Peter Puglionesi 2023

Peter Puglionesi, the 2nd Vice President of DCVA, is the 2023 recipient of the Bob Doherty Ribbon of Green Award. He has a B.E. from Cooper Union and an M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Chemical Engineering and is a Professional Engineer and Board Certified Environmental Engineer. Peter has served on the board of DCVA since 2013 and has been a leader in building a community of rain garden volunteers and stewards through founding the Hav-a-Rain Garden program. He has served as co-chair of the Haverford Environmental Advisory committee and facilitates collaboration among regional EAC members with the creation of the annual southeastern PA EAC Summit. He is also a leader in the local movement for residential solar through Solarize Delco. Peter is also a Haverford Township Civic Association Board Member, Co-Founder of Friends of Haverford Trails, and was on the Haverford Township Consulting Task Force for Haverford State Hospital which initiated the initial assessment of natural resources at the site which, after formal studies and planning facilitated by DCVA efforts, led to the preservation of over 120 acres of the 212 acre site for passive recreational use. Congratulations on this well deserved recognition Peter!

Jaclyn Rhoads 2022

Jaclyn earned Bachelor and Master Degrees in Environmental Science from Drexel University, a PhD in Environmental Policy from Drexel University and a Certificate in Executive Management of Non-Profit Organizations from University of Pennsylvania. Jaclyn stands out for the incredible amount of positive environmental change she achieves as a volunteer while holding a fulltime job as assistant executive director of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. She is President of the Darby Creek Valley Association (DCVA), President of the Friends of the Heinz Refuge (FOHR), and a hockey mom. 

In 2005, Jaclyn founded the Delaware County Concerned Citizens for Environmental Change.  In 2017 Jaclyn was awarded the Environmental Advocate of the Year by the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.  Penn Future awarded her a Woman of the Delaware River Watershed Award in 2018. 

Jaclyn has led DCVA as president for several years, and we are glad that she is willing to continue as president in the coming year.  For her very active environmental activities throughout the Darby Creek Watershed for many years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, we honor Jaclyn with the Bob Doherty Ribbon of Green Award for 2022.

Toni McIntosh 2021 

Toni McIntosh was the 2021 recipient of the Darby Creek Valley Association Ribbon of Green Award.  Toni is a long time member of the Darby Creek Valley Association (DCVA).  She was a beloved teacher at the Walden School in Media, PA for many years.  Toni has contributed to DCVA activities throughout her time as a member of DCVA and a member of the DCVA Board of Directors.  She is best known for providing excellent breakfasts at each and every monthly meeting for many years.  She also has provided breakfast and lunch for the substantial crowd that attends the DCVA annual meeting for many years.  Toni’s contribution has added considerably to the comradery of the gatherings. 

Dick Carroll 2020

Dick Carroll has been honored with the Ribbon of Green Award in 2020. Dick (pictured on the right shaking hands with Alan Samel, left) has been a member of DCVA since 1995 and Treasurer since 2002. He worked with DCVA volunteer Bill Frasch to win an US EPA funding for a Technical Assistance Grant in 2004 to provide the community surrounding the EPA superfund sites in the Lower Darby Creek area with information about the cleanup and the risks to the community associated with the site. Dick also worked with DCVA volunteer JanMarie Rushforth on a grant to monitor the cleanup of the Haverford State Hospital property from 2007 to 2009 when the hospital was closed and the land became available for other uses. Dick also manages the funds for the William Penn Foundation grant to DCVA whose purpose is to study and improve water quality in the Darby Creek watershed. A busy volunteer, Dick has maintained a section of the Horseshoe Trail for the Wilmington Trail Club since 1990. For the Hagley Museum he volunteers for special events, the annual car show in September and fireworks in June. As a Winterthur Museum volunteer he assists the garden guides with walks for the public. Dick has also been a member of the Friends Of Heinz Refuge since 2010 and had served as the treasurer since 2015. 

Earl Wilson  2018

Earl Wilson has roots in South Carolina, but he has made Eastwick his home for over forty years. He is a retired Philadelphia Public School teacher who has taught hundreds of children science with great passion. The children affectionately referred to Earl as “Miiiiiissssstttter WWWiiiillllssssson” and he would chuckle, but quickly return to the lesson plan. His passion for science and teaching has him committed to organizations such as Eastwick Action Committee, Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition, Darby Creek Valley Association and the Eastwick Lower Darby Creek Area Community Advisory Group. Collectively with Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition, Earl has received the Bread and Roses Award for his dedicated work in Eastwick as a community activist. He is also the proud recipient of the Eastwick Lower Darby Creek Area Community Advisory Group Leadership Award and just recently received the Darby Creek Valley Association Ribbon of Green Award for his lifelong dedication and commitment to over forty years of service to Eastwick and the surrounding communities. Nothing seems to slow Earl down as he continues to forge ahead with his journey of teaching and community service. 

Derron LaBrake  2017 

Derron LaBrake, DCVA’s 2nd V.P.-extraordinaire, and Principle, Wetland and Ecology, Inc with DCVA’s highest award. Derron is an expert in all things wetland. Put him in a wetland meadow, swamp, vernal pond, or stream and he effervesces with enthusiasm.  He uses his knowledge of sediments, ecological risk assessment, eco-friendly stormwater control measures, macro invertebrates, plants, bugs, wetland habitat restoration, Tussock Sedge, bog turtles, and peepers to assist DCVA and the community with a wide range of projects.  From participating in DCVA’s Stream Watch and Insect Identification Workshop; To conducting the Spring Peeper Walk at Haverford CREC; To restoring the Meadowbrook Run wetland at Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, To spear heading metric and macro invertebrate collection at 3 sites for the Delaware River Watershed Initiative; To expanding macro and metric collection to 10 sites; and To collecting macro-invertebrates at Whetstone Run and  submitting the data to PA Environmental Quality Board which voted to have PA-DEP perform a study to determine if the southern tributary meets criteria to be re-designated as a High Quality Water, Derron is a tireless advocate for the protection of the environment and the community. 

Ann Jackson 2016 

Anna Jackson was the very worthy Ribbon of Green Awardee in 2016.  Ann is involved in almost every aspect of the work of DCVA. She participates in the Stream Watch- Ann is on the left in the photo at left. She is very active in educational activities- such as at Haverford Day where Ann and Alan teach citizens about stream ecology every year.  Ann helps out with other educational activities as well; every year she participates in the stream studies that are carried out by the environmental studies students at Marple Newtown High School.  Recently she participated in a stream study with a group of home schooled fourth graders and also helped students at Lansdowne Friends School to install native plants on their school grounds.  Ann is the recording secretary of DCVA and she processes hundreds of copies of the DCVA newsletter The Valley to mail.  Congratulations Ann!