Campodonico receives Corona Lions Humanitarian Award

Lifelong East Meadow resident Adrian Campodonico was honored with the Corona Lions Humanitarian Award at a 44th Annual Corona Lions Dinner Dance.

Campodonico, who works as a correction officer at the Nassau County Correction Center, first answered the call to volunteer in 1997, when he followed in his older brother’s footsteps and joined Engine 1 as an East Meadow Fire Fighter. Though his career was cut short after one year of service due to family obligations, he never lost the desire to give back to his community and began his career in law enforcement in 1999.

Campodonico has and continues to be involved in many events, charitable groups and organizations. In 2005, he became a member of Spartan Lodge #956 located in Baldwin, with whom he has been involved in several community events, most notably the Child Identification Program.

He also founded the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department Columbia Association in 2009, a non-for-profit organization of Italian American police/peace officers and civilian staff. Their mission statement is to help those less fortunate in the community, promote the spirit of brotherhood and to increase cultural awareness while fostering a keen understanding of an individual’s responsibilities as a community member and in this organization Campodonico held office as chairman of the board of directors, then progressed up to the executive board into the position of secretary. Currently he sits as the 1st Vice President of the Columbia Association, which has become the largest fraternal organization within the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department.

In addition to cultural and work-related organizations, Campodonico also joined the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce where he continues to promote locate businesses and work on beautification projects.

Last year, Campodonico was elected as a Board of Director for the Nassau County Sheriff Officers Association (ShOA), the union that represents more than 1,000 correction officers who are currently employed by the sheriff’s department and, with the help of Albert Perna, got involved with the St. Leo’s Holy Name Society in Corona.

Campodonico has grown to understand that community is not just a place you call home. It is an idea that has driven him to become active outside of his hometown and in surrounding neighborhood such as Corona.