Somonauk Community Unit School District 432, Citizens First National Bank and the Somonauk Business Association are working in partnership to launch the "Rain Barrels on Parade" for the summer.

Participating local businesses have each purchased a rain barrel, and students from Somonauk High School were available to assist in the priming of the barrels in preparation for the artists.

Artists, many of them local, are currently decorating the barrels, which will be on display within the next two weeks. The Visual Arts Club and FFA are working on designing and painting their barrels.

Demonstrations by local artists, including Nicole Ohme, owner of the Black Iris Gallery in Sandwich and Jennifer Clausen, as well as Jim Niendorff from Chicago, were previewed during Memorial Day activities in Somonauk.

When completed, the barrels will be displayed throughout Somonauk at the participating businesses and school until Somonauk"s Summerfest, Friday, July 24, through Sunday, July 26, and then will be auctioned. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Downtown Beautification Projects and the Somonauk Education Foundation.

The Somonauk Education Foundation auctioned a rain barrel at the October Annual Dinner and Auction. The rain barrel was painted by artists Victor and Jadwiga Dzwonnik, parents of a Somonauk student. The winner was Nicki Butterfield of Citizens First National Bank in Somonauk, where the barrel is on display.

Rain barrels can be useful and functional in a yard and should be placed beneath a downspout so rain water can be collected and stored in the barrel. A typical rainstorm can provide far more water than a barrel can hold. Spigots can be placed in the rain barrel so a watering can will fit under the spigot and can be filled with the water from the barrel. A screen in the top of the barrel helps keep mosquitoes from laying eggs on the barrel.

The "Rain Barrels on Parade" promotes easy and accessible ways to use rainwater for plants and replenishing groundwater and incorporates the principals of "going green" supported by Citizens First National Bank, Somonauk School District and the participating businesses.

As a part of the district"s master plan, the district has incorporated various components of "going green." The district is conducting a wind feasibility study through an Illinois Clean Energy Foundation grant measuring wind speed on the district property in a 12-month study. Throughout the school district, various bins are available for the community to recycle paper; this has been a successful project as community members have embraced the use of the bins.