Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC) will present the 2023 Frank Broderick Award and the 2023 Reverend David H. McAlpin, Jr. Community Champion Award to deserving recipients at this year’s Soirée Under the Stars to be held Friday, May 5^th at Springdale Golf Club in Princeton. 

The Frank Broderick Award is given to an individual who demonstrates a deep commitment to social justice, compassion, and selflessness – qualities that supported Mr. Broderick in his efforts to achieve racial integration of the Princeton Summer Camp and to mobilize those who advocated for racial integration of Princeton University in the 1940s.

John S. Watson, Jr., Co-Executive Director for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, will be honored with the 2023 Frank Broderick Award. “Jay” has been working to protect New Jersey’s landscape and environment for over 40 years.

Watson will receive this award for his dedication to conservation as well as his advocacy for enhancing equitable access to restorative green space in urban areas. Throughout his career he has advocated for the protection of those special natural lands, habitats and historic sites throughout New Jersey, while also consistently and fervently advocating for enhancing the environment and quality of life in our State’s urban areas. He is particularly interested in engaging communities of color to enjoy our natural lands and seek career paths in the field.

The Reverend David H. McAlpin, Jr. Community Champion Award is given to an organization that has demonstrated a deep commitment to social responsibility through the investment of human and financial resources to advance the lives and opportunities of people from historically marginalized communities. The award was created in 2023 to honor the memory of Rev. McAlpin who served on the Boards of and supported countless nonprofit organizations in Mercer County and was an Honorary Trustee of PBC.

NJM Insurance Group will be presented with the 2023 Reverend David H McAlpin, Jr. Community Champion Award.

Founded in 1913, NJM Insurance Group is among the Mid-Atlantic region's leading property and casualty insurers consistently recognized for its award-winning customer service and overall customer satisfaction. One of the Company's core values is to support the communities it is privileged to serve, a value exercised through year-round employee volunteer efforts at local nonprofits and a formal corporate giving program.

NJM has a legacy of supporting a variety of charitable organizations, including the Princeton-Blairstown Center, that are dedicated to empowering the communities where its policyholders and employees live and work.

About the Princeton-Blairstown Center

Princeton-Blairstown Center serves young people, primarily from historically marginalized communities, by nurturing their social-emotional skills through experiential, environmental, and adventure-based programming. Developing these skills enables our participants to engage in self-discovery and transform their communities to create a more just world.