John H. Chafee Heritage Awards
Senator John H. Chafee
Artwork by Maria Thomas
Created by the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the John H. Chafee Heritage Award honors the late Senator’s legacy and recognizes individuals, groups, or students who have worked on projects that promote cultural heritage, environmental conservation, and the quality of life in the Blackstone River Valley. Past years’ recipients have celebrated community leaders, preservation heroes, business partners, environmental advocates, and students whose achievements resulted in the public’s benefit. These heroes have demonstrated the Valley’s long tradition of leadership and inspiration.
2021 Recipients:
- Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02)
- U.S. Senator Jack Reed (RI)
- Ross Weaver, Sutton, MA
- John Marsland, Cumberland, RI
- Student Award: Painting & Design Technology Students at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (17 sophomores)
Painting & Design Technology Students at BVT
At a ceremony held on April 11 at Blackstone Valley Tech, Blackstone Heritage Corridor presented its John H. Chafee Student Award to 17 sophomore students from the Painting and Design Technology program at Blackstone Valley Tech. Pictured here from left to right (standing): Devon Kurtz, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Executive Director; Tom Lamont, Painting & Design Technology instructor at Blackstone Valley Tech; Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, Blackstone Valley Tech Superintendent; Richard T. Moore, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Board Chair; Amelie Botelho (Millbury), Giana Duquette (Milford), Nelle Norris (Milford), Katie Huff (Douglas), Stella Lentini (Milford), Emma Fiore (Grafton), Emma Sanborn (Milford), Jonathon Spiller (Northbridge), Marley Koopman (Northbridge), Madison Moore (Millbury), Hailey Feehan (Northbridge), Logan Feehan (Northbridge), and Alexandra Nunnemacher (Sutton). From left to right (kneeling): Madison Collins (Grafton), Sophie Jacobson (Bellingham), and Riley Austin (Northbridge). Not pictured: Carlie Jensen (Grafton). Photo by Molly Cardoza.
Congressman Jim McGovern
Blackstone Heritage Corridor presented one of its John H. Chafee Heritage Awards to Congressman Jim McGovern. Pictured here from left to right are: Devon Kurtz, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (BHC) Executive Director; Eric Breitkreutz, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Superintendent; Lee Dillard Adams, BHC Board Director; Donna Williams, BHC Board Director; Harry Whitin, BHC Board Director; Jeannie Hebert, BHC Board Director and Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce President; Congressman Jim McGovern, 2021 John H. Chafee Heritage Award recipient; and Richard T. Moore, BHC Board Chair. Photo by Ellen D. Kawadler.
Ross Weaver
Blackstone Heritage Corridor presented one of its 2021 John H. Chafee Heritage Awards to Ross Weaver of Sutton, MA. Pictured here from left to right are: Wendy Mead, Sutton Select Board Member; Devon Kurtz, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Executive Director; Ross Weaver, 2021 John H. Chafee Heritage Award recipient; Richard T. Moore, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Board Chair; James Smith, Sutton Town Manager; and David Hall, Sutton Select Board Member. Photo by Ellen D. Kawadler.
John Marsland
John Marsland, president of the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone, received the 2021 John H. Chafee Award on April 22, 2022, at the premiere of " Kittacuck Speaks," a film he co-directed. Pictured here from left to right are Devon Kurtz, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Executive Director; Richard Moore, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Board Chair; John Marsland, president of the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone and a 2021 John H. Chafee Heritage Award recipient; Judy Hadley, BRWC/FOB Board Member; Lee Dillard Adams, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Board Member.
