Joanne Pullia is an insurance agent with MLR in Hammonton . She and her husband PJ have three children — Gabrielle , 27 , Danielle , 25 and Paul , 23 . Joanne is a dedicated community volunteer .
When is the last time you had a good belly laugh ? I can ’ t specifically say one time . But I can say who . I feel like my daughter Danielle should be a stand-up comedian on the side . She comes up with line after line .
When is the last time you cried ? That would be losing Margie . I still cry thinking about it . It is a tough loss . I think that month we laughed so much and cried so much . There were times when we were all together laughing and at the end it was hard to say goodbye . It was sad . [ Joanne ’ s mother-in-law Margie Pullia died on May 10 .]
What is your favorite place in Hammonton ? I love to go to my parents ’ house . I went there today on my lunch break . They have lived there for 58 years . My mother ’ s mother and father were next door to us . All of our yards touched .
When is the last time you had “ me time ?” I just took up golf in the last couple of years . I have been golfing at least once a week . I am not good but I love it . I have a really great group of friends . I am in a book club . We will get together for happy hour .
What is the last book you read ? Never by Ken Follett .
When was the last time you danced ? I love to dance . Recently , we went to go see Don ’ t Call Me Francis . We got up there and we just danced . It just felt great .
When was the last time you volunteered ? I am still on the Hammonton Education Foundation . I had told myself I would leave when the kids were out of school . It has been five years . It is a great organization . They are working to help improve the educational lives of our local students . I am in the Woman ’ s Civic Club . I became involved with them because of the Kids ’ Closet .
When was your last date night ? We do a lot of date nights . Just about every weekend . We have a night where we go out to dinner or maybe we just go sit at the bar .
THE FINAL WORD
THE HAMMONTONIAN | JULY 2022 | P . 31
What brings you joy ? My family . It sounds cliché . There is nothing better than being with my whole family . Going through quarantine was such a difficult time . Everything was upside down in the world . Something I never thought would happen again , all my kids were back in the house . We danced and sang and played games . It was just wonderful having them all there with me .
What was your last guilty pleasure ? It was almost last night . I said to the kids and said , “ We can skip dinner and just go to Royale Crown . Go have ice cream for dinner .” [ She said they didn ’ t go . But Joanne said she occasionally has ice cream for dinner .[ Her order is indulgent : “ Vanilla soft serve with extra , extra , extra caramel on the top with malt and whipped cream . Sometimes if I get home and I am running out of caramel , I will add my own .”
— Gina Rullo
What advice do you have for a recent graduate ? I would say pursue your dreams . Try and find something you like to do . And if you are unsure about what you want to do , find out what you don ’ t like to do . Don ’ t be afraid to work . Work hard . Put in as much time as you can so you can find out if you really do like it . I love dealing with people . I love dealing with the never-ending changes in insurance coverage . Sometimes you might not like the sound of a job but you never will know until you give it a chance .
JOANNE PULLIA IS PICTURED FIFTH FROM LEFT .