In looking at the marriage of Michael DiBerardinis and Joan Reilly, it'd be fair to say the Fishtown couple's relationship has bloomed through activism.

For more than three decades, the couple has tirelessly worked to make Philadelphia a greener town and increase its recreational appeal for residents and visitors alike - no small task in a city with one of the world's largest urban parks.

And their hard work is clearly appreciated.

Next Thursday, a ceremony at Bartram's Garden, America's oldest botanical garden located at 54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard, will be held in their honor.

On Sunday, Oct. 4, the Philadelphia Park Alliance will honor DiBerardinis for his contributions to the city's park system.

Later next month, on Oct. 21, the New Kensington Community Development Corporation will hold a roast in his honor.

But, just what have these green-minded members of the community done to deserve such attention?

Simply put, DiBerardinis, 60, and Reilly, 58, have worked for many years to organize local residents toward common goals and to support the community in a variety of ways.

From 1992 to 2000, DiBerardinis served as head of the city's Recreation Department before being tapped to serve as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources under Governor Ed Rendell.

DiBerardinis returned to Philadelphia in April when he was installed as the first commissioner of the city's new Department of Parks and Recreation, which combined the Fairmount Park Commission and the Recreation Department.

For her part, Reilly is the senior director of Philadelphia Green, an urban greening initiative of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. She has been a community organizer for more than three decades and currently serves as a board member for a number of organizations, including the City Parks Alliance, the Philadelphia Parks Alliance and Keep Philadelphia Beautiful. She is also a board member emeritus for St. Christopher Hospital for Children.

A BEGINNING IN ACTIVISM

It's easy to see how the two share similar - entwined, perhaps - paths towards making this city a better place.

While each have gone on to head service and nature-oriented agencies in the city, their relationship is rooted in activism.

"We met in 1972, as organizers working for peace in Philadelphia during the Vietnam War," said Reilly, matter-of-factly during an interview last week.

DiBerardinis, a Downingtown-native, met Reilly, originally of Staten Island, New York, after he moved to the city to attend St. Joe's University. Reilly was in the city to protest the Vietnam War.

The two met as organizers fighting for peace, Reilly, said.