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Evanston Parks and Recreation BEAR Project Inc. Board of Directors 789-1770 February 5, 2014 NEWS RELEASE Bear Meadows Fund Raising to Replace BEARiverFest During a Special BEAR Project Inc., Board of Directors meeting held January 29, 2014, the board approved a motion to discontinue the BEARiverFest that has been held in May the past seven years, and to focus all efforts towards raising funds to develop the Bear Meadows area, located to the north as you enter the Bear River Greenway. The BEARiverFest was first organized in 2007 to celebrate the improvements made to the Bear River and Bear River Greenway and to promote outdoor activities available to the public along the greenway. In recent years, the BEAR Project Inc., Board started a fund raising drive to develop the Bear Meadows area. To date over $75,000 in cash has been raised through corporate and private donations plus another $35,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to install the Rotary “Health Trail” Fitness Course that opened last fall. The BEAR Project Board has set a goal of raising $125,000 in the next year that will be used with other funding sources to start developing the Bear Meadows as early as 2015. The BEAR Project Inc., Board would like to thank everyone that has been associated with the BEARiverFest over the past seven years, especially the festival sponsors and contributors that have made the annual river festival an outstanding success. Festival sponsors and contributors will be contacted this spring and asked to continue their support and donations to help fund improvements to the Bear River Greenway and develop the Bear Meadows area. For more information concerning a tax exempt donation to the Bear River Greenway and the Bear Meadows area please contact Marilee Jackson or Dennis Poppinga at 789-1770