A
judge should not be isolated from the community in
which he or she lives. While scrupulously avoiding any activity
that could affect his neutrality, Judge Pihlaja continues
to play an active role in his community. As a private citizen
he earned recognition from the Northeaster community newspaper
as “volunteer of the year” and was the recipient
of the Northeast Business Association “President’s
Award”. Now, as a judge he frequently speaks in schools
on legal topics, reads with young students as a volunteer,
judges mock trial competitions, leads students on Courthouse
tours, volunteers with Tree trust and other organizations
to plant trees in public spaces, works in the Northeast parade
and makes root beer floats at his community ice cream social.
Judge
as a Member of the Community 
A
judge should not be isolated from the community