Proud Neighbors Porch Brunch and Garden Tour Sunday

For five years, Robb C. and Eric Sewell-Wolff lived in Burlington Township, in a home they loved, where they didn’t know a soul in the neighborhood.

The couple, who love to entertain, discovered that they were spending all their social time in Collingswood, anyway. When a friend informed them he was putting up his house on the corner of Highland and Browning avenues, they took one walk-through and were sold.

“Even before we moved in, we met our neighbors and they all welcomed us, arms wide open,” says Eric Sewell-Wolff. “We love the town and we see so much possibility here.”

The Sewell-Wolffs hope to impart that same feeling on their guests this Sunday, when they open their home to visitors of the

Since 1986, the Proud Neighbors of Collingswood, which describes itself as a “not-for-profit, nonpolitical, civic organization,” has led Collingswood residents and their guests on a townwide tour of selected neighborhoods and gardens.

In a foreword describing the theme of this year’s tour—“Discovering Hidden Gems”—group president Marlene Granitz reminds guests that “uncovering, restoring and caring for the buildings and homes of Collingswood…create(s) jobs, spur(s) economic development and celebrate(s) the rich gems of our historic treasures.”

The Proud Neighbors of Collingswood walk their talk as well, having dedicated the funds raised from things like the tour to the preservation, maintenance and beautification of the borough for decades. The group numbers among its successes the 2007 Community Action Award for advocacy leadership from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.

At a cost of $25, guests are treated to a homemade-style brunch at any of three locations throughout town, a trolley ride among the nine homes and five gardens on the tour, and a printed brochure that details the history of each home along the ride.

For the Sewell-Wolffs, that includes a little lesson in the artistic backstory of their home. The original owners were Victor and Margaret Cianfrani and their son, Michael. Margaret is a renowned artist, and Michael eventually adopted the stage name “Corbett” as he went on to a career in soap opera acting and as a correspondent on The View.

“What’s our dining room used to be her art studio,” says Robb Sewell-Wolff, which suits him just fine. Eric, a potter, has transformed the basement into a workspace for his vessel-making, and will be throwing clay on the wheel during the tour as well.

For Robb, who works in a research center at Rutgers-New Brunswick, the move from Burlington was less convenient as far as his 125-mile workday commute is concerned.

But he shrugs it off because he knows he’s coming home to a great town, a loving partner and a dazzling view of the Cooper River from most rooms in his house.

“It’s worth the two hours I’m in the car every day,” he says. “We feel fortunate to be in the space and to be custodians of such a wonderful home.”