2001 Merit Performance Award
Community Service and Humanitarian Pursuits

Gary V. Mazur
Court Officer, Nassau County District Court

Gary Mazur, a court officer at the Nassau County District Court for the past 11 years, has spent most of his life striving to make his community and the world at large a better place to live. Officer Mazur has been a volunteer for the Mineola Fire Department since 1976. Gary rose through the ranks, was elected to the Chief’s Office in 1991, and became Chief of the Department in 1995, coordinating the efforts of more than 100 firefighters as well as support staff.

While assigned to the Chief’s Office, Gary helped initiate "Operation Santa," a Yuletide event during which he and other Department members don Santa Claus beards and costumes, traveling door-to-door to visit young children throughout the community. Following his stint as Chief of the Department, Officer Mazur was named head advisor to the Department’s Junior Fire Fighters, a program that trains youngsters from 14 to 18 in firefighting skills. Although they’re not permitted to go out on real fire calls, the teens learn everything the adult volunteers do. Upon becoming the juniors’ head advisor, Mr. Mazur spearheaded a recruitment campaign, resulting in a more than sixfold increase in the number of program participants.

Under Gary’s guidance, the juniors are instilled with a strong sense of community spirit, organizing fund-raisers and engaging in other community service activities throughout the year. They host a pasta dinner every February, raising money for the community while bringing together many of its senior citizens and young families. As winter turns to spring, Officer.Mazur and his young recruits begin collecting food for distribution to local soup kitchens and homeless shelters.

During summer, Gary takes the juniors on camping trips and recreational outings, and as Christmas nears he and some of the Department’s other volunteers—including the juniors—gear up for Operation Santa. And whenever there’s a winter storm, you can find Officer Mazur lending a hand to Mineola’s Operation Snow Shovel, which sends scores of young volunteers out to clear snowy entrances and walkways for local seniors.

For his tireless devotion to the community and his compassion for the young, we are pleased to present Gary Mazur with a Merit Performance Award for Community Service and Humanitarian Pursuits.