Walking the Walk and Compassion for Campers Update for August 7 2026

 Look for new opportunities for action, education, community, and solidarity in and around McHenry County here every week.  

                                                            Walking the Walk 

Planet Palooza is an outdoor event aimed at ways to “Make our planet a better place to live” now in its 4th year on Woodstock Square on Sunday, August 16 from 11 am to 3 pm. It will highlight and showcase McHenry County Non-Profit Groups and Organizations that address environmental issues, groups that advocate for diversity and equality, veterans, groups that combat hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, human trafficking, suicide, gun violence, as well as those groups who provide other essential services to our growing and diverse communities will all be exhibiting. Featuring information and outreach booths and table, entertainment, family activities, and food trucks. Hosted by Together We Stand McHenry County and the McHenry County College Sustainability Center. Visit the website at https://togetherwestandmchenrycounty.org/Planet-Palooza/

Compassion for Campers

Our distributions are usually held on the first and third Fridays of the month from 10 am to 2 pm at the new McHenry County Resource Center (MCHC) at the McHenry County Mental Health Board offices, 620 Dakota Street in Crystal Lake.    Due to a Mental Health Board event the MCHC will be closed today, August 7.  The following C4C distribution will be Friday, August 21.  

With at least a temporary home base, C4C can resume accepting donations of supplies including clean used sleeping bags and tents in their bags or cases, tarps and other basic camping gear, rain gear, and especially mosquito and tick repellents and sunscreen.  Contact Sue Rekenthaler at tomatos@mc.net or Patrick Murfin at pmurfin@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Financial support is critical to fulfilling our mission. The best thing you can do is offer your critically needed financial support. Money donations are always welcome at     https://tinyurl.com/3bz96axe.   Look for updates here.  Email compassionforcampers@treeoflifeuu.org .

Walking the Walk and Compassion for Campers Update for July 31 2026

Look for new opportunities for action, education, community, and solidarity in and around McHenry County here every week.  

                                                            Walking the Walk 

The National March into Maquette Park Saturday, August 1, 9am-1pm at Chicago's Marquett Park. "In 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Chicago Freedom Movement marched into Marquette Park to confront entrenched segregation, redlining, and organized racial violence. Sixty years later, communities across the country face renewed attacks on voting rights and access to the ballot, expanding systems of criminalization and detention, and deepening economic inequality.

This national gathering connects the unfinished work of 1966 to the defining moral challenges of this moment. Faith leaders, civic leaders, organizers, artists, young people, and communities from across the country will march for free and fair elections, freedom for immigrant and marginalized communities, and a future rooted in dignity, justice, and shared humanity."

Led locally by IMAN in partnership with 60+ community-rooted organizations, including the Rainbow Push Coalition, The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Side With Love, and the Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI), and Sponsored nationally by Powered By Faith,  The National March into Marquette Park

Planet Palooza is an outdoor event aimed at ways to “Make our planet a better place to live” now in its 4th year on Woodstock Square on Sunday, August 16 from 11 am to 3 pm. It will highlight and showcase McHenry County Non-Profit Groups and Organizations that address environmental issues, groups that advocate for diversity and equality, veterans, groups that combat hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, human trafficking, suicide, gun violence, as well as those groups who provide other essential services to our growing and diverse communities will all be exhibiting. Featuring information and outreach booths and table, entertainment, family activities, and food trucks. Hosted by Together We Stand McHenry County and the McHenry County College Sustainability Center. Visit the website at https://togetherwestandmchenrycounty.org/Planet-Palooza/

Compassion for Campers

Our distributions are usually held on the first and third Fridays of the month from 10 am to 2 pm at the new McHenry County Resource Center (MCHC) at the McHenry County Mental Health Board offices, 620 Dakota Street in Crystal Lake.    Due to a Mental Health Board event the MCHC will be closed on August 7.  The following C4C distribution will be Friday, August 21.  If and only if C4C receives enough urgent monetary support, we may be able to schedule a special distribution during that long gap between service.

