Blom honored for volunteer work
WEST MILFORD. Cosgrove, Torp share award for 2024 Volunteer of the Year.
| 01 May 2025 | 06:02
Mayor Michele Dale honors JoAnn Blom, right, as the 2024 recipient of the Mary B. Haase Lifetime Volunteer Award at the Township Council meeting Wednesday, April 23. (Photos by Fred Ashplant)
James Cosgrove shared the 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award.
Dorrie Torp, center, shared the 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award.
JoAnn Blom poses with her family.
Dorrie Torp poses with her family and Mayor Michele Dale.
JoAnn Blom was honored with the 2024 Mary B. Haase Lifetime Volunteer Award at the Township Council meeting Wednesday, April 23.
A panel of former mayors chose Blom, a former teacher at West Milford High School, to receive the award.
Honored as the Volunteer of the Year for 2024 were Dorrie Torp and James Cosgrove.
They were chosen by the council.
Blom taught business courses at the high school for almost 40 years. She received the New Jersey DECA Hall of Fame Award during her time there.
”It is her nature to help teach others,” Mayor Michele Dale said in presenting the award.
Blom was a member of the township’s Zoning Board from 2019 to 2021 and the Planning Board from 2021 to 2025.
In 2013, she joined the township’s Beautification & Recycling Committee and the Economic Development Commission. She currently is chairwoman of both.
She also was a member of the township’s Heritage Committee for many years.
Volunteer of the Year
Cosgrove, a native of West Milford, owned a plumbing and heating business in the township for more than 35 years. He retired in 2017.
He is a member of the township’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), helping to run lights on local roads to control traffic during apple season.
Cosgrove joined the West Milford Elks Lodge in 2022 and has been named Elk of the Year. He assists with cleanup of the lodge grounds and at Camp Moore as well as with cooking hot dogs at township events.
“Jim has an outstanding attitude, which is evident to everyone he serves,” Dale said. “The community can count on Jim to be there when needed.”
Torp is chairwoman of the township’s Health Advisory Board and is secretary of the West Milford Municipal Alliance.
”She shines the brightest organizing and running events in our community,” Dale said.
Torp also is the adviser of the TREP$ program at Paradise Knoll Elementary School and has been a Girl Scout leader and a volunteer at the animal shelter.
”Dorrie is one of those individuals who always uses two hands to help. West Milford is fortunate to be the recipient of her volunteer service,” the mayor added.
Also at the meeting, representatives of various civic, service and volunteer organizations made brief presentations about their activities.