HARRINGTON – Today at the Delaware State Fair, Governor John Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin honored two dozen Delawareans and groups of all ages for their environmental leadership, innovation, and dedication.

“This afternoon, we recognized a broad cross section of Delawareans who contribute to the conservation of our natural resources and the stewardship of our environment,” said Secretary Garvin. “We congratulate these volunteers, organizers, photographers, and anglers – conservationists and environmentalists all – for their work that brought us here today, and we look forward to their future contributions.”

Honorees were seven Young Environmentalists of the Year, eight individuals and four groups recognized as Volunteers of the Year, three Youth Fishing Tournament winners, winners of this year’s Hunting and Fishing Photo Contests, and four winners of the new Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest, plus Best in Show.

“These awards underscore how every Delawarean can have an impact in protecting and conserving our natural resources, while also raising awareness for environmental stewardship,” Governor Carney said. “I’m also inspired by the award winners’ dedication to making our state a better place to live through their time and talents, and proud to recognize them for their environmental leadership and innovation.”

The complete list of the 2019 DNREC Awards recipients:

DNREC’s Young Environmentalists of the Year

Elementary School

As second graders at Dover’s W. Reily Brown Elementary School, Conner Bradley and Lily Gatti, both 8 years old, are leaders on their school’s Eco-Team. They share a passion for our natural environment and serve as peer educators for their classmates. Conner has also taken on independent research projects, such as studying strawberry propagation and soil health. Lily is a strong advocate for composting and keeping our environment trash-free, in both her school and community. In May, when the U.S. Department of Education recognized the Caesar Rodney School District with a Green Ribbon School award, Conner and Lily both spoke about their environmental concerns and commitments before a large audience at their school that included Governor Carney, state legislators, school officials, and media who attended.

Middle School

Jade Carter, 13, an 8th grader at Sussex Academy in Georgetown, founded the first middle school chapter of the Surfrider Foundation in the state. The Surfrider organization is dedicated to protecting and enjoying the oceans, waves, and beaches through volunteer activities including regular beach cleanups. An avid volunteer, she is currently planning fundraisers and cleanups for the chapter. Jade has also channeled her passion for volunteerism and environmental projects into starting a recycling program at her school, including recycling bins specially decorated to draw attention to the importance of recycling.

High School (tie)

A new graduate of Newark Charter School with plans to attend the University of Delaware for environmental studies, Sabin Lowe, 19, of Newark, has devoted 5-10 hours a week for the past two years to projects that improve Delaware’s environment. Sabin’s work includes lobbying and even writing legislation that includes a proposed ban on use of plastic straws, for which he is working to gain sponsorship in the Delaware General Assembly. Sabin advocates for reducing the use of straws and other plastics in restaurants, and has so far persuaded 15 restaurants to adopt a straw-on-request policy, reducing the City of Newark’s straw usage by an estimated 20,000 straws a day.

Cole Palmer, 17, of Greenwood, has been an active volunteer stream monitor for six years with the Delaware Nature Society’s Stream Watch, performing monthly testing of five streams in the Mispillion Watershed, and recording more than 18,000 observations and analyses. Cole has also organized a number of community cleanups, including a DelDOT Adopt-a-Highway cleanup that collected more than 2,100 pounds of trash. This past year, he has leveraged his 103 volunteer hours into nearly 400 hours of community service with the help of friends and family. A past Young Environmentalist honoree in partnership with his sister Samantha, Cole is a member of Eagle Scout Troop 116 in Milford and a junior at Delaware State University’s Early College High School, working towards a degree in natural resources for fisheries management.

Special Recognition

At ages 6 and 8 and in the first and second grade respectively, sisters Caroline and Isabella Nacchia of Frankford are already budding entomologists. Caroline is passionate about Monarch butterfly conservation, working tirelessly each summer since she was three to raise Monarchs from caterpillars to chrysalis to butterflies. Last summer, she raised about 350 butterflies. Butterflies often come to her in the garden and perch on her finger, for which her friends have dubbed her “the Butterfly Whisperer.” As a beekeeper, Isabella understands the importance of bees, is eager to help them, and inspires her peers to do the same. She can identify larva, worker bees (females) and drones (males), and honey, nectar and queen cups, and is comfortable handling the inhabitants of her hives.

The Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards are presented annually to Delaware students who have worked to protect, restore, or enhance our state’s natural resources. For more information, contact Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902, or joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

DNREC’s Outstanding Volunteers of the Year

Youth

Joshua Cogliano has been a constant participant for several years in Brandywine Zoo educational programs, camps, volunteer opportunities, and now, at 17, internships. An early high school graduate who happens to be on the Autism spectrum, Joshua makes sure he is involved at every possible point in the zoo’s public initiatives. The zoo is honored to have been a part of Joshua’s childhood (camp), teenage service years (volunteering), and the beginning of his career (internship).

Administration & Coordination

Ann Hilaman volunteers in the Auburn Valley State Park office on a regular basis. After offering to help out because there was no administrative assistant, Ann does the work of a paid staff member, while also serving as a docent in the 1897 Marshall Mansion.

Conservation Group

The Judge Morris Environmental Stewardship group, led by Terri Tipping, meets every Thursday to pull and eradicate invasive plants within the Judge Morris area at White Clay Creek State Park, and invites other park users to join them. They started working initially on the park trail and have expanded into the interior forest and out into the field buffers. The group is dedicated, open to learning about newly-observed invasives and techniques for removing them, and has members who have applied for pesticide application certification.

Education Group

Veteran anglers and fishing instructors Ed O’Donnell and Sam Palermo volunteer to lead and support every fishing program held in White Clay Creek State Park, including fly fishing classes, Children with Challenges fishing, staff training, and fishing programs with campers and visitors.

Environmental Conservation

As a volunteer at White Clay Creek State Park, Greg Wein goes above and beyond, with his willingness and creative energy to do what it takes to accomplish trail projects, as well as his critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Environmental Education

Diane Twining volunteers 45-50 hours a week in Trap Pond State Park’s main office, where she is extremely well-informed and helpful with park programs. Diane is dedicated to the educational value of Trap Pond, and genuinely loves the park and its natural resources, embodying all the best qualities of park staff.

Historical Conservation

Valley State Park volunteer Robert “Bob” Koury maintains the very popular miniature steam railroad, keeping it operational. Bob created and partially financed a train maintenance shed with entry track, making volunteer work easier and safer. He removed and replaced the back curve of the track, installed drains and catch basins, inspected, replaced and/or rebuilt all trucks under all rolling stock, installed drains and boards along the track, and repaired most of the track switches. He donated a cement mixer and creatively modified it to shift and wash track ballast. Bob also volunteers for all Steamin’ Days events. His leadership has contributed to the continual running of the miniature railroad, something DNREC’s Delaware state parks could not afford to do independently. Over the past two years, Bob has donated 800 volunteer hours, and this year is on track for another 400. His commitment has preserved the legacy of the Marshall family’s miniature railroad for the enjoyment of families for years to come.

Historical Education

Marc Krisch has been an active volunteer with Fort Delaware State Park for several years. Marc gives his time to come in and help out not just on weekends, but is also willing to take vacation from his work to participate in trainings. In addition, he has invested a lot of his own time and money to help ensure he makes an excellent impression as a period-costumed historical interpreter at Fort Delaware.

Outdoor Recreation

After becoming Bellevue State Park’s disc golf course pro in 2017, Kevin Nemeth spearheaded the creation of a sustainable plan to redevelop the course, including creating more than 10 new holes and eliminating all holes located in the central meadow of the Bellevue Track. Kevin contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to complete the project, recruit other volunteers, and coordinate with both disc golfers and Park staff to ensure that the project was completed to the satisfaction of the Division of Parks & Recreation and course users. As a result of his efforts, Bellevue’s disc golf course has seen its highest number of visitors in many years, and has hosted one large tournament, as well as new weekly doubles events. In addition, Kevin’s work demonstrated responsible and proactive environmental stewardship through the creation of a much larger and contiguous Bellevue Track meadow habitat.

