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For Immediate Release May 18, 2011 Media Contact: Kim Kunda, Marketing & PR Manager (215) 482‐7300 ext. 118 | [email protected] News Release Michael DiBerardinis and Virginia Friedman Named Recipients of The Schuylkill Center’s 2011 Henry H. Meigs Awards May 18, 2011 (Philadelphia, PA): The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education is pleased to announce the 2011 Henry H. Meigs Award Winners. This year, the Henry H. Meigs Environmental Leadership Award will be presented to Michael DiBerardinis, Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources, while the Henry H. Meigs Scholarship Fund Award will be presented to Virginia Friedman, Teacher and Country Classroom Program Coordinator at The Philadelphia School. The awards will be presented at The Schuylkill Center’s May 22nd event, “Celebrating Conservation: Our Promise for Philadelphia’s Future,” commemorating the historic conservation easements secured in 2010 by The Schuylkill Center in partnership with Natural Lands Trust, and The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Established in 2006, The Henry H. Meigs Environmental Leadership Award is given by The Schuylkill Center to honor leaders whose commanding presence and guidance toward our world’s sustainable future reflects the spirit, integrity, and vision of The Center’s founder, Henry Meigs. This exceptional leadership we seek to recognize may take many forms, including the support of environmental education for people of all ages; the creation or promotion of sustainable technologies, practices or principles; or other significant environmental accomplishments. In all cases, the award’s recipients embody a bold new environmental vision for generations to come. This year, this award will be conferred on Michael DiBerardinis. DiBeradinis, Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources City of Philadelphia, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation and Special Advisor to the Mayor on Libraries, was appointed in April 2009. Prior to his appointment, Mr. DiBerardinis served as Secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, overseeing 117 state parks, 26 forest districts, and 7 regional community offices. The department, under Secretary DiBerardinis, managed 2.5 million acres of public land and administered grant programs that annually dispensed over $80 million dollars. Prior to being named as Secretary for DCNR, DiBerardinis served as Executive Director of the Campaign for Working Families. Before working with the Campaign, he was the Vice President of Programs for the William Penn Foundation. DiBerardinis’ long history of public administration includes serving as the Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Recreation from 1992 to 2000. DiBerardinis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from St. Joseph’s University. Past Recipients of The Henry H. Meigs Leadership Award: 2010 William Walkup 2009 Project T.R.E.N.D. (Teaching Response to ENvironmental Demands) 2008 Cindy and John Affleck 2007 Governor Edward G. Rendell 2006 Denis O’Brien, PECO President The Henry H. Meigs Scholarship Fund was established in 2005 by Henry’s wife and son as a memorial tribute to Henry, his love of the environment, and his lifelong passion for its conservation and preservation. The Fund will be used to make awards to students who have demonstrated exceptional interest, curiosity, or accomplishments in environmental studies. The Scholarship Fund also memorializes the extraordinary relationship between Henry and The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. Co‐founding The Center with his mother, Margaret Houston Meigs, and his aunt and uncle, Sam Smith and Eleanor Houston Smith, he continued to serve as an active trustee until his death in 2005. New contributions to the Fund are gladly accepted, and will support future scholarship awards. This year, this award will be conferred on Virginia Friedman. Born in Princeton, Virginia's first memory of celebrating the natural world was streaking across their suburban courtyard at age two. When her family transplanted to Bethesda, Maryland, she grew to love the C&O Canal, camping, fishing, and biking. She volunteered at a local veterinary clinic, then the National Zoo in Washington D.C., and continued to pursue these "wild" interests when she moved to Philadelphia for college, grad school, and life after academia. Virginia has a masters in English and a minor in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania; the combination caused her parents much stress. The ensuing masters in Environmental Education from Arcadia University didn't do much to assuage their worries of financial stability (the other "green") and the risk of her moving back home, but she paid off her student loans and was lucky enough to find her niche in Philadelphia's incredible community. She married former college crush and fellow teacher Michael Friedman on Earth Day 2000, and they are now known as "the parents of Leo (6) and Sadie (3)." Past Recipients of The Henry H. Meigs Scholarship Fund: 2010 The West Philadelphia Hybrid X Team 2009 Pam Seretny, Teacher, Philadelphia Mennonite School 2008 Dana DeNick & Students from Esperanza Academy 2007 Kim Fullam and her 8th Grade Class from the James Dobson School 2006 Olney 704 High School (Students & Faculty) The Schuylkill Center, founded in 1965, is the premiere urban environmental education organization in the nation. It protects the largest privately owned piece of land within Philadelphia City limits. With the conservation easements, The Schuylkill Center’s core 320‐acres are protected in perpetuity. The non‐ profit organization preserves and maintains this “living classroom” for the thousands of visitors who enjoy the property each year. These include more than 5,000 Philadelphia‐area schoolchildren from public, private, and homeschool associations, whose educators look to The Schuylkill Center as a resource for exceptional hands‐on environmental science and natural history programs. “This celebration recognizes the achievements of local environmental leaders through the prestigious Henry H. Meigs Awards, while also providing a space for our community to gather to recognize what it means to protect forest, and green space in the growing Philadelphia metropolis, all while supporting the efforts of The Schuylkill Center,” said Emily Simmons, Director of Resource Development . The Schuylkill Center’s community of members, donors and stakeholders will welcome Mike Weilbacher as its new Executive Director at the event as well. Weilbacher assumes the leadership of The Schuylkill Center May 31st 2011. EVENT INFORMATION “Celebrating Conservation: Our Promise for Philadelphia’s Future” on May 22nd, 2pm‐5pm Presenting The Henry H. Meigs Awards Featuring Music by Wabi Sabi & Appearances from The Schuylkill Center’s Wildlife Ambassadors Garden Party Attire; Light Fare & Spirits. Beer provided by Yards Brewing Company. Signature cocktail provided by Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. VIP Tickets: $150/person | Guest Tickets: $50/person 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road Philadelphia, PA 19128 Tickets: 215‐482‐7300 ext. 117 | [email protected] Tickets to the May 22nd event are still available for VIP’s and Guests, as are Sponsorships. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Director of Resource Development at (215) 482-7300 x.117 or email [email protected]. Tickets are not available for purchase the day of the event. Individuals, Corporations, and Foundations interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to the Henry Meigs Scholarship Fund should also contact Emily Simmons, Director of Resource Development. The official registration and information of The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1(800)732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. For information/ interviews, contact Kim Kunda, Marketing & PR Manager, at (215) 482‐7300 ext. 118 or [email protected]. The mission of The Schuylkill Center is to promote, through environmental education, the preservation and improvement of our natural environment by fostering appreciation, understanding and responsible use of the ecosystem; by disseminating information on current environmental issues; by encouraging appropriate public response to environmental problems and by maintaining the facilities of The Schuylkill Center and conserving its land for the purpose of environmental education. 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road Philadelphia, PA 19128 www.schuylkillcenter.org (215) 482‐7300 .