With at least a temporary home base, C4C can resume accepting donations of supplies including clean used sleeping bags and tents in their bags or cases, tarps and other basic camping gear, rain gear, and especially mosquito and tick repellents and sunscreen.  Contact Sue Rekenthaler at tomatos@mc.net or Patrick Murfin at pmurfin@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Financial support is critical to fulfilling our mission. The best thing you can do is offer your critically needed financial support. Money donations are always welcome at     https://tinyurl.com/3bz96axe.   Look for updates here.  Email compassionforcampers@treeoflifeuu.org .

Walking the Walk and Compassion for Campers Update for July 10, 2026

Look for new opportunities for action, education, community, and solidarity in and around McHenry County here every week.  

                                                            Walking the Walk 

Immigrant Justice Summer by national Indivisible.  .C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity has calmed down in our area for now, but we know there are plans to ramp it up again. If you want to be prepared to help our immigrant neighbors, join national Indivisible’s Immigrant Justice Summer virtual trainings. This five-part training series will give you the tools that you’ll need to respond to I.C.E. surges in a safe, immigrant-aligned way. Each training takes place virtually via Zoom. The first training is this Thursday, July 9th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Sign up here and please list your affiliation as being a member of Northern Illinois Indivisible:

https://indivisible.org/campaigns/dismantling-detention/...

McHenry County Disability Pride event will be held this year at McHenry County College, Building B on Saturday, July 25 from 10 am to 1 pm.  The free event aims to highlight the diversity and lived experiences within the community of people living with a wide array of disabilities, from physical and sensory to developmental and behavioral. Officially established in 2015, July is considered National Disability Pride Month.  Activities, service providers, community support and vendors.

Together We Stand McHenry County is sponsoring a Community Blood Drive on Saturday, July 26 at the Algonquin Township Building, 3702 US Rt. 14 between Crystal Lake and Cary.

Compassion for Campers

Ride/Walk/Run to Leave a Light On riders gathering to exit the Square Compassion for Campers received $2536.00 from the event.

Our distributions are usually held on the first and third Fridays of the month from 10 am to 2 pm at the new McHenry County Resource Center (MCHC) at the McHenry County Mental Health Board offices, 620 Dakota Street in Crystal Lake.   Due to the Independence Day holiday weekend, the Resource Center was closed on Friday, July 3.  Our next distributions will be on Fridays July 17 and August 3.  

With at least a temporary home base, C4C can resume accepting donations of supplies including clean used sleeping bags and tents in their bags or cases, tarps and other basic camping gear, rain gear, and especially mosquito and tick repellents and sunscreen.  Contact Sue Rekenthaler at tomatos@mc.net or Patrick Murfin at pmurfin@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Financial support is critical to fulfilling our mission. The best thing you can do is offer your critically needed financial support. Money donations are always welcome at     https://tinyurl.com/3bz96axe.   Look for updates here.  Email compassionforcampers@treeoflifeuu.org .

 

Walking the Walk and Compassion for Campers Update for July 3 2026

 

Look for new opportunities for action, education, community, and solidarity in and around McHenry County here every week.  

                                                            Walking the Walk 

 

Thanks to everyone who came out to participate in and support events over a very busy couple of weeks.  The Resistance is strong in McHenry County.  With Independence Day and the nation's 250th birthday, there is a hiatus on protests--unless some outrage or emergency requires rapid response.  Check out the many 4th of July community events and connect with your neighbors.

This activist round-up purposefully does not endorse candidates or parties or list their events, we concentrate on direct action and witness.  But everyone agrees that voting in support of your beliefs and priorities is essential.  With a critical General Election coming up, this is a great time to connect to candidates, campaigns, and organizations that support you.  Volunteers are needed for door-to-door canvasing, telephoning, public events, and other jobs.  Links can be found on various Indivisible social media platforms, from activist groups like NOW, Progressive political sites, and from national, state, and local political parties.  There are critical races at every level.

Or you can work on voter turnout and issue voter education with UU The Vote.  Check out special training sessions, events, and actions here. 

