Richard J. Caron Award of Excellence Celebration

Wednesday May 7, 2025 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Please Join Us Wednesday May 7, 2025 from 5:00 - 8:00

It is our pleasure to invite you to join us for the 2025 Richard J. Caron Award of Excellence Celebration on Wednesday, May 7th at The DoubleTree by Hilton as we celebrate the power of transformation. Funds raised at this event will provide life-transforming treatment scholarships, programmatic support, and clinical advancement furthering Caron’s mission of Recovery for Life.

Michael and Diane Duff

Michael and Diane Duff were married in Wheaton, Maryland on August 11, 1984. They have lived in Lower Heidelberg Township since September 1991, when they moved there from Baltimore, Maryland. They have two adult sons: Alex (Philadelphia) and Steven (Charlotte, North Carolina).

Diane is a community volunteer who has served a number of nonprofit organizations, including Caron, the Diocese of Allentown, the First Tee of Lehigh Valley and Berks, the John Paul II Center for Special Learning, and the United Way of Berks County. She and Michael served as the inaugural Co-Chairs of Caron’s Central Pennsylvania Advisory Council. Diane holds a B.A. in education from the University of Maryland.

Michael is Vice President—Community Engagement for Penske Transportation Solutions. He joined the Penske Legal Department in 1991 and served as the company’s General Counsel from April 2001 until February 2015, and as its Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President of Government Relations from February 2015 until April 2021. He holds a B.A. in history from The Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Michael serves as Chair of the Caron Greater PA Regional Advisory Board, and he either currently serves or has in the past served on the Boards of Alvernia University, Caron, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, The Highlands at Wyomissing, John Paul II Center for Special Learning, Penn State Health St. Joseph Regional Health Network, Reading Symphony Orchestra, and United Way of Berks County.

Michael and Diane have been recognized for their service to the community and philanthropy by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Berks Regional Chapter, the United Way of Berks County, the John Paul II Center for Special Learning, the Law Foundation of Berks County, and the Salvation Army of Reading. The life they share is lived in a manner best described in the words of St. Teresa of Calcutta: “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”

CELEBRATION DETAILS

Dear Friends of Caron

Please join us in supporting the 2025 Richard J. Caron Award of Excellence celebration on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in Reading, PA. On this evening, Caron will celebrate its long history of transforming lives. Caron is committed to delivering a fulfilling life beyond addiction to those in need through life-changing care and innovation. Caron is where the science of treatment meets the heart of care.

This year’s honorees for the prestigious Award of Excellence are Diane and Michael Duff, our long-time friends and well-known community leaders. Diane and Michael personify the dinner’s theme: A Community of Hope. They both serve on the Caron Greater PA Regional Advisory Board. In addition, their work in Berks County and nearby communities has made it possible for organizations such as United Way of Berks County, John Paul II Center for Special Learning, the Diocese of Allentown, Alvernia University, and Penn State Health St. Joseph Regional Health Network, among others, to deliver quality services and hope to their constituents.

Caron also recognizes Benchmark Construction with the 2025 Partner in Recovery Award. Benchmark Construction is generous to Caron and to organizations in the local communities. The company and its leaders have consistently supported offering Caron’s Peak Performance, the prevention program for athletes, to school districts in Lancaster and Lebanon counties. In addition, Benchmark led the construction of the Fran & Doug Tieman Research Center and the Neag Medical Center on Caron’s Wernersville campus and The Keele Center on Caron’s Florida campus.

Funds raised at the celebration will provide life-saving scholarships, programmatic support, and clinical advancement, furthering Caron’s mission of providing transformational care and delivering recovery for life from substance use disorder.

We invite you to help us reach the goal of assisting as many families as possible by becoming an event sponsor. Sponsorship opportunities are described in the following pages.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading PA. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Glynis Fitzgerald, Dan Huyett, and Ellen Huyett
Event Co-Chairs

Event Sponsors

  1. The Welcome Reception, Registration and Name Badge pickup will begin at 5:00pm in the Callowhill Ballroom.
  2. Joining us this year from 5:00pm to 6:00pm will be Acacia Flower Shop. They will be set up in the Callowhill Ballroom and you will be able to create your own unique bouquet of flowers to take home with you. These flowers are free, so please make sure you stop and create a bouquet for you or for a loved one!
  3. The Celebration Dinner will begin at 6:00pm in the Centre Park Ballroom.
  4. Dress for the Celebration Dinner is business attire.

***PLEASE NOTE anyone who desires a vegetarian meal can let one of our staff know when you pick up your name badge, and they will give you a card to place at your table setting for dinner.

Parking

  1. Parking will be available in the DoubleTree parking garage. Parking is complimentary BUT you will need to bring your license plate number to the parking kiosk inside the Hilton Lobby and our staff will assist in registering your car for the complimentary parking.

Please reach out to Caron’s partner, Jennifer Palella, at jenn@proservevents.com with any questions regarding the event.

If you have any questions or would like further information please contact
our event coordinator Jenn Pallela (Jenn@proservevents.com or 610.203.9650).
We look forward to seeing you on May 7th!

A man and a woman leaning on each other

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