RELEASE: Gottheimer Hosts Fifth District “Hometown Heroes” Awards

“Hometown Heroes” Honors Local Veterans, Life-saving First Responders, Community Leaders

Above: Gottheimer honoring Fifth District residents as “Hometown Heroes.” 

HACKENSACK, NJ — Today, July 31, 2026, U.S. Congressman Gottheimer (NJ-5) honored local life-saving first responders, veterans, volunteers, community leaders, and residents during his Fifth District Hometown Heroes Ceremony at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center.

Watch Gottheimer’s July, 2026 Hometown Heroes Ceremony here.

Gottheimer honored North Jersey residents as Fifth District Hometown Heroes to acknowledge their dedication to improving the lives of their neighbors, families, and communities.

“Today, we are here to focus on our neighbors, who, even in all the noise, look for ways to put others above themselves,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Each day, our friends, family, and neighbors quietly go out and change lives through their service to others. They do it all without expecting any special recognition. They do it simply because it’s the right thing to do. They all come from different walks of life, but they all embody our Jersey Values and make our community such a special place to live, work, and raise a family. They help us build that more perfect union of our dreams. We all should work to live up to their example.”

Read about this year’s Hometown Heroes below:

Samuel Kim, Englewood Cliffs — At just seventeen, Samuel has already founded two nonprofits serving local seniors: Aim for Unity, which offers free archery workshops for brain health and has served more than six hundred seniors, and the Senior Shield Project, a fraud-prevention and digital literacy program that has reached more than 150 people. A DECA regional champion and Regeneron science fair winner, he lives with his grandparents, whose care drives his work.

Tom Colwell, Closter — Since 2023, Tom has served as Co-Chair of the Closter Food Pantry, turning a small effort into one of the most efficient operations around. He personally orders, picks up, and delivers food every month, builds the spreadsheets, tracks the finances, and secured grants for its equipment — all while holding a full-time job and volunteering alongside his wife and three kids.

Andrew Dunn, Hillsdale — Andrew has been a Hillsdale resident for fifty-three years, and has devoted his life to Habitat for Humanity. Andy is a U.S. Army veteran and honored English teacher — has served as a  Habitat for Humanity construction crew leader for more than three decades, including a dozen trips for post-Katrina rebuilding.

Joan Bohan & Mike Schulman, Northvale — Joan, Northvale’s school nurse for fifteen years, and Mike, its athletic director and a physical education teacher for eighteen and 2025–2026 Bergen County Teacher of the Year, didn’t hesitate when a middle school player collapsed in cardiac arrest this February. Using the district’s AED and CPR training, they brought the student back. Thanks to them, Angelo is alive today.

Jim & Meredith Drobinske, Dumont — Dumont residents for thirty-nine years and married for forty-five, Jim and Meredith are retired Teachers of the Year who now serve as pantry managers for the Food Brigade, logging 1,804 volunteer hours in two years and helping feed 150 families a week. Jim — a fifty-two-year member of the Woodcliff Lake Fire Department — is a two-time Hometown Hero, first honored in 2018 for a CPR save on a golf course.

Officer Frank Stefano, Oradell — Off duty at a Hackensack hockey rink, Oradell Officer Frank Stefano performed CPR and delivered two defibrillator shocks to revive a goalie in full cardiac arrest — who has since fully recovered. It’s far from his first save: Frank has twice been honored by Pascack Valley PBA Local 206, including for using Narcan to revive an unconscious individual.

Paul Coller, Ramsey — A Ramsey resident for forty-one years and U.S. Army Reserve veteran, Paul volunteers twice a week with CHORE, part of Bergen Volunteers, performing home repairs that keep seniors and disabled residents safe at home. He has served there more than a decade, including as Board President. As Bergen Volunteers’ director Shara Nadler puts it, “Paul is a community champion who strengthens Bergen County every day.”

Chief Robert Schlossberg, River Edge — River Edge Fire Chief Robert Schlossberg just completed a career that includes delivering a baby, three CPR saves, and several Unit Citations for courage — and this year was named 2025 New Jersey Fire Chief of the Year. He and his wife Joellen raised a true service family, with three children serving in fire, police, and EMS. His focus as Chief was always training, the best way to keep every member safe.

Michele Weber, Waldwick — A lifelong Waldwick resident and cancer survivor, Michele chairs Access for All, raising awareness of what people with disabilities face and offering guidance on ADA compliance and local resources. She also volunteers every Sunday in her church’s Kids’ Ministry. As Mayor Giordano says, “Michele embodies the spirit of community, service, and dedication that defines a true hometown hero.”

Michael McNamara, Branchville — For nearly four decades, Mike has volunteered with Project Self-Sufficiency — known there as “the guy who always says yes,” he once drove to Maryland for a truckload of donated books. When pulmonary fibrosis slowed him, he kept showing up on oxygen, and after a 2023 lung transplant returned with a spring in his step. He’s also hiked the beginning and end of the Appalachian Trail — just not the middle.

