Alison Fleeson and Carol Peterson Named “Hometown Heroes” by Congressman Josh Gottheimer

Congressman Josh Gottheimer named Oakland residents Alison Fleeson and Carol Peterson as recipients of the 5th District Hometown Heroes Award.

Fleeson and Peterson, both environmental leaders and volunteers in Oakland, will be honored along with other community leaders from various Bergen County municipalities on July 6 via a virtual ceremony held by Gottheimer.

Nominees were chosen by neighbors and community leaders for their outstanding contributions to the community by volunteering, serving or working to help others. The 5th District Hometown Heroes Awards are presented to business leaders, first responders, teachers, children, seniors, and community leaders to recognize their commitment to bettering the lives of other New Jersey residents and families.

Fleeson resides in Oakland with her husband Francis and two children, who attend the Oakland public school system. Fleeson is co-chair of the Sustainable Oakland Green Team, which is dedicated to supporting the creation of a more environmentally sustainable community and improving the quality of life in Oakland.

Fleeson and Peterson are founders of the Oakland Community Garden, which is on schedule to be built this summer behind Oakland Borough Hall.

The garden is funded by a $20,000 Sustainable Jersey PSE&G Foundation Grant, which Fleeson and Peterson worked very hard to obtain.

The garden will feature various components of the Americans with Disabilities Act, such as a salad bed, ADA-accessible garden plots, and an ADA picnic table.

The garden will also hold various educational programs for residents once built.

As if Fleeson doesn’t have enough on her hands with the Sustainable Oakland Green Team, she also is the chair of the Oakland Environmental Commission. She was appointed in early 2020 as chair and has been a commissioner since 2019. Aside from being an environmental leader in Oakland, Fleeson also founded the group “Oakland PRIDE," which is a gathering of LGBTQ+ and allies who promote and bring about awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in the community. Oakland PRIDE meets monthly and throughout the year holds events such as a “Friendsgiving," and was crucial in erecting a PRIDE flag in downtown Oakland. Fleeson is also active in the Oakland public school system.

Carol Peterson is an Oakland resident, whose volunteerism goes above and beyond.

Peterson serves as the co-chair with Fleeson on the Sustainable Oakland Green Team. 

Peterson is also past chair, a post she held in 2018 and 2019. Peterson, along with the Green Team members, is responsible for creating and implementing various innovative recycling programs in Oakland, such as crayon and marker recycling, plastic toy recycling, plastic film recycling, Styrofoam recycling, and battery recycling.

Peterson was crucial in obtaining a grant to purchase Styrofoam and plastic film recycling bins, which are currently housed at the Oakland First Aid Squad, and open to Oakland residents. The response to the new program was so positive and overwhelming, that we had an overflow of collections, and still do to this day, a year later.

Peterson also organizes various educational programs in Oakland such as the Annual Flow Green Film Fest, which takes place every March.

Each year an environmentally friendly movie is played for residents at the Oakland Library, followed by a panel discussion from environmental leaders around the state. Peterson also serves on the Sustainable Bergen HUB, which is a group of local Green Team members and chairs in Bergen County that come together to brainstorm new projects.

The Sustainable Bergen HUB was instrumental in passing the Bergen County Styrofoam ban last year. Peterson is also a Commissioner on the Oakland Environmental Commission since 2017, and past chair, a post she held in 2019. Peterson also is a dedicated member of the Oakland Elks Lodge 2167.

Lastly, one of Fleeson’s and Peterson's most remarkable achievements was the completion of a project in 2019 funded by a “Roots for Rivers” Grant.

In just two days, Fleeson and Peterson, along with many community stakeholders and volunteers, led approximately 40 volunteers in planting and installing stakes and protective greenhouse tubes on 497 trees and underbrush at Great Oak Park in Oakland.

The Sustainable Oakland Green Team and volunteers removed just over 160 root balls from invasive vines and thorn bushes at the planting site. They also held two invasive species removal events prior to the planting to clear and prep the site for the planting.

Furthermore, under their leadership, the Borough of Oakland was just awarded two “Roots for Rivers” Grants for 2020. The project scope is more plantings along the C-1 stream in Great Oak Park, and the planting and development of a new property in Oakland, Roosevelt Riverfront Park in which they are working with the borough administrator on the development of a grant application to the Bergen County Open Space Program for a new passive recreation riverside park in Oakland, Roosevelt Riverfront Park. The park will feature riverside trails, an ADA riverfront platform, a native prairie, and native riparian plantings. Peterson was also awarded a third Roots for Rivers Grant for the Oakland Elks Lodge 2167 property. In preparation of the project, Peterson cleared invasive vines and shrubs at the Elks property in order to prep the site for the planting. 

Congratulations to Alison Fleeson and Carol Peterson on their well-deserved recognition as a Hometown Hero!