Friends of Hennepin Canal to hold annual membership meeting on Oct. 9 in Sheffield

The Friends of the Hennepin Canal are holding its Annual Membership Meeting from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9 at the Sheffield Visitor Center located within the Hennepin Canal State Parkway off East Street.

The Membership Meeting is scheduled for members and guests and they will be providing a fish fry, sides and bottled water. Members are encouraged to come early and explore the park grounds, as well as bring a dessert to pass.

The 115th Anniversary of the Marion Voyage will be highlighted by the Marion II being dry-docked, available for viewing. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will also have the equipment donated by the Friends of the Hennepin Canal on hand for viewing.

Dexter Bingham will be performing a poignant excerpt from The Lock Tender, which highlights a scene where a worker receives a closure notice and expresses his feelings about it to his wife.

The Hennepin Canal provides a wide variety of recreational activities including fishing, boating, picnicking, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling and snowmobiling. The Hennepin Canal is also steeped in history and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information on becoming a Friend of the Hennepin Canal, visit https://www.friends-hennepin-canal.org/ or Friends of the Hennepin Canal on Facebook.