PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Congratulations to the dozens of residents of the Fifth Congressional District — including seven from the Pascack Valley — who earned distinction July 9 as Fifth District Hometown Heroes in a ceremony at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) annually honors local first responders, veterans, students, life-saving bystanders, volunteers, scouts, community leaders, and residents during his ceremony.
This year more than 60 Fifth District residents were recognized their dedication to helping improve the lives of their neighbors, families, and communities.
The district encompasses suburban northern Bergen County and the central urban portion of the county, such as Hackensack.
“We are lucky to have so many unsung heroes in our communities, whose quiet power of service goes on every day without the recognition they truly deserve. They just do it because they care. Today is their day,” said Gottheimer.
He added, “It goes without saying that the past nearly year and a half has been an incredibly challenging time for our country — with a pandemic looming over us, sick loved ones and neighbors, and a drumbeat of economic uncertainty. If you pick up the paper, turn on cable news or flip through social media, there is far more attention being placed on what’s going wrong with America, and far too little attention on what’s going right.”
Gottheimer said, “We should focus more on what unites us, as opposed to what divides us — and spend more time focusing on those who give back to our country and communities.”
This class of Hometown Heroes were all nominated by leaders from the community — including our elected officials, nonprofit and faith leaders, friends, family members, first responders, and neighbors who believe that they truly deserve the title.
“These individuals come from all walks of life, but they all share an idea that is particularly special: they embody our Jersey values and make our community such a special place to live, work, and raise a family. They help us build the more perfect union we should all be fighting for. We should all work to live up to their example,” Gottheimer said.
Pascack Valley’s 2021 Hometown Heroes:
Louisa Giberti-Toledo, Hillsdale — A former first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves and a current heart transplant nurse practitioner at Newark Beth Israel Medical center, her outstanding service has permanently bettered her community and her country. (She’s also a recent county Veteran of the Week. See story, Page 25.)
Lisa McKoy, Westwood — Helped lead a group of Westwood Borough volunteers assisting Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center on Westwood’s vaccination days. She worked long hours and went door-to-door in her neighborhood to reach out to seniors without social media, helping get hundreds of Westwood seniors, residents, teachers, and workers vaccinated.
Mayor Ray Arroyo told Pascack Press on July 7, “It was my sincere honor to nominate Lisa as a Westwood Hometown Hero. While many may deserve that honor, none are more deserving than Lisa.”
He said, “Working with Cheryl Hodges, our council liaison to HUMC @ PV, the hospital staff and a small group of hardworking volunteers, the borough managed to vaccinate over 700 of our people — at a time when vaccine was scarce and appointments difficult to come by.”
Arroyo said, “Lisa worked the phones, knocked on doors, registered, scheduled and greeted the ‘vaccinees’ at the hospital on their inoculation day.”
He added, “At the height of these efforts, while trying to reach our most vulnerable and technologically challenged seniors, Lisa was at it from 9 in the morning ‘til 9 at night. She is responsible for upwards of 200 signups: a remarkable, life affirming, and compassionate feat.”
Finally, the mayor said, “Lisa epitomizes the kind heart and unbreakable resolve of Westwood: When things were at our very worst she was at her very best.”
Johnny and Alissa Vitale, Park Ridge — The owners of Caffé Anello and Sogno Coffeehouse in Westwood visited more than 30 regional hospitals to feed more than 38,000 meals to frontline workers, first responders, and residents in need — keeping the community updated with regular social media videos for their program now known as “Anello Feeds First.”
In February, Caffé Anello/Sogno Chef Johnny Vitale told Pascack Press such initiatives — including work with Grace’s Gold Ribbon Gang, which then were working together to feed the nurses and other frontline workers at Columbia Presbyterian’s Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Transplantation unit — are a natural fit for their family and employees.
“Here is how we are making a difference in the fight and we are asking for community support,” he said of the work.
Dr. Lisa Tank, Woodcliff Lake — The chief medical officer at Hackensack University Medical Center helped lead medical staff through the pandemic, developed Covid patient care guidelines to treat the virus, and established a patient office-hours program for families to connect with each patient digitally.
Jeanne Russell and Danielle Centurione, Park Ridge — Jeanne, a school nurse, and Danielle, a physical education teacher and EMT, helped save high school student Nicole Larghi, who has an inherited heart defect. The student came to the nurse’s office feeling faint, then fell to the floor.
Jeanne and Danielle administered two-person CPR. The student was revived once local police arrived to shock her at least six times with an automated external defibrillator.