By Sally Stovall

On Wednesday, Jan. 31, the Oak Park and River Forest area residents are invited to participate in the Resilient Communities Forum. We will hear first-hand how nations and communities are addressing the challenges of climate change, and explore practical ways in which we can make a real impact locally. The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 pm, at the 19th Century Club, 178 Forest Ave in Oak Park, IL.

The evening begins with refreshments, followed by the program at 7:00 pm. Cathy Yen, Executive Director of the OPRF Chamber of Commerce, will host the program featuring Village President Catherine Adduci (River Forest) and Mayor Anan Abu Taleb (Oak Park), both of whom participated in the North American Mayors’ Climate Summit in December. The mayors will share their takeaways from the conference and what they mean for us locally. Resident climate experts and sustainability leaders will share the global perspective from the UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany, as well as updates on regional and local initiatives happening in our communities.

Following the panel discussion, participants can explore action opportunities and resources that can equip and connect us during the year ahead. Interested attendees are asked to RSVP at tinyurl.com/resilientforum.

This event is organized by Green Community Connections, PlanItGreen, the River Forest Sustainability Commission and the Oak Park Environment and Energy Commission with support from Community Works. Other supporting groups include: The Interfaith Green Network, West Cook Wild Ones, Representatives of D97 Green Teams and Green4Good. More details: greencommunityconnections.org.