In observance of Earth Day, between 15 and 20 people gathered Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22, to camp at Kayak Morris' new campsite in Morris and to clean up both the Illinois River and the I & M Canal.

"Kayak Morris coordinated the grand opening of their new campground on Earth Day to further educate people about the outdoors and our natural resources," said Karin Lijana Matura, of Burr Ridge, Ill., a participant in both the camp out and the river clean-up.

The new campsite, Forest Beach VIP Camp, is located east of the William G. Stratton State Park along the Illinois River, and was "created out of a need to connect a variety of people and groups to recreational land and outdoor experiential learning," according to its website, kayakmorris.org.