Sustainable Cheltenham Awards

2019 Winners

• Greta Bunin - Energy, Mobility, Healthy Living
• Cheltenham School District (CSD)- Energy, Mobility, Sustainable Development, 
• Jeff Chirico - Community Engagement, Ecological Stewardship, Local Economy
• Christa Sywulak-Herr - Community Engagement, Ecological Stewardship, Water
• The Ways Brewing - Waste Reduction, Local Economy, Water

Pictured from Left to Right: John Raisch, EAC member;  Greta Bunin, winner; Jim Custer director of transportation, CSD, Julie Haywood, president, CSD board (holding certificate); Dan Schultz, CSD board member; David Cohen, CSD board member; Tim Way, winner (from Ways Brewing); Irv Brockington, Commissioner (Ward 7) and Kurt Ahren, EAC chair
 

 Award Criteria:

1. The effort must be located in Cheltenham Township.
2. The effort must benefit Cheltenham Township or this region.
3. Provide some measurement to support the achievement of the goal(s), if possible.
4. Describe any regional impact of effort.

 Sustainable Award Nomination Form 

Winners will be chosen by EAC.  Award recipients will be invited to attend the Sustainable Cheltenham Festival at Arts in the Park in early June to be recognized for their contributions.

Sustainable Cheltemham Awards Slides

Questions: [email protected]

2018 Winners

The presentation of the 2018 Sustainability Awards were hindered by the weather, so not all recipients were able to attend. Recipients will be honored at the July 18, 2018 Board of Commissioners meeting. The following are the 2018 Sustainability Award recipients:

Community Engagement | Energy | Waste Reduction | Ecological Stewardship
For developing award-winning designs for solar energy and vertical gardening at the PECO Innovation Challenge (2017 and 2018), developing community outreach and education on a variety of environmental and energy-related topics, and establishing a partnership with Glenside Elementary students on sustainable garden design.Patricia Ward and Mitchell Green, leaders of Glenside Elementary Green Team

Community Engagement, Waste Reduction | Ecological Stewardship | Water Management
For engaging students and families in sustainable practices, bringing students out into the environment and environmental education into the classroom, and working with school administration and staff to improve the opportunities for routine sustainable action at school (improved recycling compliance and water bottle filling stations).
Cedarbrook 8th graders (Peri Albert, Anwar Bethel, Maddie Conwell, Syleena Evans, Ameer Jones, Alonna Lemmon, Raina Miller, Ahmod Newton, Aniyah Phillips, Corey Redeross, Jordan Toran and Melena Walter) and their teacher, Karen Shaffran

Energy | Ecological Stewardship | Community Engagement
For developing an award-winning project (2018 PECO Innovation Challenge) describing an outreach event to educate the Cheltenham community about the negative impacts of fossil fuels and the urgent need to switch to renewable energy.
Danelle Witkowski

Mobility | Healthy Living | Ecological Stewardship | Community Engagement
In addition to coaching a mountain biking team, she regularly commutes to work by bicycle. She engaged her students on Bicycle to Work Day and challenged them to ride their bicycles to school. Danelle is also an environmental steward and caretaker of the trail networks, regularly participating in trail maintenance and clean up days.
Wendy Ankrom

Community Engagement | Energy | Waste Reduction | Ecological Stewardship | Monitoring
For starting the “Switch to Renewables” campaign, supporting Sustainability Education in the schools and community, and taking on leadership of the Energy and Emissions Committee of the Environmental Advisory Council.
Joe Mazza

Community Engagement | Energy | Waste Reduction | Ecological Stewardship | Monitoring
For adding solar energy production at home, creating spaces for community engagement in creative reuse (maker spaces) and Little Free Libraries, and taking on leadership of the School Liaison Committee of the Environmental Advisory Council.
Rhonda Isser

Community Engagement | Water Management
For helping members of our community constructively engage with the vexing issue of sewer repairs. Rhonda created a forum for discussion and learning so everyone could have a voice and find out how they might be affected by deferred maintenance of the sewer infrastructure.
Amy Chapman, Elcy’s Cafe

Community Engagement | Sustainable Development | Local Economy | Healthy Living for All, Ecological Stewardship
For striving to use local vendors and provide healthful menu options, supporting a bee-friendly garden and water conservation (grey water usage, whenever possible), and supporting local artists and community engagement, including support of a local Scout-led Earth Day project.
Amy Chapman, Elcy’s Cafe

2017 Winners

The Cheltenham Township Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) selected 20 individuals and organizations to receive 2017 Sustainable Cheltenham Awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to promoting sustainability in the community. EAC Chair Kurt Ahrens (back, right), joined by Cheltenham Commissioners (left to right) Daniel B. Norris, Irv Brockington (back) and Brad M. Pransky, presented the following awards during the recent “Arts in the Park featuring Sustainable Cheltenham” event held at High School Park in Elkins Park:

• Caryl Levin (front, right) accepted the award on behalf of the Melrose Park Neighborhood Association for its regular cleanups, beautification projects and more.
• Lorna Rosenberg (front, second from right) was honored for her longstanding efforts in watershed, energy and overall sustainability projects with both the township and Cheltenham School District.
• Bob Hamburg (back, second from right) accepted on behalf of his sister Diane Hamburg for her utilization of photovoltaic electricity, home composting, rainwater management and more at her Glenside home.
• Elizabeth Compitello (front, third from right) accepted on behalf of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission for its leadership in programs like the LED Conversion Project and SolSmart.
• Earl Stamm (back, third from right) was honored for his effort to successfully to incorporate sustainability goals into the township’s comprehensive plan and zoning code.
• Cheltenham Elementary School Principal Nick Pere (back, second from left) and teachers Katherine Falso (front, third from left) and Wendy Quinn were honored along with ten other staff members for the school’s extensive real-world environmental education.

