Citizen of the Year – Terry Revak
Since becoming a full-time resident of Ponce Inlet, Terry Revack has volunteered her time to continue to make Ponce such a special town.
For eight years, she has served on the Ponce Inlet Community Center (PICC) board, taking on the role of treasurer since 2020. Terry actively organizes volunteers to staff the PICC office, scheduling herself for multiple days each month and stepping in to cover unscheduled shifts to ensure the center remains accessible to residents and visitors alike.
Terry spearheads fundraising efforts, orchestrating events like Soup and Salad, Dinner Shows, and Irish Night. She meticulously plans these events, manages ticket sales, creates decorations, and even bakes to ensure their success.
At the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, where she has volunteered since 2017, Terry leads engaging tours, supports events, organizes educational materials, and contributes to the outreach program, enriching the community’s connection to its history.
Beyond these roles, Terry quietly supports numerous town clubs by designing flyers, creating Excel spreadsheets, crafting signs, and producing decorations, all with her characteristic humility.
We are delighted to celebrate her remarkable contributions. Please join us in congratulating Terry Revak for her well-deserved recognition!
Lifetime Achievement Award – Judy and Joe DiCarlo
Since relocating to Ponce Inlet in 2005, Joe and Judy DiCarlo have passionately served as dedicated volunteers, enriching the community through their tireless efforts. They frequently worked side by side, contributing to a wide array of organizations and events, including the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, Historic Museum, Garden Club, Veterans Association, and the Citizens for Ponce Inlet Board. Their commitment extended to bringing joy to children through organizing and supporting Easter egg hunts, Halloween festivities, and Christmas celebrations, where they could often be seen engaging with families and fostering community spirit.
Joe diligently served on the Town’s Planning Board for over 10 years, actively shaping the community’s development with thoughtful decision-making. Simultaneously, Judy devoted herself to the Code Enforcement Board for the same duration, ensuring the town’s standards were upheld with fairness and integrity. Their exceptional contributions earned them high recognition: Judy was celebrated as the Citizens for Ponce Inlet’s Citizen of the Year in 2018, and Joe received the same honor in 2019, a testament to their profound impact. For a deeper look into their extensive volunteer work, visit the Citizen of the Year section on the Citizens for Ponce Inlet website.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Ed Davis
Ed and Barbara relocated to Ponce Inlet in 1989, settling on the same street as Ayres and Kay Davies, Bill and Edwina Knox, and other key figures who helped found the town and remained active in its affairs. These inspiring neighbors introduced Ed and Barbara to the town’s unique character and vibrant community, sparking their passion to contribute. While Barbara’s numerous contributions are widely recognized, Ed has also dedicated himself to serving Ponce Inlet in meaningful ways over the years.
From 1996 to 2000, Ed served as president of Citizens for Ponce Inlet and currently holds a position on its board.
When Volusia County assumed control of the beach from local municipalities, they created the Beach Trust Commission to ensure coastal communities had a voice. The town council appointed Ed as Ponce Inlet’s representative, and he served from 1994 to 1996. During this challenging period, Ed and fellow commission members tirelessly advocated for responsible beach management.
Ed also served on the Parks, Recreation, and Tree Board for over a decade, from 1997 to 2007. He humorously recalls the board’s hands-on work, including designing and clearing trails in the newly established Ponce Preserve. Today’s hikers enjoy trails that Ed and other dedicated board members created by pulling vines and clearing brush. Ed continues this work as a member of the Ponce Preservers, also known as the “vine pullers” or “Barb’s Army,” a group that has logged over 1,000 hours in the past 18 months to maintain Ponce Preserve as a cherished community asset.
Ed actively participated in the Sailfish Drive Scenic Roadway Committee, where he counted and measured trees along Sailfish Drive and helped secure its designation as a Scenic Roadway.
As an original member of the Friends of the Marine Science Center, Ed supported the center’s early development and raised funds to ensure its success.
For the past nine years, Ed has served on the Advisory Committee and later the Board of Trustees for the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, contributing to its preservation and operations.
Over the past 30 years, Ed has intermittently moderated the Citizens for Ponce Inlet Candidates Forum, alongside Don Hampton. While recent forums have been calmer, Ed recalls the lively and sometimes rowdy discussions of the past, which always provided valuable insights.
Behind the scenes, Ed has been a steadfast supporter of Barbara’s many town projects, often serving as her reliable “beast of burden.” He consistently assists with tasks like planting flowers around town signs, labeling native vegetation with stakes in Ponce Preserve, and leading bicycle and walking tours of historic areas during anniversary celebrations. Ed also played a key role during the 10 years Barbara directed the Ponce Inlet Arbor Day 5K race. One memorable task was unloading and mixing bags of concrete for Barbara and the garden club to create unique yard stone awards for runners, which he then presented post-race. Though he might have quietly questioned the need for such elaborate awards compared to standard trophies or ribbons, Ed carried on with dedication.
Thank you, Ed, for your ongoing contributions to Ponce Inlet.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Marylou Fillingame
Since moving to Ponce Inlet with her husband in the early 1980s, Marylou has actively shaped our community. She co-founded the Ponce Inlet Surf Club shortly after arriving. When her son started kindergarten, she began volunteering at Longstreet Elementary School, later serving as an administrative assistant for over 20 years. Parents of Longstreet students fondly recall her problem-solving skills and dedication.
Marylou tackled Ponce Inlet’s severe feral cat issue by helping establish the Ponce Inlet Animal Welfare organization. She fed cats at the colony and volunteered at the Redinger Spay/Neuter Clinic from 2015 to 2019. For over a decade, she served on the C4PI Executive Board, often as secretary, and has been an active Garden Club member for more than 10 years. Since 2023, she has removed invasive plants at Ponce Preserve. Marylou has also been a dependable volunteer at every Christmas, Easter, and Halloween children’s event for over a decade and remains a key member of the Ponce Inlet pickleball group.
Though she has not sought recognition, those who have worked alongside Marylou can confirm her 40 years of selfless service have greatly enriched Ponce Inlet. Her contributions make her a deserving recipient of this award.