Peg Roberts Service Award
Peg Roberts
Peg Roberts was a volunteer who gave her time and energy to the Democratic Party to get Democrats elected to public office. Her successful efforts included support of her own son, former NJ Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, who was elected and served a long and notable career in the State Assembly. The award, in Ms Robert's name, was presented to various women in Camden County until 2000.
In 2005, the New Jersey Federation of Democratic Women re-established the award on a state-wide level. The Award continues to be a noteworthy acknowledgement of the women who work behind the scenes to get Democrats elected to State office. The recipient is honored at an annual luncheon and her name memorialized on a plaque that hangs proudly at the entrance of the Office of the NJ State Democratic Committee.
Eligibility for this award includes being an active member of the New Jersey Federation of Democratic Women, a member in good standing in their county chapter, never having held elected office, mentoring a future generation, and 15 years as an active service volunteer in the Democratic Party.
21st Century Award Recipients
2000 Barbara Holcomb
2005 Grace Protomastro - Bergen County
2006 Shirley Dill - Middlesex County
Hon. Joe Roberts - Camden County
2007 Catherine Murphy, Cape May County
Anne Zamonski (deceased 2017)
2008 Almeta Honis - Bergen County (deceased 2017)
2009 Lizzie Morris - Burlington County
2010 Irene Burke - Camden County
2011 Helen Gottlieb - Middlesex County
2012 Violet Etler - Bergen County
2013 Amalia “Amy” Papi - Middlesex County
2014 Margaret Martin - Mercer County
2016 Retha Onitiri - Monmouth County
Nancee May (posthumously) - Burlington
2017 Viola Scott, NJFDW, Treasurer - Burlington County
2018 Lena Paterson Davis - Burlington
Outstanding Elected Officials:
Elizabeth Maher Muoio, NJ State Treasurer
Carol Murphy, Assemblywoman
Dr Renee Baskerville, Montclair Township Council
2019 Meryl Green - Camden County
Outstanding Officials:
Shanel Robinson, Somerset County Freeholder
Gail Chaneyfield Jenkins, Newark Councilwoman
Judge Patricia Egan Jones, Camden County
2020. Covid
2021. Bessie Walker, Essex County
2022
20th Century Award Recipients
1983 Joan McKenna & Sue Sipple
1984 Mary Keating DiSabato
1985 Sarah Dowling (deceased 2017)
1986 Eleanor Lusk
1987 Marlene Radano
1988 Lynn Kmiec
1989 Barbara Pine
1990 Pat Marshall
1991 Geri Moon
1992 Camden City Mayor, Gwen Faison
1993 Gertrude Reed
1994 Marge Finken
1995 Peg Chinchillo
1996 Teri Horn
1997 Dot Bradley
1998 Pat Jones
1999 Irene Burke