As 2022 came to a close, the TTF team reflected on a productive, fun year. Staff have worked tirelessly and experienced some amazing accomplishments worth celebrating. Here our are our personal 2022 highlights and hopes for next year!
Malcolm Bundy, Philadelphia Community Organizer
“My 2022 highlight was hosting the large Storm Drain Marking event with Mariana Bracetti Academy. In 2023, my goal is to host more Storm Drain Marking events for the TTF watershed.”
Doryán De Angel, Community Watershed Leader
“There are many wonderful things that took place in 2022. One of the highlights would be the “Birds of a Feather” event in April organized by local artist Jay Coreano. It was wonderful to see the trail beneath the Whitaker Avenue Bridge come alive with artists showcasing their arts of all mediums, families gathering to enjoy the crafts, and the repainting of the bird murals by VURT Creative. This event was the first of its kind, and we hope it won’t be the last!
A goal for 2023 is to continue merging programs with the arts and environmental learning.”
Jamilee Hoffman, Communications Specialist
“I enjoy being able to attend community events and being part of the TTF watershed atmosphere, especially because I work from home most of the time. My highlight of 2022 was experiencing the watershed’s community culture, as displayed by the music and dance performances at the Tacony Creek Park Music & Arts Fall Festival, even though it was held indoors due to rain! I also enjoyed designing the new Learning Trail pages on the TCP Keepers website, and working on TTF monthly news and events newsletters with a refreshed creative design layout.
In 2023, my goal is to improve my creativity and media pitching skills, along with growing my knowledge on how to effectively provide educational messaging on all of TTF’s media outlets.”
Ryan Neuman, Upstream Conservation Leader
“My highlight of 2022 was working more consistently with volunteers on a number of different projectsm and seeing many of the same faces at these events. I enjoy seeing volunteers grow in their capabilities, interest, and knowledge of our watershed!
My goal for 2023 is to increase participation in programs and workshops in our Montgomery County community, as well as the number and type of programs that we offer.”
Alex Rosario, Philadelphia Stewardship Leader
“My highlight of 2022 was removing 27.8 tons of trash and tires out from under the Whitaker Avenue Bridge. It really discouraged a lot of people that live in the community to see the tires when they entered that section of Tacony Creek Park. The event had a great turnout, in partnership with United By Blue, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, and Parks & Recreation.
We couldn’t have achieved the success of this event without help from the community members who really hustled for 3 hours on 2 separate days. Some hauled tires up from the edge of Whitaker Avenue, while other volunteers assisted with throwing tires into trucks to dump them in the container. We really appreciate all the effort everyone put forward to make this a successful event! We hope to not have any more tires in Tacony Creek Park but we do wish to come together like this in the future.
My 2023 goal is to complete more projects in Tacony Creek Park to reduce erosion along the Tacony Trail, due to the difficulty for cyclists, walkers, and runners to enjoy their time on the Tacony Creek Park Trail whether it’s for exercising, enjoying the space, or getting to work.”
Julie Slavet, Executive Director
For me, something wonderful happens at TTF every day! It could be receiving an email from a creative change-making organization reaching out to work with us…or watching a child climb onto the fox at the River Alive Learning Trail with incredible joy. Over the summer, we hosted a number of Power Corps PHL Ranger Apprentices in Tacony Creek Park. Jaquay Scott and Kevin Nicholson were enthusiastic, dedicated and hard working apprentices who both became valuable team members during their time with us. I miss them! I know that they will go on to help make our world a better place.
For 2023: I hope to see the TTF staff continue to grow as individuals and as a team. I’d like us to develop as a learning community, sharing knowledge, experiences, dreams, and a vision for the future of our organization and the watershed community.
Emilie Wetzel, Development & Administration Manager
“My favorite part of 2022 was being able to host our Watershed Milestones Awards Ceremony and Reception in person for the first time since 2019. It was so invigorating to be able to celebrate together after so many years apart.
My goal for 2023 is to keep the momentum up to raise funds for TTF’s new paid intern program. It has been a dream of TTF’s for many years, and a cause that’s particularly near and dear to my heart, having started at TTF as an unpaid intern many years ago. An incredibly generous donor pledged to match $25,000 in donations to kick-start this program.”
Thank you, TTF staff and board members for sharing your 2022 highlights and 2023 goals!
TTF has enjoyed this year’s events to engage the community and connect our neighbors to the watershed. We hope to see you out on the trails or at a TTF creek in 2023.
Stay up to date on TTF events with our website calendar.
