Latest News
UDC Cancels Aug. 30 Awards Banquet; Will Honor 2020 Recipients Next Spring
NARROWSBURG – The Upper Delaware Council, Inc. (UDC) has cancelled its 32nd Annual Awards Ceremony on August 30, with plans to honor the previously-announced award recipients on April 25, 2021.
The banquet, held without fail since the UDC’s inception in 1988 to recognize those who have enhanced the quality of life or protected the resources of the Upper Delaware River Valley, has most traditionally taken place on the 4th Sunday of April.
When that date wasn’t available this year for the preferred venue and keynote speaker, the UDC moved the event to May 3. Encroachment of the coronavirus pandemic prompted postponements to June 7 then to August 30 before the decision to cancel was regretfully made.
While Central House Family Resort in Beach Lake, PA has implemented stringent measures to help protect guests against COVID-19, the UDC is exercising caution in gathering members of the public for an indoor social hour, dinner, and award presentations that would be challenged by wearing masks and physical distancing. Average attendance is 85-100 people.
The UDC looks forward to paying the proper public tribute to the 2020 slate of honorees next April 25th at Central House.
Pennsylvania Representative Jonathan Fritz (111th District) was slated to deliver the keynote address and has now been invited to fill that role in 2021. He is also a co-recipient of the UDC’s Advocacy Award with Rep. Michael Peifer (139th District) and Senator Lisa Baker (20th District).
Fellow honorees are:
Distinguished Service Award ~ Harold G. Roeder, Jr., Town of Delaware UDC Representative, 1997-2020.
Robin M. Daniels Memorial Lifesaving Awards (2) ~ Paddy McCarthy and the late Tim Freeman; and James Moss, Johnny Smith, Andy Moss (Equinunk Volunteer Fire Company) and Jeff Dexter (Damascus Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps).
Partnership Award ~ Dr. Heather Galbraith, Carrie Blakeslee, Jeff Cole, and Barbara White, USGS Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory.
Cultural Achievement Awards (2) ~ Big Eddy Film Festival, directed by Tina Spangler from the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance; and the Wayne County Historical Society’s 1888 Spencer Tractor Restoration by Fred Murray, Rich Robbins, Frank Ward, Rod Warner, Steve Weber, and Kim Erickson.
Community Service Award ~ Nancy Furdock of Hancock, NY.
Recreation Achievement Awards (2) ~ Dan Plummer, Friends of the Upper Delaware River, Inc.; and Bill Streeter, director of the Delaware Valley Raptor Center.
Volunteer Award ~ Star Hesse of Lava, NY.
Special Recognition Awards (2) ~ Carla Hauser Hahn of Callicoon, NY; and John Ogozalek of French Woods, NY.
For more information, please visit www.upperdelawarecouncil.org, call (845) 252-3022, or email UDC Executive Director Laurie Ramie at laurie@upperdelawarecouncil.org.