Gogarty seeks election to East Rockaway village board

The East Rockaway Village Pride Party has announced that Village Trustee Richard J. Gogarty, Sr. will be the party’s official candidate seeking election for the unexpired term that was vacated by Irene Villacci last April. Gogarty was unanimously appointed by the board to fill the seat.

Gogarty and his family have roots in the community — his great-grandfather, Cap Abrams, was a clam digger and builder in East Rockaway in the 1890s. He has been a long-serving chairman of the East Rockaway Board of Zoning Appeals. He also

Served as a First Sergeant in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years before retiring in 1994.

During his time in the Army, Gogarty held various instructor positions such as Calvary Scout, Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, Drill Instructor, Operations Officer, and Acting Company Commander. He was also awarded numerous medals and commendations. He additionally received a Letter of Commendation for emergency actions that he took in Schwach, Germany when he evacuated a local family during a fire, as well as organizing a bucket brigade to help contain the flames until local fire personnel could arrive on the scene.

Gogarty was educated at several military schools, earning an Associate Arts Degree in Organizational Management as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts with a minor in Criminal Justice. He has been the senior Army instructor of the Francis Lewis High School Junior ROTC in Queens County, as well as the Commanding Officer of Camp Patriot Summer Camp. He and his wife, Donna, have been married for 35 years, and have three sons and a granddaughter.

According to Pride Party president Ed Zangrillo, Gogarty is “committed to advancing the many worthwhile programs and policies instituted by Mayor Fran Lenahan and his fellow Village Pride Party village board members.” All five current Deputy Mayor Bruno Romano and Trustee Stanley Lombardo — are all Pride Party members.