EAST ROCKAWAY, NY – At the recent East Rockaway Schools Board of Education meeting, Village of East Rockaway Mayor Gordon Fox was presented with the school district’s prestigious Hometown Hero Award in recognition of his decades of selfless service and unwavering dedication to the East Rockaway community. A former Marine and a steadfast community leader, Mayor Fox was recognized for embodying the spirit of service, his tenacity on the village board and work that is making a lasting impact on village residents of all ages.

Mayor Fox was joined at the ceremony by Deputy Mayor Bruno Romano, Trustee Anthony J. Santino, and East Rockaway School District leaders including Board President Peter McNally, Vice President Dineen Cilluffo, Board Members Maureen Doyle and Ozzie Lonergan, and Joe Lores as well as former Board President and longtime educator Dom Vulpis.

"It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the East Rockaway School District, an institution made up of our neighbors – one that does so much for our youth and our future," said Mayor Fox. "I am deeply grateful to the Board of Education and Superintendent DeTommaso for this acknowledgment. East Rockaway thrives because of the strength of our community – and our schools and educators play a tremendous role in that. I am very proud to be a part of the collective effort to make East Rockaway a better place for all, ensuring local government works well and delivers for neighbors."

Schools Superintendent James DeTommaso applauded Mayor Fox's contributions saying that "Mayor Fox exemplifies what it means to be a true public servant. His tireless commitment to the residents of East Rockaway, especially our veterans and youth, has created a ripple effect of positivity throughout our community. Gordon truly is about service – from his days as a young Marine in uniform to his service on the Village Board and now as Mayor. He’s a role model to our youth and on behalf of the school district, congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition and thank him for his ongoing leadership."

Mayor Fox’s community legacy so far includes spearheading initiatives such as the installation of 150 banners honoring local veterans, co-founding and leading the East Rockaway Education Foundation, and serving as Vice President of the Board of Education, a Village Trustee, and Deputy Mayor. Currently in his first term, Mayor Fox continues to champion causes that uplift and inspire the East Rockaway community – from keeping taxes low, to delivering top notch, responsive municipal services you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, to enhancing programs for neighbors of all ages.

Just in the past year, Fox fought Governor Kathy Hochul for the Village of East Rockaway’s fair share of municipal aid, provided relief to taxpayers & sustained emergency services by implementing a new state option for cost recovery, spearheaded the upgrade to the Village website, helped Village Justice Court accept online payments, and overseen a continued boom in the village’s commercial corridors.

In addition to his civic roles, Mayor Fox is an active volunteer with organizations such as Kiwanis and joins his fellow veterans as a member of the VFW Robert F. Garrison Post #3350 and the American Legion, further demonstrating his unwavering dedication to service.

"This award is a testament to the collective efforts of everyone who shares a commitment to making East Rockaway the vibrant, supportive, and thriving community that it is," said Mayor Fox. "I am humbled to accept this recognition, and I look forward to continuing our work to make our hometown the best place to live, work, and raise a family."