Alfred E. Driscoll Community Service Award

Since 1931, the Haddonfield Civic Association has recognized individuals or organizations that have made a lasting, positive impact on our town in a volunteer capacity. Each year, the HCA presents the Alfred E. Driscoll Award honoring the late Governor Driscoll, a distinguished citizen of Haddonfield and the state of New Jersey.

The Award acknowledges an uncommon effort made on behalf of the community, with the intention that those who receive it will inspire others, and that it will encourage broader participation in civic activities in the Haddonfield.

Click Here to See Last Year’s Award Winners.

See Past Recipients below.

Who Was Alfred E. Driscoll?

Alfred E. Driscoll, distinguished Haddonfield citizen, HMHS Class of 1921, was a Governor of the state of New Jersey from 1947-1954.

He was in public service for many decades including:

  • Haddonfield Board of Education 1929-1937
  • Haddonfield Borough Commissioner  1937-1947
  • NJ State Senator 1939-1941
  • Governor of New Jersey 1947-1954

While building the NJ Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway, and NJ Palisades were all remarkable achievements, he also accomplished the following:

1) Desegregating all NJ public schools in 1948.

2) He also desegregated the NJ National Guard and State Police.  He received notice from the US Military that they would decertify the NJ National Guard since the US Military had not desegregated yet and as a result NJ would be defunded.  He stood his ground.  Apparently it went up the chain of command and President Eisenhower, who was close with him, commanded the US Military to immediately start planning to desegregate the entire military.  One quiet domino set it all off.  NJ was never decertified.

3) He was able to get NJ to finally adopt a new State Constitution.  It included the requirement of a thorough and efficient education for all NJ students.  He believed that a well-educated populace was important to the success of the state.  Many other progressive ideas in there too.

4) He acquired and incorporated the Wharton Tract, Batsto, Island Beach, the Walt Whitman House, and vast other tracts into the NJ Park System.  Two primary reasons – he believed that all residents should be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the state and sought to protect natural resources for the benefit of the populace, ie. underground fresh water aquafers.   He was a great believer in preserving open space and the environment.

He truly was a progressive, inclusive, and visionary man. 

(Who was Alfred E. Driscoll was written by the Haddonfield Alumni Society – visit them at  https://HMHSalumni.org/)

2010's Recipients
2000's Recipients
  • 2009 Linda Brees and DeForest “Butch” Brees
  • 2008 Doug Rauschenberger and Kathy Tassini
  • 2007 Haddonfield Auxiliary Police
  • 2006 Joe Haro
  • 2005 John Connell
  • 2004 HATCH
  • 2003 Gene Kain
  • 2002 First Night
  • 2001 Bob Parsons
  • 2000 John H. Reisner III, Esquire
1990's Recipients
  • 1999 Haddonfield Lions’ Club
  • 1998 Interfaith Caregivers
  • 1997 John J. Tarditi, Jr.
  • 1996 Rev. Charles Sayres
  • 1995 Haddonfield Rotary
  • 1994 Y’s Men
  • 1993 Bill Reynolds
  • 1992 Siddons Harper, Jr. & Harold Elliott
  • 1991 Haddonfield Garden Club
  • 1990 Bob Schaeffer
1980's Recipients
  • 1989 Haddon Fire Company No. 1
  • 1988 Tom Patton Haddonfield Pickup Band
  • 1987 Dorothy McGlade
  • 1986 Haddonfield Friends School
  • 1985 C. Carlton Read
  • 1984 The Haddonfield Crime Watch
  • 1983 The Bancroft School 1 OOth Anniversary
  • 1982 HarryT. Kaufmann
  • 1981 Kenneth G. Weaber
  • 1980 Haddonfield 65 Club
1970's Recipients
  • 1979 Walter Saladik
  • 1978 The Haddonfield Red Cross Blood Bank
  • 1977 The Haddonfield Bicentennial Committee (1976)
  • 1976 Martha and Louis Goettelmann
  • 1975 Borough Commissioners, Past & Present

The award title for the community service was renamed to the Alfred E. Driscoll award in 1975. Before that, it was simply the community service award. 

1970 - 1974 Recipients
  • 1974 Herman F. Jannsen
  • 1973 Haddonfield Planning Committee & Official Planning Board (created June,1956)
  • 1972 Crows Woods Nature Center Assoc.
  • 1971 Mrs. Jesse G. Haydock
  • 1970 The Delaware River Port Authority
1960's Recipients
  • 1969 The Community Concert Association
  • 1968 The Haddon Fortnightly
  • 1967 Dr. Lawrence Litchfield Glover “The Family Doctor”
  • 1966 Haddonfield Public Library & Haddonfield Friends of The Library
  • 1965 “The Pageant” and “The Kings Road” (activities of the 250th celebration)
  • 1964 Dr. Ernest A. Farrington
  • 1963 The 250th Anniversary Committee & Estaugh Mansion
  • 1962 Haddonfield Blood Bank & Foreign Exchange Students
  • 1961 Haddonfield Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Women’s Auxiliaries
  • 1960 Historical Society of Haddonfield & Haddonfield Plays & Players
1950's Recipients
  • 1959 Haddonfield Council of Adult Education
  • 1958 Henry Bean, Past President, Haddonfield School Board & Robert B. Alleger, Pres., Haddonfield Little League
  • 1957 Haddonfield Celebrations Association
  • 1956 Haddonfield Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Haddonfield Ambulance Assoc.
  • 1955 Adjustment & Planning Committee
  • 1954 Haddon Fire Company No. 1 & Volunteer Police Reserve Assoc.
  • 1953 The Haddonfield Public Library
  • 1952 Haddonfield Post 38, American Legion
  • 1951 The Haddonfield National Bank & Kings Highway Beautification
  • 1950 200th Anniversary of the Indian King & Governor Alfred E. Driscoll
1940's Recipients
  • 1949 The Historical Society of Haddonfield
  • 1948 The Guard House
  • 1947 Birdwood & Dinosaur Hydrosaurus Foulki
  • 1946 Haddonfield Friends School
  • 1942 John Estaugh Hopkins House (Discontinued due to World War II)
  • 1941 Elizabeth Haddon Homestead
  • 1940 Haddonfield Friends Meeting House
1930's Recipients
  • 1939 Free Public Library
  • 1938 Haddon Fire Company No. 1
  • 1937 The Indian King
  • 1934 Haddonfield – Ye Olde Town
  • 1931 Reverend Paul Hayne

Since 1931, the Haddonfield Civic Association has recognized individuals or organizations that have made a lasting, positive impact on our town.

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