Meg McGuire, founder of Delaware Currents, among UDC honorees

The Upper Delaware Council will honor Meg McGuire, the founder, publisher and editor of Delaware Currents, with a special recognition award at its annual awards dinner on Sunday.

Delaware Currents, which McGuire started in 2015, is the only news outlet dedicated to covering the entire 330-mile Delaware River and four-state watershed. McGuire is being honored for her work as the founder of her independent online watershed news source and as producer of the video, “A Flight Along the Delaware River: Our History, Our Watershed.”

In 2021, McGuire was honored by PennFuture with a leadership award and this year Delaware Currents won recognition for excellence in local news reporting from the New Jersey Center for Cooperative Media.

“I am thankful to the UDC for this recognition as Delaware Currents continues its powerful, authoritative story-telling about a river and watershed that connects us all,” McGuire said.

At its annual awards ceremony on Sunday, the UDC will bestow honors on other individuals or organizations who have enhanced the quality of life or protected the resources of the Upper Delaware River Valley. Nathan Reigner, Pennsylvania’s director of outdoor recreation, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Other honorees include:

• Distinguished Service Award: John Conway of Barryville, N.Y., for his Upper Delaware River Valley historical expertise, programs, publications, guided walks, bus tours, and collegiate instruction and for his contributions as co-founder and president of The Delaware Company and role as the longest-serving Sullivan County historian for 31 years.

• Partnership Award: Long Eddy Fishing Access Site Improvements, honoring the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Town of Fremont, Sullivan County, National Park Service Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, and Delaware Highlands Conservancy, for completing this long-planned upgrade.

• Community Service Award: Tess McBeath of Hortonville, N.Y., for benefiting the Town of Delaware during her 26-year tenure as town clerk, annually battling against litter, securing funds for town improvements, and helping local non-profit organizations in the fields of youth, families, health care and veterans.

• Volunteer Award: Jane Luchsinger of Narrowsburg, N.Y., for donating her time and talents to the Town of Tusten as a citizen deputy supervisor, Conservation Advisory Council chairperson, and grants administrator, as well as to the Narrowsburg Chamber of Commerce, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Western Sullivan Public Library, Tusten Social, Growing Older Together, Tusten Repair Café, Beautification Committee and more.

• Cultural Achievement Award: Professor Paul C. King of Yankee Lake, N.Y., and the New York City College of Technology, as the pre-eminent John A. Roebling scholar, historian, author, consultant, and lecturer on Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct and early 19th century technical innovations, both regionally and nationally.

• Recreation Achievement Award: Paddle for Pride by the TriVersity Pride Center of Milford, Pa., for organizing an Upper Delaware River raft trip from Staircase Rapids Access, N.Y., to Matamoras, Pa., on July 27 with inclusive and advance educational programming by the National Park Service for LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies.

• Special Recognition Award: Ian Pammer of Bethel, N.Y., for the 12-year-old’s exceptional volunteerism at Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History in Narrowsburg, presentation abilities and “revolutionary” initiatives.

• Special Recognition Award: Beverly Sterner of Milanville, Pa., for creating and moderating the Upper Delaware Community Network since 1999 as a valued online resource to share news, events and recommendations.

• Special Recognition Award: Lisa Glover of Honesdale, Pa., for researching, making, and donating to the Upper Delaware Council a “Big Eddy Narrows” map poster displaying the Delaware River’s deepest and narrowest point.

• Oaken Gavel Award: Aaron Robinson, Shohola Township representative, for his 2023 UDC leadership as the organization’s chairperson.

The public banquet will take place at Central House Family Resort, at 81 Milanville Road in Beach Lake, Pa. A reception with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar begins at 3 p.m. A buffet dinner is set for 4 p.m. Tickets are $34 and must be reserved in advance.

A downloadable reservation form listing the itinerary and buffet menu is available at www.upperdelawarecouncil.org to return to the UDC at P.O. Box 192, Narrowsburg, N.Y., 12764, or drop off at the 211 Bridge St. office.

For more information, call (845) 252-3022 or e-mail Administrative Support Stephanie Driscoll at stephanie@upperdelawarecouncil.org.