Research

Daniel Lawson volunteered nearly 60 hours to assist Division of Fish & Wildlife staff with waterfowl trapping, banding, and data collection. The data are used in coordination with the Atlantic Flyway Council and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to set waterfowl season hunting regulations. Without Daniel’s help, the Division’s banding efforts would have been greatly reduced.

Research Group

Conservationists Charles and Kathy Shattuck have provided gourds and poles for the purple martin nesting population at Bellevue State Park. Charles checks the status of the eggs and hatchlings on a weekly basis during breeding season, gives interpretive programs about purple martins for visitors, coordinates with the volunteer bird walk leader, and works with a bird bander to place metal bands on new purple martins, to track the birds returning to Bellevue to breed. Their efforts have helped increase the park’s population of this threatened species from less than a dozen to more than 100 birds in the past few years.

Friends Group

The Friends of Killens Pond provide scholarship money for Killens Summer Camp programs, allowing children who would otherwise not be able to afford it the opportunity to attend summer camps. They also maintain all of the trails within the park, keeping them beautiful for visitors. This past year, the group purchased volunteer insurance to cover all state parks volunteers, providing protection to all of our interns, friends group members, and individual long and short-term volunteers within the parks.

DNREC offers a wide range of year-round volunteer opportunities for all ages. To learn about how you or your group can volunteer, visit dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/volunteer-with-dnrec/.

Youth Fishing Tournament

First place

For an amazing third year in a row, Elise Britton, 15, of Middletown, was the overall statewide winner, as well as the New Castle County winner at Lums Pond, with a total weight of 24.17 pounds that included a 9.6-pound carp, the largest fish caught in this year’s tournament on June 1.

Second place

At the Akridge Scout Reservation pond, Kirra Noble, 9, of Frederica, was the Kent County winner and second place statewide, for catching a total of 8.02 pounds of fish.

Third place

Luke Hitchens, 12, of Dagsboro, was Sussex County winner for two years in a row, and third statewide, with a total of 5.39 pounds of fish caught in Ingrams Pond near Millsboro.

Held annually on the first Saturday in June, the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Fishing Tournament was established in 1986 to introduce young people to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation.

Hunting and Fishing Photo Contests

Harry Hoch Jr. of Greenwood, won the 2018/19 Delaware Hunting Photo Contest for his submission of “Hunting Memories,” featuring his father, Dr. Harry L. Hoch and friend Bill Cole, after a successful hunt near Harrington. His photo will appear on the cover of the 2019/2020 Delaware Hunting & Trapping guide.

Israel Mora of Wilmington won the 2018 Delaware Fishing Photo Contest for his photo titled “The Fish of the 10,000 Casts,” featuring Mora’s son Bryan holding his tiger musky catch from Brandywine River. His photo is featured on the cover of the 2019 Delaware Fishing Guide.

For information on the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s upcoming 2019/20 contests, click Fish & Wildlife photo contest.

Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest

Natural Landscapes of Delaware

First place: Bernard Dennis of Millsboro, “Beautiful Countryside off Wilkins Road in Lincoln”

Second place: Zachary Williams of Odenton, Md., “Duck Stand in Bombay Hook Refuge”

Third place: Joe Hengel of Milton, “Gordons Pond Trail at Cape Henlopen State Park”

Natural Waterscapes of Delaware

First place: Ryan Shlan of Magnolia, for his photo, “Near Little Creek Wildlife Area”

Second place: Zachary Williams, “Woodland Beach Boat Ramp at Sunset”

Third place: Sean Griffith of Lewes, “The Point of Delaware” (Cape Henlopen)

Native Wildlife of Delaware

First place: Kimberly Barksdale of Wilmington, “Snowy Egrets Fighting”

Second place: Bill Corbett of Wilmington, “Dunlins at Prime Hook”

Third place: Nancy Hedgespeth of Dagsboro, “Brown Thrasher Defending the Nest from a Black Rat Snake” (near Trussum Pond)

