Emily Pollack grew up playing outside from sunrise to sunset.
Running around neighborhood cul-de-sacs and undeveloped neighborhoods in Bartlett to bike-riding along the Fox River. Exploring puddles for tadpoles, participating in park district and community programs at parks, volunteering at and then working for the St. Charles Park District as a teen and young adult.
Having grown up in Kane County and being involved in the park districts, ecological clubs, and government environmental meetings and events, my interest in community and nature has always been close to mind and heart.
Moving to DeKalb County and starting a family, it just made sense to explore the parks and find programs that my kids would enjoy to nurture a love of nature and community within them, too. I am the mother to two wonderful humans, two precious kitties, and to some gardens at our home in Sycamore.
While my professional life has been in the medical administrative fields, my life continues to pull me outdoors and in service of community. I volunteer on our elementary school’s PTO and Sycamore’s Parks Foundation Non-for profit boards. I have loved participating in and enjoyed the growth of our park districts, growing natural spaces and giving our community access, while supporting health and wellness.
I also share the many wonderful programs and events our community has to offer families of all ages through social media so that more families can enjoy and be aware that everyone belongs in nature and in our community.. And of course, take as much opportunity to get outside and enjoy the many parks and nature preserves in our county.
What inspired you to become involved with Kish Kids Outside and its mission?
I met Christine at a DeKalb County Forest Preserve Pop-Up and absolutely loved learning about the mission to encourage more exposure to nature and nature programming for kids and families throughout DeKalb County. I was thrilled to share my voice as a parent seeing the need in our county for more engagement and the sharing of events for families in the county and in today’s world-technologically connected yet disconnected.
Can you share a favorite outdoor memory from your own childhood or recent experiences?
Growing up, I was outside almost all of the time! From a little kid with a big yard and undeveloped neighborhoods to a tween and teen along the Fox River. My favorite outdoor memory is riding bikes along the Fox River from St. Charles to Batavia and discovering an outdoor stage-the amazing adventure of just being able to ride for such a long time, seeing so much of the river and the ducks and checking out all of the parks along the way. Then discovering a huge-to-me wooden stage just sitting along the river in a park!
In what ways do you hope Kish Kids Outside will evolve and grow in the future?
I would love to see financial sustainability and community engagement through sharing of
partner events and encouragement of more outdoor events for kids and families that
center on appreciating and growing DeKalb County’s natural resources,
What was a memorable moment with Kish Kids Outside?
I have been lucky to be able to participate in both partner meetings and Kish Kids Family Club events and hearing all of the excitement and enthusiasm from both is super encouraging-to know that Kish Kids Outside is a resource that both partner organizations and community members see as beneficial to our county.