McHenry County Disability Pride event will be held this year at McHenry County College, Building B on Saturday, July 25 from 10 am to 1 pm.  The free event aims to highlight the diversity and lived experiences within the community of people living with a wide array of disabilities, from physical and sensory to developmental and behavioral. Officially established in 2015, July is considered National Disability Pride Month.  Activities, service providers, community support and vendors.

Together We Stand McHenry County is sponsoring a Community Blood Drive on Saturday, July 26 at the Algonquin Township Building, 3702 US Rt. 14 between Crystal Lake and Cary.

Compassion for Campers

Many thanks to Ken West, Material Things and Market and all of the sponsors, volunteers, and participants for the Ride/Walk/Run to Leave a Light On. Compassion for Campers received $2536.00 from the event, enough to repay long standing purchases made on the personal accounts of volunteers to keep our services afloat. That leaves us $1139.50 in our account for our upcoming distributions.  We have also been given a $100 monthly sustaining pledge from an individual and look forward to support from our partners and the McHenry County Jewish Congregation and the Ridgefield/Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church.  

Our distributions are usually held on the first and third Fridays of the month from 10 am to 2 pm at the new McHenry County Resource Center (MCHC) at the McHenry County Mental Health Board offices, 620 Dakota Street in Crystal Lake.   Due to the Independence Day holiday weekend, the Resource Center will be closed on Friday, July 3.  Our next distributions will be on Fridays July 17 and August 3.  

With at least a temporary home base, C4C can resume accepting donations of supplies including clean used sleeping bags and tents in their bags or cases, tarps and other basic camping gear, rain gear, and especially mosquito and tick repellents and sunscreen.  Contact Sue Rekenthaler at tomatos@mc.net or Patrick Murfin at pmurfin@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Financial support is critical to fulfilling our mission. The best thing you can do is offer your critically needed financial support. Money donations are always welcome at     https://tinyurl.com/3bz96axe.   Look for updates here.  Email compassionforcampers@treeoflifeuu.org .

Walking the Walk and Compassion for Campers Update for June 26 2026

The 4th Annual McHenry County Juneteenth Festival on the Square in Woodstock. 

Look for new opportunities for action, education, community, and solidarity in and around McHenry County here every week.  

                                                            Walking the Walk  

Thanks to every one who came out to participate in and support events over a very busy couple of weeks.  The Resistance is strong in McHenry County.  With Independence Day ahead there is a hiatus on protests--unless some outrage or emergency requires rapid response.  Check out the many 4th of July community events and connect with your neighbors.

This activist round-up purposefully does not endorse candidates or parties or list their events, we concentrate on direct action and witness.  But everyone agrees that voting in support of your beliefs and priorities is essential.  With a critical General Election coming up, this is a great time to connect to candidates, campaigns, and organizations that support you.  Volunteers are needed for door-to-door canvasing, telephoning, public events, and other jobs.  Links can be found on various Indivisible social media platforms, from activist groups like NOW, Progressive political sites, and from national, state, and local political parties.  There are critical races at every level.

Or you can work on voter turnout and issue voter education with UU The Vote.  Check out special training sessions, events, and actions here. 

Compassion for Campers

Compassion for Campers had a successful distribution as part of the new McHenry County Resource Center (MCHC) at the McHenry County Mental Health Board offices, 620 Dakota Street in Crystal Lake last Friday. About a dozen organizations and agencies participated and organizers reported seeing 28 total guests.  C4C served 20 of those in our new comfortable space. That was a little more than half the number we typically aided at Willow Creek.   As word gets out into the community, we expect those numbers to rise sharply over the summer.  

Our distributions are usually held on the first and third Fridays of the month from 10 am to 2 pm but due to the Independence Day holiday weekend, the Resource Center will be closed on Friday, July 3.  Our next distributions will be on Fridays July 17 and August 3.

Financial support is critical to fulfilling our mission. The best thing you can do is offer your critically needed financial support to get us through this emergency.  Money donations are always welcome at     https://tinyurl.com/3bz96axe.   Look for updates here.  Email compassionforcampers@treeoflifeuu.org .