Essex County Names 2016 ‘Volunteer of the Year’: Maplewood’s Robert Roe

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — If you’re a volunteer wanting to do some good in Essex County, Maplewood Health Officer Robert D. Roe might have a few tips for success.

The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored Roe as its “Essex County Volunteer of the Year” during a recent ceremony at Maplewood Town Hall.

According to a Freeholder news release, Roe has served as the Maplewood Municipal Alliance Coordinator for over 20 years and as the Health Officer for the Township of Maplewood since 1990. He has worked in the public health profession since 1972.

“As vice-president of the Essex Regional Health Commission and an active member of the of the Essex County Alcohol Drug and Prevention Team (ADAPT), Roe is a champion for healthy living, and strives to enhance prevention efforts,” the Freeholders wrote in a joint news release. “He achieves this by providing effective programs aimed to reduce the commercial and social availability of alcohol to minors, strengthen family bonding, encourage residents to get involved in community activities and make a substantial investment in delaying the age that youth start to use alcohol.”

The freeholders continued:

“One of Roe’s significant accomplishments was the implementation of the Peer Leadership Programs. Under this program, students who become active participants go through an official interview process with local police, alliance members, and school officials. Selected students take an oath to be substance free and are expected to act as role models for their fellow students. These strict guidelines serve as deterrents for students to avoid risky behaviors, enhance their self-confidence, and strengthen relationships between parents, teachers, and peers.”

Photo: Glen Frieson

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