Agriculture in Delaware

First place: Zachary Williams, “Cornfield in Magnolia at Sunset”

Second place: Joe Hengel, “Sittin’ Pretty” (Argos Corner)

Third place: Christine Moore of Lincoln, “Soybean Field in Lincoln”

DNREC’s annual Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest portrays the beauty of Delaware’s diverse environment while acting as a vivid reminder that everything happening on land within the state’s watersheds also directly affects what happens in our waterways and to our wildlife. The contest was open to all photographers, with images from any of Delaware’s watersheds accepted as entries. Judges were looking for striking photographic images of Delaware’s landscapes, waterscapes, agriculture, and native wildlife. To see the winners and finalists, visit delawarewatersheds.org/2019-delaware-watersheds-photo-contest/.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

NEW CASTLE (May 15, 2018) – Governor John Carney will present the Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards to eight young people and six groups during a May 24 ceremony in recognition of their service to Delaware.

“Through their volunteer efforts, these young people are making a lasting impact on their communities and the lives of others,” said Governor Carney. “Their outstanding service to their communities and our state has hopefully served as an inspiration to others, moving even more people to make a difference in their communities.”

More than 200 people are expected to join the Governor on May 24 at the Polytech Adult Education Conference Center in Woodside to honor the young volunteers. The awards ceremony begins with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by dinner and the official ceremony. Tickets are $30 each and are available at: https://2018governorsyouthawards.eventbrite.com.

“Young volunteers are a critical factor in maximizing the resources of nonprofit organizations that serve so many vulnerable people in our state,” said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. “When people start volunteering at a young age, they are much more likely to continue to volunteer throughout their lives. I join the Governor in thanking these young volunteers for making a difference in their communities.”

Through the State Office of Volunteerism, 2,658 Delawareans of all ages volunteered in 2017 with community partners, contributing more than 700,000 hours of service to nonprofit and community organizations. The total value of those services to Delaware and its residents is more than $17 million.

The 2018 award recipients participated in activities such as raising funds for dozens of local non-profits, helping fellow classmates to prepare for college, cleaning up local waterways and advocating for vulnerable populations including people who are homeless, veterans and children in medical settings. The honorees are representative of Delaware’s young people who are making a positive contribution to society and inspiring others to do the same.

“These service-minded young people have brought meaningful change to their communities. It’s a privilege to celebrate their success,” said Georgeanna Windley, Chair of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. “We thank and honor each of them who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.”

The Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor and are coordinated by the State Office of Volunteerism and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

For more information about the awards or volunteer opportunities, go to https://volunteer.delaware.gov , or contact April Willey, Volunteer Service Administrator, at 302-857-5006 or via email april.willey@delaware.gov.

2018 Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Award Winners
Individual

Julles Stevenson – New Castle County
Arts & Culture
Nominator: Eileen Boyle and Angela Williamson
With a strong interest in plant science and environmental studies, Julles Stevenson spent 100 hours volunteering at Hagley Museum and Library in 2017. In addition to being assigned tasks typically reserved for adults, Julles assisted in the E.I. du Pont Garden, functioned as a summer camp counselor, volunteered at some special events and worked in the Volunteer Manager’s office. She assisted in seed starting the greenhouses, planted summer and fall crops, and built large compost piles. Julles offered new ideas and showed a clear perspective on how she plans to use her talent and enthusiasm to make a difference in the environment. Her knowledge, hard work and plethora of ideas to move Delaware forward in improving our local and statewide environmental programs was an impressive contribution to Hagley Museum and Library.

Jacquelyn Janocha – New Castle County
Community Service
Nominator: Courtney O’Connor
Displaying a consistent and sincere desire to help others, Jacquelyn Janocha has volunteered hundreds of hours to multiple nonprofit organizations. She has been a fundraiser for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Delaware since 2015 and recently coordinated an awareness and fundraising campaign at her school, Cab Calloway School of the Arts. She developed a bracelet design (the sales of which were donated to NAMI Delaware) that included crisis service information and also arranged to have a NAMI Delaware representative speak to the students about mental health concerns in youth. Jacquelyn also spent close to 100 hours in 2017 volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware, for which she also did fundraising. Beyond that, Jacquelyn participated in the 2016 and 2017 summer Mission to Maine trips where she and others provide hands-on support to residents who need home repairs and want to maintain their homes, but cannot do so without support.

