Kane County Reporter

Illinois State Senator Andrew Chesney invited his constituents to take advantage of a free Constituent Education Resource Card that would give them free entry to many Chicagoland museums and zoos in a Facebook post published on May 30.

"My office is offering a group pass for up to four constituents to gain free entry to many Chicagoland museums and zoos," the post read.

Chesney was first elected to represent Illinois' 45th District in the State Senate in 2022, and he was previously the State Representative for the state's 89th District. Prior to serving in the State General Assembly, Chesney was the Alderman at Large for the City of Freeport. He is also a former member of the Regional Access & Mobilization Project (RAMP), which provides support services and advocacy for those with disabilities and he was a former mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Only one family at a time can reserve the pass, but once they do, they'll be able to visit a wide range of locations such as the Adler Planetarium, the Brookfield Zoo, the Chicago Children's Museum, the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Dusable Museum of African American History, the National Museum of Mexican Art and the John G. Shedd Aquarium.

"Because only one group pass is available at a time, reservations are required," a press release from Chesney's office reads. "To reserve the free pass, please contact Senator Chesney’s office at (815) 232-0774. A reservation can be made by providing a name and address, and the date(s) the card would like to be reserved. Upon reserving the pass, constituents may pick it up from and return it to the Chesney legislative office, located at 50 West Douglas Street, Stewart Centre, Suite 1001, in Freeport."

Chesney is also set to partner with Durand Mayor Sheila Hoffman to host a document shredding event from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 10, at Durand High School. non-shreddable items include large binder clips, plastic file folders, and floppy discs and electronics cannot be accepted for recycling. Paper folders, staples and paper clips can be accepted into the shredder.

“The shred truck provides residents with a safe and secure way to dispose of sensitive documents like old bank statements, tax documents and receipts," Chesney said. “It’s a good opportunity to clean out file cabinets and ensure personal information is protected.”