Preservation Salem County, Inc. will present ten Preservation Awards at its first Annual Awards Dinner on Sunday, April 29th, at the Riverview Inn. The awards will honor individuals and groups who have done exemplary work in preserving the heritage of Salem County.

The Army Ground Forces Association at Fort Mott is dedicated to the study, interpretation and preservation of the World War II soldier. This volunteer group makes the history of the Fort come alive for visitors by showing the pre-World War II mobilization effort at Fort Mott.

Lee and Louanne Booz restored the 1730 Nicholson House in Mannington Township to its original colonial style. They removed stucco from the exterior to expose the original blue glazed brick, duplicated the original fireplace and paneling with exact copies, and restored the floors with authentic floor boards.

Donna Federanko-Stout began writing about Salem County history for The Sampler in 1976. In 1992, Donna began publication of a monthly paper, the Hometown News, concentrating on locale people and history. In 1999, she co-founded the Penns Grove Historical Society, which evolved into the Historical Society of Penns Grove and Carneys Point. Donna developed slide presentations and walking tours of Penns Grove and has helped revive community events such as Cove Day, Grove Day and the Christmas on the Cove tour. In 2005, Donna authored A Postcard History of Penns Grove and Carneys Point.

Aleasa Hogate has promoted the Swedish/Finnish heritage pf Salem County since 1988. Aleasa researched the early history of the Penns Neck area, whose settlers attended Holy Trinity Church in what is now Wilmington, Delaware. The settlers used the Church's boats to cross the river to worship. To commemorate this heritage, she designed and solicited funding for the New Sweden Monument installed at Riverview Beach Park in 2004. She created "Boats and Church-boats", a website, to provide information on churchboats. As vice-president and Education Director for the New Sweden Centre, Aleasa is coordinating "Experience Life in New Sweden". The exhibit will open in late spring at the Kalmar Nyckel shipyard, 7th Street, in Wilmington. She hopes to provide a copy of the video, "Life in New Sweden" to every fourth grade teacher in Salem County for use in their classrooms.

Ronald LeHew illustrated for Hallmark Cards, Smithsonian Magazine and Highlights for Children. But it was as a columnist for Today's Sunbeam that he involved everyone in his love for the County. Beginning in 1989, Ron brought the people, scenes, vistas, streams and byways of the County to his readers. He found people at their best. He saw beauty, and painted it with words, leading all to appreciate the beauty we live in everyday. He recreated the old tradition, the Town Crier, and made many events memorable with a cry written especially for the day. Ron imagined a time from our past; his vision is his painting that now hangs in the Old Couthouse in Salem.

Patrick and Lisa Lloyd purchased the 1670 Andrew Sinnickson family home, Obisquahassit, in Pennsville in 2001. They restored the house to its original condition, repairing porches, veranda, slate walks, steps, the front entrance and 63 original windows. They refinished all inlaid and hardwood floors and used period wall coverings throughout the house. They restored the circa 1860 bank barn, residing it with Connecticut white pine tongue and groove siding and retaining the cattle stanchions, birthing quarters and interior pens and stalls. As part of the Barn Owl Research Foundation, they installed nesting boxes for rare barn owls and have had two successful breedings of chicks. They maintain a working farm and vineyard using historical and organic methods. They consider themselves stewards of one of the oldest residential structures and farms in New Jersey.

Ronald Magill founded the Salem Old House Foundation in 2000 to preserve and restore historic residences in Salem County and educate the public about their significance. The Foundation has restored three houses in Salem City. The Foundation owns the pattern-end brick Abel and Mary Nicholson House (1732) in Elsinboro, which is designated a National Historic Landmark. Ron was a founding officer of Preservation, Salem, Incorporated in 1990. He is serving his third year as New Jersey Advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He is a past president and current vice-president of the Salem County Historical Society, a founding member of the Genealogical Society of Salem County and a past Chairman of the Historical Preservation Commission of Salem City. He holds membership in Preservation Salem County, Inc. and Friends of the Hancock House.

The Parvin State Park Appreciation Committee has increased the quality of recreation available at the historic park. The Committee has installed commemorative and directional signs, worked with Scout groups to maintain and increase facilities and purchased equipment to aid in the maintenance of the park. The Committee wrote a history of the park and developed a slide presentatiion on the history of Parvin State Park. The Committee upgraded the display of the original Civilian Conservation Corps camp and hosted the largest 50th Anniversay Reunion of CCC members in the state. The Committee designed and installed four wayside exhibits of historic sites within the park.

William K. Stoms, Jr. began promoting farmland preservation in 1988 when he formed Save Our Land to educate farmers and the public about the need and methods to preserve farmland. He was founding vice-president of Concerned Pilesgrove Residents in 2002. CPR informed residents of the effects of development on the farmland and rural culture of Pilesgrove Township. In 2006, CPR was recognized by the Association of New Jersey Enviornmental Commissions for its work in promoting wise land use. Bill serves on the Salem County Agriculture Development Board, the Salem County Open Space Advisory Committee, the Salem County Planning Board and the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Joint Enviornmental Commission. He is president of the Salem County Genealogical Society and serves on the History Subcommittee of the Cultural and Heritage Commission.

S. Jay Williams is a lifelong farmer and Daretown resident. As a member of the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Old Church Restoration Committee, he has been instrumental in the restoration and upkeep of the Church (c.1767) and the Old College Replica adjoining the Church. He maintains and documents old church records and lectures on the history of the church. He researched and restored the Revolutionary War cannons at Upper Pittsgrove Township Hall and the Old Courhouse in Salem. He involved the local Boy Scout Troop in building a replica waterwheel for Fox's Mill on Daretown Lake and placed it in the mill race.

The Preservation Awards will be presented on Sunday, April 29th at the Riverview Inn in Pennsville. Ticket information is available at The Etc. Shop in Pedricktown, the Salem County Historical Society in Salem, on the web at www.preservationsalem.org and www.experiencesalem.org, or by calling 678-5994.