Domenica Proud – New Castle County
Community Service
Nominator: Mallory Stratton
For the past four years, Domenica Proud’s leadership skills and volunteer ethic have had a wide reach that touches many organizations and individuals in the greater Wilmington community focused on Delaware’s children in need. She has spent hundreds of hours in service to others and helped to raise thousands of dollars in support of pediatric cancer research. Some of the organizations Domenica has partnered with include Waggies by Maggie and Friends, Candlelighters Organization, the Jack Langseder 4evR Strong Foundation, Nemours’ Runway for Research, Norman Oliver’s Turkey Drive, American Heart Association Heart Ball, Leading Youth Through Empowerment, Kind to Kids Foundation and the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation. In addition to supporting these organizations, the Charter School of Wilmington student also encourages volunteerism within her own school community and volunteers with the Chicks with Sticks Field Hockey Camp and SMART Summer STEM Camp.

Naheem Watson – New Castle County
Education
Nominator: Gabrielle Thomas
While participating in a college preparatory program known as TeenSHARP, Naheem Watson used his skills to create a college access program called BeSHARP for other school programs to use throughout the state. Naheem completed a total of 20 sessions encompassing many different college tips useful for college prep students to access and use. His work has been instrumental with helping many students start new programs in their schools without having to spend a lot of time preparing the curriculum themselves, resulting in students getting into the program much faster and more efficiently. He extended his commitment into the school year and planned college tours for students interested in Princeton University and Rutgers University. Naheem volunteered more than 260 hours in 2017 helping other students prepare for college.

William Maxwell Kichline – Sussex County
Environment
Nominator: John McCarthy
William Maxwell Kichline has spent the last two summers becoming a highly valued member of the Cultural Resources Unit of Delaware State Parks’ Programming and Operations Section’s Time Traveler volunteer program. The Time Traveler program provides opportunities for the public to engage in archaeological and other heritage program work in Delaware’s State Parks. This work is vital to identifying and managing non-renewable cultural properties so that the stories of the people who once lived on our park lands can be shared with the public to enhance appreciation of history, the resources connected to that history and cultural heritage preservation. William accumulated almost 275 hours conducting archaeological fieldwork: manual excavation with hand tools, screening soil to search for artifacts, and properly labeling bags, placing recovered artifacts in bags for further study; and office work: washing and sorting artifacts and copying and scanning notes and reports. He also has assisted in presenting programs to the public during dig days at the Bell House on the Green in Dover and at day camps at White Clay Creek and Brandywine Creek State Parks.

Harrison Noah Copher – New Castle County
Health & Special Needs
Nominator: Susan M. Beaver
Harrison Noah Copher has a commitment to help individuals living with special needs. For the past four years, he has been an advocate and a voice for those who can’t advocate or speak for themselves. In 2017 alone, Harrison has spent more than 100 hours working with Gates Relay for Life Team in Elkton, The Sunshine Foundation, Autism Delaware and Sydney’s Super Squad Autism Walk Team. He has organized fundraisers, offered babysitting services at events, and volunteered with Autism Delaware.

Harrison Barnes – Sussex County
Human Needs
Nominator: Krissy McCluskey
At a young age, Harrison Barnes was diagnosed with Asperger’s and Sensory Processing Disorder. As much as he loved sports, he struggled to find his place. At the age of 12, he discovered BMX racing (off road bicycle racing) and he was hooked. BMX Racing gave him an outlet and Harrison decided that he wanted to help more kids with special needs/special circumstances to find their outlet. In 2016, Harrison founded GearUp, an organization whose mission is to “Get Kids on Bikes!” with a special focus on introducing more people to BMX. He has recruited volunteer mentors to help kids with special needs learn to ride a bike and started an event called “Grab Life by the Bars.” “Grab Life by the Bars” is marketed specifically to military families, as when a parent is deployed, the simple lesson of teaching a child to ride a bike is one more thing that gets put on hold. Since founding GearUp, Harrison has helped more than 160 children in eight states and has documented more than 450 hours in volunteer service.

