Carole Derricott Is South Whitehall's New Recreation Director

Following in her late husband’s footsteps, Carole Derricott has been appointed South Whitehall’s new recreation director.

Derricott will fill the position left vacant after the death in January of her husband, Bill, a former history teacher at and the township’s recreation director for more than 32 years.

“Bill had so many programs, and I did most of the paperwork," she said. "I volunteered to keep everything going until they can find someone to do it.”

Derricott said she cautiously reminded the township, “You’re well aware of my age.” She’s 71, says she has three heart stents and two artificial knees. But she doesn’t let that stop her.  

Carole and Bill began the playground program at Parkway Manor Elementary School more than 30 years ago. 

“At the time, Doug Bilheimer was the recreation director, and he had programs set up at Cetronia and Kratzer schools. He hired Bill to add a third program at Parkway Manor. A year later, they needed someone to handle the arts and crafts, so I stepped in,” she says.

When Bilheimer retired, Bill Derricott took over the job; she stayed on, handling the paperwork responsibilities. “The rest is history," she said. "We were never able to go anywhere during the summer. Even when Bill was sick last year, the programs were foremost in his mind.” 

Carole said she met her husband when he was an assistant manager at Woolworth’s in Mahanoy City and she was working for an insurance agency located above the store. He was a Marine Corps veteran. They got married during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the were together for 48 years.

Her husband graduated from Bloomsburg University in “two years and 11 months,” she said proudly, and although she never attended the school, she was named Bloomsburg’s 30th honorary graduate in 2004.

“We bled maroon and gold,” she said, adding that their lives revolved around the Marine Corps, Bloomsburg and South Whitehall Township.

“Bill always said the Marine Corps gave him the discipline to do what he wanted, I came along and added love, and Bloomsburg gave him an education and a profession, which brought him to Parkland.”  

The programs Derricott will continue in honor of her husband will run both during the summer and winter.

In summer:

* There’s an adult basketball league consisting of eight teams that play twice a week, with the league winner going to the Tournament of Champions in Catasauqua at the end of the season. The tourney, she said, has become a ”big deal” in the Lehigh Valley.

* A series of free concerts. Two scheduled so far will be at 7 p.m. on Mother’s Day and on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, at Springhouse Middle School. (The Allentown Band will perform at Springhouse Middle School in an honorary tribute to her husband).  

* Tennis lessons at Parkland High School.

* Summer playground programs at Parkway Manor, Cetronia and Covered Bridge Park.  The playground programs run rain or shine, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Monday through Friday starting about a week after school ends. “We give the kids about a week to get bored,” she says. “Then they’re ready to get out and do something fun. They really enjoy it.”

Winter programs include:

* “Swim & Gym” for families.

* Pick-up basketball games for recreation, both held at the high school.

* Yoga, ballroom dancing and aerobics, all held in the building at Covered Bridge Park.  

As recreation director, Derricott will receive a stipend of $1,530 a month from the township for the year-round, part-time position.

She says money isn’t the reason for stepping into the position.

“The only reason in the whole wide world is to keep Bill’s programs running at least a couple more years until they can find someone to take his place," she said. "It gives me something to do, instead of crying, which I do a lot because he’s only been gone three months.”