National Constitution Center president and CEO Joseph Torsella, of Flourtown, received a crime prevention award from the Center City District on October 29 for his successful efforts to help recover a stolen copy of the Bill of Rights. With a questionable offer to buy an original copy of the Bill of Rights for the center, Torsella and the center’s attorney, Stephen Harmelin, managing partner at Dilworth Paxon, cooperated with the FBI in a plan that ultimately recovered the priceless document.

Emilie Lapham and Kirsten Doyle, of Wyndmoor, painted a wall with peacocks and other flora to resemble old wallpaper at The DogHaus, a fundraiser for the SPCA, which will be open through December 19. Call 215-426-5030 or click www.spcadoghaus.org.

Century 21 Alliance, of Lafayette Hill, has announced that associates Carol Miller, Marguerite Stokes and (ZJ) Zsuzsanna Jasdi were among the top 100 sales associates year to date for the region covering Pennsylvania east of Harrisburg and the state of Maryland.

Margaret Schorpp, of Flourtown, has been named as an instructor in the new Harcum College nursing program.

Dr. Virginia Hedrick, of Germantown, was recently elected to the board of directors of the Riders’ Club Cooperative. At that same meeting, driver Philip Weaner, of Lafayette Hill, was named a recipient of a Riders’ Cub Hero Award and driver Bruce McNeel, of Germantown, received a most valued driver award.

Geoffrey Disston Minott, son of Joseph A. Minott Jr. of Chestnut Hill, has been transferred from his post in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, to Skopje. His new title is Senior Private Sector Advisor to U.S. AID.

HomeCare Associates, who provide home health aids in the Delaware Valley, marked its recent 10th anniversary and recognized many of its employees: Patricia Brock, of Germantown, was lauded for her eight years of service and assistant case manager Eunice Benson, of Germantown, five years of service. HCA’s director of workforce development is Sharon Congleton, of Mt. Airy.

Walter P. Palmer III, of Chestnut Hill, has been named president and CEO of the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA).

NewCourtland Elder Services, a network of six nursing homes for frail elders throughout Philadelphia, earned the Leadership Award for Outstanding Support of Intergenerational Programs, presented by Generations United, a coalition dedicated to intergenerational policy, programs and issues. Generations United recognized NewCourtland for its Comfort & Joy™ initiative, which seeks to create an enlivened environment by offering the elders that live in the six NewCourtland nursing homes the opportunity to interact with children in a variety of art and cultural activities both on and off-site.

Lawrence D. McEwen Architects, a Mt. Airy firm, won a recognition award at the 2003 AIA Philadelphia Design Awards Program for its work at Wyck, an historic house and garden in Germantown. The architects converted a 1930s garage into an education center and built handicapped accessible restrooms that blend with the building and landscape. Lawrence McEwen lives in Chestnut Hill and is a member of the Chestnut Hill Community Association Land Use Planning & Zoning Committee.

Mt. Airy resident Crystal Tolbert has completed her training at HomeCare Associates and is now a certified home health aide.

Linda Nevatt, a member of the LPGA for more than 15 years, has been named the new director of instruction at The ACE Club, a Gary Player Signature Design 18-hole golf course, in Lafayette Hill, and Jim Deaton has been named head golf professional.

The City Gardens Contest celebrates the beauty and diversity of Philadelphia while recognizing local gardeners for their skillful and imaginative urban gardening. Started in 1975, the City Gardens Contest has grown from 100 entries and 22 judges, to 400 entries in 11 categories with 300 judges. Local first place winners this year are Thomas & Susan Duffy, for Individual Flower Garden at their home; and Peggy Garrett, for Community Flower / Sitting Garden at the Horticulture Center.

The sixteenth annual Wyck-Strickland Award was recently presented to Robert McCracken Peck of Chestnut Hill, senior fellow of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. This award honors those who have made outstanding contributions to the cultural life of Philadelphia demonstrating an understanding of and sensitivity to the past.

State Senator Allyson Y. Schwartz is being honored on December 4 by the Delaware Valley Council for Early Care and Learning for her advocacy and achievements on behalf of children and families for over 20 years.

Eugene Coleman, of East Falls, was honored as Outstanding Coach of the Year by Special Olympics Philadelphia at a recent awards ceremony. Coleman, project director of the Special Olympics team at JEVS Community Collaborative, manages more than 130 adult athletes and volunteers on weekends and evenings to travel to events and take athletes to local sporting events. He also coaches bowling, long distance running/walking, athletics, basketball and skiing.

Historic RittenhouseTown has received two grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for this year. The first is a Museum Project Grant, which will make recommendations for the preservation of the site’s growing collections of objects and support their full cataloging in order that the organization’s records can be completely accurate and up to date. RittenhouseTown was also awarded a general operating support grant.