Jane C. Lyons – New Castle County
Social Justice/Advocacy
Nominator: Nancy S. Dietz
Jane C. Lyons and her brother, Patrick, co-founded Youth Overcoming Obstacles (“YOO”) when they became aware of a childhood friend who was detained at Ferris School for Boys. Their friend’s life had spiraled out of control after unfortunate circumstances that led to his own poor decisions. The siblings began collecting books, clothing and other items to donate for teens who were staying at the Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services (“DYRS”) Cottages. Through this involvement, Jane became familiar with the challenges that youth face once they leave secure care and return to their communities and schools. With permission from DYRS, Jane set up a fund to provide items and needs specific to youth returning to their communities. In the past two-and-a-half years, Jane has volunteered more than 300 hours fundraising and working on YOO initiatives. In addition to her work with DYRS and YOO, Jane also volunteers for the Delaware HIV Consortium and the Ministry of Caring.

Group

First State Club – Kent County
Arts & Culture
Nominator: Sarah Zimmerman
Made up of 32 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students from Campus Community School in Dover, the First State Club (FSC) works with First State Heritage Park (FSHP) during the school year to present historical programs to the public. Staff from First State Heritage Park was able to go into the classroom and work closely with the students to research, develop programs and create activities for the general public. The students also present the programs to the general public for the First State Heritage Park. The club also has helped First State Heritage Park with ArCH (Arts, Culture and Heritage) Preservation Field Days. Displaying professionalism that is well beyond their ages, the students have collectively donated more than 1,200 hours in volunteer service in 2017 alone.

Sussex Central Students in Action – Sussex County
Community Service
Nominator: Mallory Stratton
For the past two years, Sussex Central High school Students in Action group has hosted a clothing drive called the “Warm Heroes Project” where they collect slightly used or new hats, gloves, scarves and other pieces of warm clothing to donate to people who are homeless and/or veterans in need to keep them warm during the cold winter months. These items are donated to Home of the Brave I, Home of The Brave II and the Georgetown Veterans Center. After months of collecting donated items, Sussex Central Students in Action logged more than 250 volunteer hours and donated more than 500 items.

TeenSHARP Capstone Scholars – New Castle County
Education
Nominator: Massona Alam
The five members that make up the TeenSHARP Capstone Scholars may all work on different projects, but they all share the same goal of bridging the racial and socioeconomic disparities in college access for students in their specific high schools. Marco Ortega and Josh Gunter worked to bring top college admission representatives to William Penn High School in New Castle. Also at Willian Penn High School, David Miller created a community service club and is working to implement a policy to use detention hours to do community service instead of sitting in a classroom. Cyntiche Deba of A.I. duPont High School in Wilmington and Jessica Chaplin of Appoquinimink High School in Middletown each worked to introduce workshops with a goal of increasing college readiness within the students at their respective high schools. Collectively, the five TeenSHARP Capstone Scholars accumulated 250 volunteer service hours in 2017.

Mispillion River Watershed Clean Up – Kent County
Environment
Nominator: Matthew Babbitt
Since March 2013, Samantha and Cole Palmer have been volunteering with Delaware Nature Society (DNS) through the Technical Stream Monitoring Program conducting water quality tests weekly on the Mispillion Waterways. All tests conducted are shared with state and regional partners who work in water quality assessment and modeling. Discovering a considerable amount of trash in and around the waterway road crossings, Samantha and Cole decided to take it upon themselves to clean and remove the trash that had been illegally dumped. They volunteered more than 380 hours monitoring and cleaning the watershed, conducted more than 1,300 observations and tests, as well as removing 887 pounds of refuse, recycling 645 pounds and properly disposing of the rest. The data they collect guides the long-term conservation of the watershed, regulating the chemicals allowed to be used based on the amount of chemicals entering the waterway. They are also removing future micro plastics from entering the food chain impacting thousands of people who live and play in the 76-mile Mispillion River Watershed.

