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RIVER VALLEY – The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) honored those who have acted to enhance the quality of life and protect the resources of the Upper Delaware River Valley during its 21st Annual Awards Ceremony held on April 19 at Central House Family Resort in Beach Lake, PA.

Accepting awards were, top row, from left to right: D.J. Jahn for the Business Owners of Lackawaxen Township, Recreation Achievement Award for the Lackawaxen River Annual Monster Trout Derby; Jason Wolfanger, landscape architect with the New York State Department of Transportation Region 8, and Dan McNamee, president of McNamee Construction Corp. of Lincolndale, NY, Partnership Award for the 2008 Hawk’s Nest Scenic Overlooks Improvement Project; and Jeffrey C. Cole of the U.S. Geological Survey, Special Recognition for his Delaware River endangered dwarf wedgemussel study.

Middle row: Dave Messersmith, Wayne County Office of Penn State Cooperative Extension, Community Service Award for natural gas public education initiatives; Alan Bowers of Westfall Township, PA, Oaken Gavel Award for his 2008 chairmanship of the UDC; Steve Israel of the Times Herald-Record, Special Recognition Award for his investigative reporting on the New York Regional Interconnect power line proposal; Cody Wellmann of Hancock, NY, Robin M. Daniels Memorial Lifesaving Award for his July 20, 2008 rescue of a drowning swimmer at Hancock Firemen’s Park; and Bill Walters, Volunteer Award (individual), for his role as commodore of the National Canoe Safety Patrol and 1,156 hours of volunteer river patrols since 2000.

Front row: UDC 2009 Chairperson George J. Fluhr; Peter Wulfhorst of the Pike County Office of Penn State Cooperative Extension, Community Service Award for natural gas public education initiatives; Craig, Tara and Janet Olver, owners of Tall Timber Tree Farm in Manchester Township, PA, Volunteer Award (group) for their Forestry Field Days sponsorships and land stewardship ethic; and Gloria R. Krause of Narrowsburg, NY, Cultural Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the arts in the river valley. Absent from the photo is New York State Senator John J. Bonacic (42nd District), who accepted the UDC’s Distinguished Service Award earlier in the program.