53.0°,
Mostly Cloudy Bill Marinaccio is Lynbrook’s Citizen Patriot of the Year
He’s a veteran, a photographer and a family man
The Lynbrook Republican Committee’s Citizen Patriot Award is presented each year to someone who goes above and beyond in their commitment to veterans and the community at large. There could be no better candidate than Bill Marinaccio, a veteran, an American Legion post commander and Lynbrook’s village photographer.
“We look for somebody who goes out of their way to demonstrate a commitment to not only the Lynbrook community,” Assemblyman Brian Curran a member of the Republican Committee, said, “but to also live a life that demonstrates all the opportunities that are great in this country, and is proud to be a citizen of this country.”
Marinaccio, enlisted in the National Guard the day after graduating from high school, and became a movement specialist in the Army three years later. Though the U.S. had an active draft at the time, Marinaccio said he wanted to serve on his own terms, and enlisted in the military early.
“He is a true military person,” Curran said, adding that Marinaccio is one of his role models. “Very straightforward. Driven in his purpose, whatever that purpose may be. But that purpose is usually with the intent of helping somebody.”
Marinaccio’s service didn’t stop when he returned to Lynbrook after his military service. He has been a member of the American Legion for 18 years, and the commander of Post 335 for four years. He has helped dozens of fellow veterans with the services and camaraderie the American Legion offers. He created a Women’s Auxiliary last April, to get women involved as well.
Post 335 was revitalized under Marinaccio’s command, Curran said. “While (he’s been) the post commander, the company has really just grown leaps and bounds, both in membership and what they do,” Curran said. “They really go out of their way to try to generate funds for other veteran organizations, while also trying to attract more of our local veterans into either the VFW or the American Legion.”
On top of that, for the past six years Marinaccio has been one of the lead organizers of the 21st Assembly District’s Run for Heroes, an annual race organized by Curran that raises money for veterans’ programs like Comfort Warrior, Children and Youth and others. Marinaccio has helped raise nearly $60,000 for veterans.
“Bill is a guy that always shows up and offers to help out,” Lynbrook Mayor Alan Beach said in a statement to the Herald. “Bill is a man of integrity that has put his love of country over politics. He is a great role model to our younger generations because he does not waver from his core values.”
“Why do people do volunteer work?” Marinaccio said. “It’s giving back, sharing, helping others. It’s trying to help people out in the long run.”
In 2018, Marinaccio was named Nassau County’s Legionnaire of the Year, and also named to the Assembly district’s Hall of Honor.
Locally, he is a member of the Lynbrook Board of Zoning Appeals and the Mayor’s Patriots Committee, and he was a charter member of the village Kiwanis Club. And he’s the village photographer.
“It’s exciting to be a part of what’s going on,” Marinaccio said. “My style is not one of being a couch potato. I like to be involved, do things. It makes you feel useful.”
He doesn’t have to do any of this stuff, but he does,” Curran said. “He does it because he wants to help people, and he wants to make Lynbrook a better place.”
Despite his awards and accolades, the part of his life that Marinaccio is most proud of is his family. He and his wife, Marie, have been married for 57 years, and have four daughters and seven grandchildren.
He gives back to Lynbrook not only for himself, but also for the families that rely on what he described as a kind village. “Do what you can to make a better community,” he said. “Little by little, whatever you do is something adding to the community.”
