Great Swamp Watershed Association Hosts Its 2006 Volunteer Awards Dinner

As a member supported non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting water and natural areas for today’s residents and for future generations, the Great Swamp Watershed Association depends heavily on the efforts of volunteers for help in the office, in the field, around the watershed and in the communities we serve.

Once a year the organization thanks those dedicated volunteers by hosting a barbecue dinner. This year the event was held at the GSWA headquarters on Tempe Wick Road in Harding. Guests were treated to grilled chicken, homemade pasta salads and green salads, home-baked desserts, as well as wine and beer, donated by the organization’s trustees.

The Watershed Association presented the Abigail Fair Good Government Award to NJ State Senator Robert Martin (R- 26).

The Watershed Association also presented its annual Volunteer of the Year Awards for extraordinary service. 2006 Volunteer of the Year Awards were presented to Roger Edwards of Long Hill Township; Ellen Drury of Harding; and Blaine Rothauser of Florham Park.

Abigail Fair Good Government Award

Senator Martin was honored for his on-going support of environmental causes, most importantly his support of the Highlands Act. In an era of increasing concern about water resources, Senator Martin also sponsored the “New Jersey Clean Water, Drought Mitigation and Water Resource Security Trust Fund Act”, a funding mechanism for future water resource issues.

He is a Professor of Law & Director of the Center of State and Local Government Law at Seton Hall Law School.

Volunteer Awards

Roger Edwards was chosen for this award for his dedication and countless number of hours spent helping the Watershed Association in everything from its stream monitoring work to development, fundraising, and strategic planning. Roger is a regular member of the “Stream Team,” a program of the Watershed Association that does water quality monitoring for GSWA and the Ten Towns Great Swamp Watershed Committee. This involves long treks to remote sensing stations, often in the rain; lugging bottles of samples over slippery ground; maintaining equipment; analyzing data and submitting reports to the DEP. Roger also serves on the development committee and helped to formulate the Watershed Association’s five-year strategic plan. Dedication, expertise, professionalism, and enthusiasm are just a few of the special qualities that Roger brings to the Watershed Association. Roger and his wife Bert live in Long Hill Township.

Ellen Drury is one of those ”Swiss army knife“ volunteers, helping out with anything and everything, from water quality monitoring, to acquisition mailings, to working on the membership database, to helping with our annual dinner and auction. Ellen is a professional communications executive and she brings her considerable skills and expertise to the Watershed Association through her volunteer work. Married to husband Scott, Ellen has three children and lives in Harding Township.

Blaine Rothauser has been one of the mainstays of our organization for many years. A trained naturalist and a talented photographer, he has worked long and hard on our Conservation Management Area off Tiger Lily Lane in Harding. In addition, he has been invaluable in performing environmental impact analyses on many development applications throughout the Watershed. Blaine lives in Florham Park with his wife, Lucy, and two sons.

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25 Years of Protecting Water & Land In Your Town!

Founded in 1981, the Great Swamp Watershed Association, headquartered in Harding Township, NJ, is committed to protecting drinking water and preserving land to maintain the natural beauty and livability of your town. Celebrating 25 years of service as a non-profit organization, the Association relies on membership and contributions in its advocacy for the ecological health of the 36,000 acres of the watershed. For information on membership and upcoming events, visit the website at www.greatswamp.org. Anyone interested in supporting the Great Swamp Watershed Association may call Ruth Kerkeslager at 973-538-3500.
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