Fox River cruise is sponsored by Gerald Subaru and includes light refreshments of wine, beer, soda and water along with light hors d’oeuvres as passengers watch for wildlife including foxes, white-tailed deer, and with a little luck, bald eagles.

Those on the cruise will have a chance to learn about TCF’s Fox River Initiative, an education and outreach program focused in Kane, Kendall, and LaSalle counties. This bold initiative aims to connect residents with the natural environment with involvement in local projects, and through Art of the Fox, featuring artist-in-residence Joel Sheesley, with his seasonal paintings of the Fox River.

The cruise will float by Norris Woods Nature Preserve, and two areas considered “the best of the best” in Illinois with regard to ecological value: Ferson Creek Fen Nature Preserve and Fox River Bluff Forest Preserve.

The Conservation Foundation is holding onto a 13-acre donation from the Grabacki family that will be transferred to the Kane County Forest Preserve District to add to the 77 acres on the east side of Fox River Bluff Forest Preserve.

Cost is $50 per person, $75 per couple. Limit 120. Reservations can be made online here or by going to theconservationfoundation.org under Upcoming Events.

Boarding is at the dock at Pottawatomie Park, 2 North Ave., St. Charles, 60174. Free parking. Arrive early to allow for boarding time.

The Conservation Foundation, celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2017, is one of the region’s oldest and largest not-for-profit land and watershed conservation organizations. Since it was founded in 1972, TCF has helped preserve nearly 33,000 acres of open space, restored and cleaned miles of rivers and streams, and educated thousands of kids by engaging them in nature and the outdoors.

Work is focused in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties to preserve and restore nature in your neighborhood. Find out more at theconservationfoundation.org.