Geneva’s downtown patrons may have noticed colorfully decorated rain barrels at Dodson Place, and all of them will go home with lucky bidders at the Rain Barrels on Parade live auction Sunday, Sept. 7.

The City’s Natural Resources Committee (NRC) will auction more than 20 rain barrels that have been painted by local artists, residents and students. People can place their bids to take one of these barrels home at 2 p.m. Sept. 7, the final day of Festival of the Vine, at Galena Cellars, 477 South Third St.

Decorated barrels collect rainwater from a roof to be utilized to water gardens and plants, clean dirty garden tools, and other outdoor needs. The auction promotes the importance of water conservation, but also raises money for the committee’s “Greening Geneva” initiative. After the City’s downtown parkway tree canopy was impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer in recent years, the NRC has committed to raise funds to purchase a diverse stock of new trees for Geneva’s central business district.

The committee presented the City with a $10,000 check last year to purchase 30 new downtown parkway trees and plans to make a similar donation to the City Council this fall to continue its mission.

For more information about the Natural Resources Committee, visit the City’s website at (see link below), email NRC Chairman Jay Womack at jwomack@wrdenvironmental.com or visit the “Geneva NRC” on Facebook.