Buckets of Love – Kent County
Health & Special Needs
Nominator: Carrie Hart and Mallory Stratton
Buckets of Love was started by Reagan and Payton Garnsey, ages 11 and 6. Despite their young ages, the Garnsey sisters were already long-term volunteers, having previously raised money through Alex’s Lemonade Stand and later founding a knitting club at their school, Holy Cross School, in Dover. Their latest endeavor, Buckets of Love, is dedicated to raising funds and collecting age-appropriate items and toys for children ages 2 to 12 who are receiving medical care in Delaware. In 2017, a conservative estimate of 250 volunteer hours led to 112 assembled buckets. Many of the buckets were broken down to distribute single toys to children in the emergency room and outpatient areas of various hospitals, meaning hundreds of children have been impacted by the Garnsey sisters and their Buckets of Love.

Blessing Backpacks – New Castle County
Human Needs
Nominators: Linda Brenna-Jones and Mallory Stratton
During the past two years, five young people have been quietly and consistently aiding the homeless populations in the cities of Wilmington and Middletown by handing out “Blessing Backpacks” and “Thinking of You” snack bags. The children, ages 10 to 13, collect donations of backpacks, hygiene products, socks, hats, hand-warmers, snacks, water bottles and blankets during the months of June through early December. These items are combined to create the “Blessing Backpacks,” which are distributed just prior to the cold months. Once the backpacks are assembled and distributed, they begin assembling the “Thinking of You” snack bags that contain a two-day supply of snacks, a hand warmer, personal care items and a note of encouragement. In 2017, the five students spent 500 hours collecting items, assembling and distributing backpacks and snack bags.

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

NEW CASTLE (March 27, 2018) – The annual Volunteer Delaware Conference, the state’s leading conference for organizations and individuals making a difference in their communities through volunteerism, is set for April 30 in Dover.

Presented by the Delaware State Office of Volunteerism (SOV) and the Delaware Association of Volunteer Administrators (DAVA), the conference will feature an arra

y of interactive instructional workshops and networking opportunities. This year’s conference, to be held at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, is expected to attract more than 150 attendees from across the state.

“I look forward to seeing the ideas and energy that will come out of this year’s Volunteer Delaware Conference,” said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. “Delaware is sure to benefit from having so many volunteers joining together to network and learn.”

The pre-conference registration cost is $75 for DAVA members and $90 for those who are not yet members. Day of conference registration is $125. Registration includes breakfast, lunch and instructional sessions.

Patti Grimes, executive director of both The Freeman Stage and the Carl M. Freeman Foundation in Selbyville, will give the keynote address entitled “Leading a Highly Committed Service Culture.” In addition to her work leading The Freeman Stage and the grant management and capacity-building programs for the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, Grimes is active in the community volunteering for the Adopt-A-Family and Adopt-A-School programs, as well as other service organizations.

Writer and nonprofit executive Barry Altland will give the closing presentation, “That One Thing; Gaining Return out of Your Learning and Connection Investment.” Altland wrote the book, “Engaging the Head, Heart and Hands of a Volunteer.”

Topics for the morning and afternoon breakout sessions include:

• Do good better with Volunteer Delaware & HandsOn Connect – https://volunteer.delaware.gov Training.
• Engaging and sustaining volunteer passion.
• Creating a voluntary advisory committee.
• Social media marketing for business.
• Corporate volunteering.
• How to plan a one-day service event.

To learn more, visit https://volunteer.delaware.gov. Registration is available online at https://2018volunteerdelawareconference.eventbrite.com

For more information, contact April Willey at 302-857-5006 or by emailing dhss_VolunteerDelaware@delaware.gov

The Delaware Conference on Volunteerism is sponsored by Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, the Division of State Service Centers, the State Office of Volunteerism, as well as the Delaware Association of Volunteer Administrators.

 

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency and protecting vulnerable populations.

