The Maplewood Rotary Club has announced that it will bestow its Citizenship Award on Victor DeLuca at the Annual Affair of the Heart Masquerade Ball on April 4 at the Maplewood Country Club. See more information on tickets below.
From the Maplewood Rotary:
Vic De Luca has served the citizens of Maplewood with unwavering dedication and energy for over two decades. First elected to the Maplewood Township Committee in 1997, he is now in his 26th year in office, including 14 years as Maplewood’s Mayor.
A Clifton, N.J. native, Vic earned a B.A. in Social Studies from Montclair State University, where he was twice elected class president and served three times as a student government representative.
In 1974, Vic became a Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) with the Newark-based Ironbound Community Corporation. A year later, he began a 15-year tenure as the organization’s director, leading efforts in social services and advocating for social, racial, and environmental justice. In 1982, he was a founding board member of New Jersey Citizen Action, a statewide justice advocacy organization, serving on its board for 42 years.
Vic joined the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation in 1991, first as a Program Officer and later as President. During his 25-year tenure, he transformed the Foundation into a national leader supporting grassroots organizations focused on racial justice, reproductive rights, and environmental sustainability.
Thirty years ago, Vic and his wife, Janey, became first-time homebuyers in Maplewood. He quickly became involved in the community, first joining the recycling committee and later serving as the first president of the Hilton Neighborhood Association in 1995. Around the same time, he joined the board of the Springfield Avenue Partnership, working alongside residents, business owners, and elected officials to enhance the district.
Once engaged in local government, Vic was “all in.” Throughout his tenure on the Township Committee, Vic has served as a liaison to numerous boards and committees, including the Maplewood Library, Springfield Avenue Partnership, Maplewood Village Alliance, Community Coalition on Race, Planning Board, and South Essex Fire Department Management Committee.
His leadership has earned him numerous accolades, including induction into the New Jersey League of Municipalities Mayors Hall of Fame (2015) and Elected Officials Hall of Fame (2018). He has also received the Elected Official Award from the New Jersey Municipal Managers Association (2015) and Sustainable Jersey’s Environmental Leadership Award (2019).
Beyond public service, Vic and Janey enjoy summers at the Jersey Shore and an annual trip to Hawaii. A dedicated Mets and NY Giants fan, he remains loyal through the highs and lows of their seasons. Even after decades of service, Vic continues to embrace new volunteer opportunities that enrich the lives of others. Vic truly lives his life in the spirit of Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self.”
The Affair of the Heart Masquerade Ball will take place on Friday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Maplewood Country Club, 28 Baker Street, Maplewood, NJ 07040, and will include cocktails, dinner, live music and dancing, plus live/silent auction and 50/50 raffle. $175 per person. RSVP by March 15, 2025. For additional information, please contact: CLAUDINE BAPTISTE 973.234.7104 /PAMELA TAYLOR 917.531.7983.
