Meet the Donor: Dawn Gorsline

Dawn and her husband Brian bought a parcel of land in Fairfield Township in 1999 so they could build a home, raise a family and steward the land. They wanted a place to grow Christmas trees and enjoy nature in a residential‑agricultural community where Dawn had grown up.

Years later they learned that a gas company planned to build a shale well pad near their property. With help from PennFuture’s legal team, the Gorslines and neighbors challenged the township’s decision to allow industrial drilling in their district. Their case argued that shale gas development is incompatible with residential-agricultural zoning and would threaten drinking water and health. The litigation reached the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. As a teacher, Dawn reminds her students to respect the land, and she supports PennFuture’s work to defend clean air and water.