10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania will bestow its prestigious Commonwealth Award on a state representative who advocated for Pennsylvania's Elm Street programs and the CEO of a Harrisburg non-profit that has contributed greatly to the capital city growth.

The Commonwealth Award for Contribution by a Public Official will go to Pennsylvania Representative Robert Freema, D-Easton. Freeman wrote and sponsored the legislation that established Pennsylvania's Elm Street project to revitalize existing neighborhoods and compliment the Main Street program that assists older commercial districts. Freeman is also being honored for his 20 year-plus legislative career as a strong advocate of Smart Growth policies.

The president and CEO of the Harristown Development Corporation, Russell C. Ford, will receive the Commonwealth Award for Contribution by a Citizen for his contributions to the development of downtown Harrisburg, as evidenced by numerous new and rehabilitated structures, including the Strawberry Square office tower, the Harrisburg Hilton, the Harrisburg Transportation Center and the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. Ford, a former city planner, is being honored for his visionary leadership. For the complete press release, please click on the document below.