Veteran Milford attorney and grassroots leader John “Duke” Schneider will receive Greater Pike Community Foundation’s Barbara J. Buchanan Community Service Award at the organization’s 11^th Annual Awards Dinner in September. At the same time, John’s of Arthur Avenue Restaurant & Pizzeria will be presented with the Richard L. Snyder Business Leadership Award, while the Pike County Historical Society will be given the Nonprofit Excellence Award.

The dinner will be held on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Cedar Lakes Estate in Port Jervis, NY. The gala event is open to all, and sponsorships, tables of 10, and individual tickets are now available at www.greaterpike.org/annual-dinner. In tandem with the three awards, Greater Pike will make a donation to the nonprofit organization of the honorees’ choosing.

“This year’s honorees are pillars of Pike County in every sense,” said Luke Turano, Greater Pike’s Board Chair. “At a moment when our country is reflecting on 250 years of American history, it feels especially fitting to honor Duke Schneider, whose decades of service embody civic leadership at its finest; John’s of Arthur Avenue, which has given back to veterans year after year without fanfare; and the Pike County Historical Society, which stewards extraordinary artifacts of American history. We hope you’ll join us on September 13 to celebrate them and the community they have helped build.”

John J. “Duke” Schneider, recipient of the Barbara J. Buchanan Community Service Award, moved to Milford in 1968, following graduation from Penn State Dickinson Law School in Carlisle, PA. A West Point graduate who served in the Army in the early 1960s, Schneider built a law practice in Milford specializing in land development and estate planning. He served as Pike County public defender and was a president of the Pike County Bar Association.

A believer in community-based philanthropy and engagement, Duke has long been involved in local activities, serving with the Lions Club, Rotary, and numerous arts and community events including Black Bear Film Festival and Milford Music Festival. With his friend and client Dick Snyder, he was among the founders of Greater Pike Community Foundation in 2012 and served on its board for nine years.

Duke and his wife, the late Joan M. Schneider, started the Schneider Family Fund at Greater Pike. He and his sister Jill Davis founded the Gertrude and Edward Schneider Family Fund to benefit area nonprofits. Following the death of Dick Snyder, Duke created the Snyder Chair of Conservation Studies Fund in honor of Dick’s memory. That fund, together with acreage that Dick donated to the Delaware Valley School District, “will allow Milford to continue its national reputation as the birthplace of the conservation movement,” Schneider said.

John’s of Arthur Avenue Restaurant & Pizzeria, a hub of Milford cuisine and community service for the past 14 years, is the recipient of the Richard L. Snyder Business Leadership Award. An independently owned and operated business known for its quality food, welcoming service, and deep roots in the Milford community, John’s was founded by owner Colin Smith, whose passion for the craft traces back to his uncle’s bakery.

John’s is not just a dining destination; it’s also a model of community leadership. The restaurant’s Pizza Voucher Fundraiser has raised more than $200,000 to support Delaware Valley athletic programs and other local charities. Each year, John’s helps organize and caters the Rev It Up event, which generates $10,000 to $15,000 annually to support local veterans. And for a decade, the restaurant has catered free veterans’ and senior citizens’ dinners at Delaware Valley High School, offering a tangible expression of gratitude to those who built and served our community.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, John’s launched a Helping Hands initiative providing free meals to those experiencing food insecurity, a program that continues to this day. For the last 12 years, the restaurant has donated to the Chefs Do Dinner benefit for the Center for Developmental Disabilities. John’s regularly discounts food for local fundraising events and extends a standing 10% discount to veterans and teachers. Colin has also mentored Delaware Valley High School students in hospitality and service, giving young people hands-on experience in what it means to run a business with purpose.

“The more you give, the more you get,” Colin says—a philosophy that has guided his restaurant since day one.

 

The Pike County Historical Society, caretaker and guardian of the rich history and heritage of the region, is recipient of Greater Pike’s Nonprofit Excellence Award. Founded in 1930, PCHS maintains a 1904 neoclassical mansion as its Columns Museum, adding to Milford Borough’s unique historic architecture.

Along with archival holdings and a research library, the Columns Museum is home to the famed Lincoln Flag—a 36-star flag that decorated the Presidential Box at Ford’s Theater on April 14, 1865, the night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Used to cradle the wounded president’s head, the flag still bears traces of his blood. It was brought to Milford in 1888 by Jeannie Gourlay Struthers, a young actress who performed in Our American Cousin that fateful night.

While this artifact is a highlight among the museum’s two floors of exhibits, every display tells an important story. Of special note is a permanent exhibition centering on the indigenous inhabitants of Pike County, titled “The Lenape: Original People Reconciling the Past, Embracing the Future.” PCHS holds many special events and lectures throughout the year, including regular dives into Milford’s history as a mecca for science-fiction writers and an annual celebration of local hero and baseball legend Smokey Joe Wood.

“Community support is essential to these efforts, whether through visiting, attending programs, becoming a member, volunteering, or contributing to help keep Pike County’s history alive and accessible,” said PCHS director Lori Strelecki.

Greater Pike offers individuals, families, and local businesses an opportunity to provide a permanent and personal way to give back to the community. For more information about opening a fund or a scholarship, or to contribute to an existing fund, contact Rick Little, Executive Director, at (570) 832-4686, ricklittle@greaterpike.org, or visit www.greaterpike.org, Facebook.com/GreaterPike, or Instagram.com/GreaterPikeCF.