Also honored but not shown were Joe Mazza for his many green improvements to his home; Wyncote Elementary School Teacher Kristin Krause for creating an eco-code, performing a waste audit and more; and other Cheltenham Elementary School staff members Angel Schalk, Delilah Montemayor, Elisabeth Farnsworth, Ken Buckwalter, Kris Hovis, Michael Ferris, Rebekah Taboada, Wade Huggins, Stephanie Jacob and Syieda Graham Logan.

2016 Winners

1. Midgard Properties for 1) Sustainable Development, 2) Local Economy, 3) Community Engagement and 4) Energy
2. Bill Mettler for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Healthy Living, 3) Waste Reduction and 4) Alternative Transportation 
3. Karen Shaffran for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Ecological Stewardship, 3) Local Economy, 4) Waste Reduction and 5) Water Management
4. ShopRite of Cheltenham Mall for 1) Local Economy, 2) Community Engagement, 3) Waste Reduction and 4) Healthy Living
5. Arcadia University Community and Civic Engagement Center for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Local Economy, and 3) Energy and Waste Reduction
6. Streamkeepers: Nathan Johnson,  Robin Irizarry, Chris Hunter, Kathy Hodgkiss, Gina Craigo, Kurt Ahrens, Karen Serfass, Hannah Reimer, Callie Raymond, and John, Johnny, Glynis and Maris Raisch for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Ecological Stewardship, 3) Water Management and 4) Monitoring

In recognition of their outstanding contributions to promoting sustainability in Cheltenham Township, three individuals received Sustainable Cheltenham Awards during the recent Arts in the Park event held at High School Park in Elkins Park:

• Karan Shaffran (center) was recognized for championing environmental issues at Cheltenham School District since 2003, when she began teaching science at Cedarbrook Middle School, and cultivating a generation of student environmentalists.
•  Bill Mettler (second from right) was honored for leading sustainable actions like engaging local citizens to put energy meters on their appliances, gathering data for a national study, and leading citizens to assess traffic safety at dozens of intersections in the community.
• John Raisch (right) along with his wife and children are among 10 citizen scientists who regularly collect and raise awareness about the water quality in the Tookany, Jenkintown and Rock Creeks as part of Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership's "Streamkeeper" Program.

2015 Winners

Presented at Arts in the Park featuring Sustainable Cheltenham on June 7, 3015

1. Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Inc. for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Ecological Restoration, 3) Water Management and 4) Healthy Living
   
2. Glenside Farrmers Market for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Local Economy and 3) Healthy Living for All.
3. Elkins Park Hazon CSA for1) Community Engagement, 2) Local Economy, 3) Healthy Living for All  and 4) Ecological Restoration.
4. Judith Gratz for 1) Community Engagement and 2) Ecological Stewardship.
5. Dottie Baumgarten for 1) Community Engagement and 2) Ecological Stewardship.
6. Friends of High School Park for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Ecological Restoration, 3) Water Management and 4) Local Economy.
7. Elcy's Cafe for 1) Community Engagement, 2) Local Economy and 3) Healthy Living for All.

Left to right: Cheltenham Township Commissioner Morton J. Simon, Jr.; award-winner Dottie Baumgarten; Commissioner Ann L. Rappoport; Lorna Rosenberg, EAC vice chair and Kurt Ahrens, EAC chair.	Left to right: Cheltenham Township Commissioner Morton J. Simon, Jr.; Commissioner Ann L. Rappoport;  Lorna Rosenberg, EAC vice chair; Kurt Ahrens, EAC chair; and award-winner Judith Gratz.	Left to right: Cheltenham Township Commissioner Morton J. Simon, Jr.; Commissioner Ann L. Rappoport;  award-winner Julie Slavet, TTF executive director; Kurt Ahrens, EAC chair; and Lorna Rosenberg, EAC vice chair.

Left to right: Cheltenham Township Commissioner Morton J. Simon, Jr.; award-winner Cynthia Blackwood, FHSP President; Lorna Rosenberg, EAC vice chair and Kurt Ahrens, EAC chair.	Left to right: Dean Galemb of Elcy's Cafe; Lorna Rosenberg, EAC vice chair; Robin Rifkin ofE Elkins Park Hazon CSA of Kol Ami Congregation; and Kurt Ahrens, EAC chair.

First Annual Sustainability Festival at Arts in the Park (video)

June 1, 2014

2014 Winners

1. Myers Elementary School Green Ambassadors for sustainable development as a LEED Gold School and community engagement via PTO and Green Ambassadors
2. Ramah Day Camp at the Mandel Education Campus Garden for healthy living, water management and community engagement
3. Ben Adams & Gail Korostoff for energy efficiency, renewable energy and health and wellness (chickens)
4. Sidney Kahn and architect John Hubert for the LEEDS Platinum Kahn Residence
   
5. Federation Housing Inc. - Samuel A. Green House
   for healthy living, water management and energy efficiency
6. Ancillae Assumpta Academy for 1) energy production and purchase and 2) waste reduction
7. CreekSide Food Co-op for healthy living, community engagement and local economy
8.  La Mott Community Garden for healthy living and community engagement