Monmouth Conservation Foundation Honors Valerie and Frank Montecalvo at Fall for Conservation
Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF) honored longtime friends and champions of conservation, Valerie and Frank Montecalvo, at its annual Fall for Conservation Cocktail Party on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Friends and neighbors filled Navesink Country Club in Red Bank from 6 to 10 PM for an evening of warmth and gratitude.
Proceeds support MCF’s work to preserve open space throughout Monmouth County. The program included silent and live auctions and a paddle raise, all in support of its mission to #KeepMonmouthGreen.
“It was an evening we will treasure for a very long time, not simply because of the honor itself, but because of the wonderful people who surrounded us and made it so meaningful,” said Valerie and Frank Montecalvo.
An Honor Shared With the Community
Valerie and Frank receive the honor on behalf of everyone who has given their time or their support to protecting Monmouth County. They credit the tireless work of the MCF team and its many volunteers.
“Conservation is never the achievement of one individual or one family. It is the collective commitment of people who believe that protecting our land, preserving its natural beauty, and safeguarding it for future generations is both a responsibility and a privilege,” said Valerie and Frank Montecalvo.
MCF Executive Director Tom Dallessio spoke warmly of the couple’s example in A Forever Impact: Honoring Valerie and Frank Montecalvo. “Valerie and Frank remind us that conservation is about investing in the future of our communities and creating a legacy that extends beyond one generation,” said Dallessio.
What the Evening Supports
Every dollar raised goes to an organization with a proud record in Monmouth County:
- 49 years of service
- 9,576 acres preserved
- 900 acres stewarded
- 46 conservation easements
- 12 years accredited by the national Land Trust Alliance
Several inspiring projects are underway:
- Restoration and stewardship of Scudder Preserve, a 90-acre natural haven in the Navesink section of Middletown with the state’s second-oldest tulip tree and several young American chestnuts
- Cleanup and restoration of Sunset Park in Red Bank
- More than 290 hours of environmental education
- Samaha Farm in Aberdeen, the last farm in the town, which is slated for preservation
Less than 20,000 acres of vacant land remain in Monmouth County. MCF treats that land as critical infrastructure and has set a goal to preserve at least half of the best remaining acreage by 2050. It works toward that goal with Monmouth County, the towns of Middletown, Millstone, Howell, and Colts Neck, and state and federal partners.
A Family Legacy of Stewardship
The honor comes in a milestone year. Montecalvo Disposal Services marks 50 years of service in 2026, and Bayshore Recycling Corp marks 30 years in operation. Frank started with a single dump truck in 1976, bought with money he saved collecting bottles and cans at his family’s restaurant, the Montecalvo Mayfair. It was an early sign of the hard work and resourcefulness that would define the family’s story.
Valerie joined the business in 1984, and her vision evolved the business in a new direction. She saw construction debris headed to landfills while quarries drew down finite stone, and in 1995 she founded Bayshore Recycling Corp. It received its first NJDEP Class-B Recycling Permit in 1996. Today Bayshore operates a 58-acre Eco-Complex in Woodbridge, with recovery rates of approximately 95 percent across diverse waste streams. Read the full story in From One Truck to an Eco-Complex.
Valerie has been a devoted MCF Trustee for the past decade. She also turned their family’s 22-acre Spy Hill property in Middletown, next to Scudder Preserve, into a native pollinator meadow. That story is told in More Than Just a Meadow: One Woman’s Path to Preservation.
The Reward Is the Work We Do Together
For Valerie and Frank, the evening left them proud of what the community has built and “even more inspired by what lies ahead.” They share the honor with the entire MCF community.
“The greatest reward in conservation is not the recognition we receive, but the lasting difference we make together,” said Valerie and Frank Montecalvo, “We share this honor with all of you, with gratitude, affection, and great pride.”
To follow MCF’s work and upcoming events, visit monmouthconservation.org or Instagram.
Photos by Marcella Shook