Senator Jack Reed
John H. Chafee Heritage Award History
| Year | Name | Affilliation | ||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | John H. Chafee | given posthumously at the February 2000 annual meeting to the late Senator's family | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Margaret Carroll | Millville | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Nicholas D'Amico | student from Uxbridge honored for his Eagle Scout project at River Bend | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Ruth B. Tetreault & Henry J. Tetreault | Lincoln, RI - decades of work protecting river and open space | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Matthew Soucy | Woonsocket High School River Club | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Nicholas Jzyk | RI student - storm drain stenciling | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Ralph (Bud) Gurney | Waters Farm | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Rebecca Paige | student, Woonsocket High School | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Meaghan Pierannunzi | student, Woonsocket High School | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | 8th-grade class Assumption School, Millbury | JoAnne Holahan was the teacher | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Janice & Michael Ferry | |||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Deborah D. Cary | Mass Audubon Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Gary Vaillancourt | Founder & Chairman of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee (who operates Vaillancourt Folk Art) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Richard Gregory | President of Old Slater Mill Association | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Michael Quirk | Student - Nipmuc Regional High School (restored Chestnut Hill Meeting House Cemetery) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Jennifer Cote | Student - president of Woonsocket High School's River Club | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Ken Crater | Grafton - 468 acres protected at 4 sites - plus preserving site of Native American Praying Village; creation of Brigham Hill Community Farm as part of Community Harvest Project | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Peg Ferraro | Grafton - 468 acres protected at 4 sites - plus preserving site of Native American Praying Village; creation of Brigham Hill Community Farm as part of Community Harvest Project | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Eugene Peloquin | from North Smithfield. Credited with being a proponent of the Museum of Work & Culture - fundraising - the "Nun Project" classroom addition | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Cumberland High School 5th Grade Class 2002-2003 | "Heroes of History" project | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Tiffany Shaw | student - Millville | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Sutton 300 Committee | Co-chairmen Gary Vaillancourt and David Lavallee + steering committee of 15 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Sarah Buchanan | Burrillville, RI - for her volunteer support to many Blackstone Valley organizations | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Frank Matta | Cumberland, RI - for efforts to improve the Blackstone River | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Daniel & Elaine Malloy | Hopedale - efforts to preserve and share the history of Hopedale | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Alexander Thompson | Student at Northbridge High School for organized cleanups of the Mumford River and water quality monitoring | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Thomas Scanlon | Lincoln, RI - historic preservation and promotion work | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Nora Schachte | Student - Woonsocket, RI - president of River Club | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Partnership Award: Massachusetts Highway Dept | for bikeway project | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Community Stewardship Award: Orville R. Harrold | posthumously - former president of Providence and Worcester Railroad | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Jim & Maggie Plasse | Blackstone - BRWA | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Matthew Chamberlin | Student - Blackstone Millville Regional High School. Civically engaged student leader | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Nicole Hauber | Student - Millbury High School - president of Environmental Council | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley | |||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Marilyn Baker & Northbridge Recycling Committee | |||||||||||||||||
| 2007 Star Award | John Spillane | Worcester - posthumously | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 Star Award | Robert Largess | Sutton - rode his stagecoach from E. Providence to Worcester to raise awareness of the 3rd annual Footsteps In History program | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 Star Award | Gene Bernat | Upton - Gene and his company Cover Technologies - his company turned the Fisherville Mill Complex from brownfield into an opportunity | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 Star Award | Shirley & Leon Mosczynski | Douglas - first chairman of Douglas Conservation Commission (1970). Champion of land protection. With his wife they helped prevent a landfill from being situated near Douglas State Forest | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Brian H Wood | Boy Scout - Sutton (junior at St. John's High School in Shrewsbury)- Eagle Scout - cleanups, storm drain stenciling, erosion control at Broad Meadow Brook, nesting boxes at West Hill Dam | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | William Wallace | Worcester Historical Museum | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Sarah Marsland | student award | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009 Star Award | Thomas Mattson | author and reporter from Blackstone Valley Tribune | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009 Star Award | Leslie Reichert | owner of Back Door Vacuum Shop in North Uxbridge - for improving the environment - author of the Joy of Green Cleaning | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Congressman David Cicilline | |||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Senator Jack Reed | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Edward M. Augustus Jr. | Worcester City Manager | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Congressman Jim McGovern | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Senator Jack Reed | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Ross Weaver | Cemetery Conservation in Sutton | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | John Marsland | Preservation of River for 30+ years; BRWC/FOB | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Painting & Design Technology Class at Blackstone Valley Tech | 17 Sophomores; Instructor Tom Lamont | ||||||||||||||||