Nick Vanhorn, Sussex — Every day, Nick keeps Sussex kids safe as the town’s crossing guard — but his role goes further: free weather and news updates on Facebook, an Easter Bunny costume for town festivities, and a different costume every day during Halloween week. As Sussex Borough Councilman Ross says, “Nick’s presence and contributions are heavily cherished, and he is a staple to the community of Sussex.”

Keri Marino, Franklin — Keri is the first woman to serve as President of the 200 Club of Sussex County and sits on a remarkable range of civic boards. A domestic violence survivor, she has spent years as a trustee of DASI and teaches free trauma-informed yoga to survivors, and she once testified in Washington on renewing VAWA. She has received a Citation from the New Jersey State Legislature and DASI’s Full Circle Award.

Linda Schaefer, Ringwood — A Ringwood resident for thirty-eight years, Linda served with the Ringwood Ambulance Auxiliary — twenty-five as President — funding equipment and free ambulance service for residents. She also spent twenty-six years as the elementary school secretary and served on numerous town boards. As Ringwood Deputy Mayor Kerr says, she is “a selfless person who has devoted her entire life to working and volunteering in Ringwood.”

Gary Oppenheimer, West Milford — In 2009, Gary founded AmpleHarvest.org, which connects home gardeners’ surplus harvests with nearby food pantries. Seventeen years later it links more than 8,500 pantries across all fifty states to 62 million gardeners — run by a staff of just four. A CNN Hero and two-time TEDx speaker, Gary fights food waste and hunger from right here in the Garden State.

Anthony Pulizzano, Upper Saddle River — An Upper Saddle River police officer and PBA president, Anthony has made Special Olympics New Jersey his cause, founding “Climb with a Cop” and coordinating the Law Enforcement Torch Run. He also founded the Rock Adventure Company for kids and once performed the Heimlich to save a choking woman, earning a lifesaving award from the Bergen County Chiefs Association.

Officers Alex Lospinuso & Jake Rotunda, Franklin — Responding to what seemed a routine call, Franklin Officers Alex Lospinuso and Jake Rotunda found a man with life-threatening injuries and applied a tourniquet and chest seal that saved his life. Alex has also been honored for a crash rescue and a mental health crisis response, while Jake, a lifelong wrestler, earned a MADD award for impaired-driving enforcement and now coaches youth wrestling.

John Herrmann, Englewood Fire Department — An Englewood firefighter and union president, John serves as Clinical Coordinator for the state Professional Firefighters’ Peer Support Team, guiding departments through line-of-duty deaths, suicides, and quiet struggles. Drawing on his own experience with anxiety, he has helped many colleagues through their hardest moments. As Chief Jeff Kaplan says, his peer counseling “sets him apart from everyone” — and he does it without compensation.

Razak Buddha, Teaneck — At ninety-three, Razak is the oldest volunteer at Holy Name Hospital, showing up every day at the Courtesy Desk with warmth and a readiness to help — more than 3,498 hours logged over the years. A retired physical therapist who grew up in India, he still visits elderly patients in their homes several times a week to provide care and companionship.

Laurie Epstein, Haworth — After her daughter’s food allergy diagnosis, Laurie became one of New Jersey’s leading advocates for allergy safety, even bringing her second grader to Washington to testify. She has led Girl Scouts in Haworth since 2005 and now runs the program for more than 130 girls. As Councilwoman Siciliano says, her support “has produced generations of future female leaders who believe in themselves.”

Helen Whalen (Posthumously), Westwood — Honored posthumously, Helen was a Westwood resident for more than seventy years who devoted her life to telling North Jersey’s story through the Pascack Historical Society and Westwood Heritage Society. Her history of Westwood was published this year, after her 2023 passing. Her award is received today by her daughter Kathleen, grandson Marc, and niece Tatiana.

Gottheimer was joined by Bergen County Clerk John Hogan, Commissioner Alan Henderson, Hackensack Mayor Caseen Gaines, Sussex Mayor Robert Holowach, Waldwick Mayor Thomas Giordano, Closter Mayor John Gliddon, Mayor Deirdre Dillon, Hillsdale Mayor Michael Sheinfeld, Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo, Ringwood Mayor Jamie Landis, Westwood Council President Lauren Leitzia, Westwood Councilwoman Erin Collins, Councilman Paul Rubacky, Englewood Cliffs COuncilman Phillip Liang, Council President Thomas Kelly, Councilman David Bandfield, Closter Councilwoman Alissa Latner, Councilwoman Angela Smith, Fire Chief Jeff Kaplan, Police Chief David Gangemi, Police Chief Gregory Cugliari, Police COmmanding Captain Seamus Geddis, Waldwick Borough Clerk Kelly Halewicz, Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mark Park, Englewood Cliffs Councilwoman Rivka Bieggacz, River Edge Mayor Thomas Papaleo, Franklin Councilwoman Stephen Skellenger, Haworth Councilwoman Dina Siciliano.

Below: Gottheimer presents awards to local heroes and their families.

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