NEW CASTLE (March 15, 2018) – Nominations for the Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards are being accepted by the State Office of Volunteerism through Friday, April 13, 2018.

These awards recognize the important contributions Delaware’s youth volunteers, age 17 and younger, make to their communities in the areas of arts and culture, community service, education, environment, health, human needs, public service and social justice/advocacy.

“Every year, young Delawareans across our state volunteer their time in service of others. These awards are about recognizing their contributions, spotlighting their service, and encouraging even more Delawareans to volunteer and make a difference in their communities,” said Governor John Carney. “Our communities are better places to live, work, and play because of volunteers of every age.”

Nominations must be received by Friday, April 13, 2018, by the State Office of Volunteerism, Attn: Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards, c/o April Willey, Williams State Service Center, 805 River Road, Dover, DE 19901 or emailed to dhss_VolunteerDelaware@delaware.gov.

The nomination form is available on https://volunteer.delaware.gov. Nominators may also request a nomination form by emailing dhss_VolunteerDelaware@delaware.gov or calling (302) 857-5006. Prior to submission, you may email the nomination form for review and feedback to confirm nomination submission is complete and meets all required guidelines.

Award recipients will be honored on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at a special ceremony at Polytech Adult Education Conference Center, 823 Walnut Shade Road, Woodside.
Volunteer efforts must have been performed during 2017; though prior volunteer activity can also be highlighted to show long-term commitment. The nominated individuals and group members must be age 17 or younger.

“In 2017, 2,658 Delawareans of all ages volunteered through community partners with the State Office of Volunteerism, contributing more than 700,000 hours of service to nonprofit and community organizations,” said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. “If you were to add up the total value of those services to Delaware and its residents, it would be more than $17 million. That level of commitment to our communities is another way we are building a stronger and healthier Delaware.”

The Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor and are coordinated by the State Office of Volunteerism and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

For more information about the awards or volunteer opportunities, go to https://volunteer.delaware.gov, or contact April Willey, Volunteer Service Administrator, at 302-857-5006 or via email april.willey@delaware.gov.

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

Dover — Eighteen Delaware urban agriculture and community garden projects are receiving support through a second round of funding designed to strengthen communities and improve nutrition.

The partnerships that have developed at the local and state around urban agriculture and community gardening have really helped to transform Delaware communities. The grants awarded this year totaled $27,671.74, with $17,671.74 from Delaware Department of Agriculture. New Castle Conservation District pledged the additional $10,000 match for New Castle County sites.

“We are extremely grateful for these grants,” said Mary Steppi a volunteer with Elsmere Community Garden who received a grant last year. “These gardens fill a niche by providing fresh produce to people who do not have transportation to farmers’ markets. Our garden serves young and old, long-time residents, and a diverse mix of families. It really brings the community together, encourages people to get out and get active and meet people while giving back to the neighborhood.”

This year’s recipients include community groups, religious institutions, schools, and other organizations. The funds for these projects will help purchase supplies, seeds, plants, and minor equipment to enhance current projects or new initiatives.

This year’s recipients include:
>Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, Wilmington, $2,000
>William Penn High School, New Castle, $2,000
>Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware – New Castle County, $1,000
>Connections CSP, Inc., Wilmington, $2,000
>Duffy’s Hope Inc., Wilmington, $2,000
>Conscious Connection Inc., Wilmington, $2,000
>Lombardy Parent Teacher Association (PTA), $2,000
>City of Delaware City, Delaware City, $1,000
>Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Wilmington, $2,000
>Resurrection Parish, Wilmington, $2,000
>Freire Charter School Wilmington, Wilmington, $2,000
>St. Marks United Methodist Church, Wilmington, $2,000
>Wesley College and Restoring Central Dover Community Garden, $1,000
>Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware – Kent County, $1,000
>Dover First Christian School, Dover, $671.74
>LEADelaware Class IV/Kent Community Gardens, Milford, $1,000
>Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware – Sussex County, $1,000
>Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach, $1,000

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, 302-698-4542, stacey.hofmann@delaware.gov