By JOSEPH KELLARD
The Village of Island Park had long held the desire to memorialize Michael Masone, who served as the village's superintendent of public works for 36 years and died in 2002. After considering dedicating a street or park in his name, the village decided to rename the Island Park Beach on Waterford Road.
"He did a lot of things for the kids on the beach, so it was only appropriate that we named the beach after Mike Masone," said Mayor Jim Ruzicka.
Masone, know as "Uncle Mike," ran a Teens Center on the beach, and for more than 25 years organized and supervised "Orphans Day, a program that brought children from a Long Island orphanage to the beach for a day of fun, food and games.
"Despite his broad involvement in so many community activities, I believe Mike's greatest impact was on the youth of Island Park," former Island Park Mayor Jackie Papatsos once wrote about Masone. "He had a wonderful gift of communication with the young people in the community and took many troubled youngsters under his wing and kept them from going astray."
Ruzicka remembers when he was a kid and Masone ran the Teen Center, putting on programs from swimming races and movies to basketball and dances.
Ruzicka and Kelly, whose family kept a summer home in Island Park when he was teenager, were among a few past and present government officials who knew Masone and joined his family in the ceremony to rename the beach in his honor earlier this month. Among those attending the ceremony were former U.S. Sen. Al D'Amato, a former Island Park resident; Rep. Peter King (R-3rd C.D.); Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford (R- Long Beach.); and Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony Santino (R-East Rockaway).
Born in 1914, Masone began working for the village in 1941. In April 1943, Masone entered military service and worked with the Army Engineers, eventually helping to construct bridges in Europe during World War II.
After finishing his military service, he returned to Island Park in 1945, serving as superintendent of public works until he retired in 1981. Masone continued to work part-time for the village as a consultant and building inspector until 1996.
Masone recorded more than 60 years of volunteer work with the Island Park Fire Department, serving as chief from 1940-42, and was twice selected as "Fireman of the Year." He was also a member of American Legion Post 1029, where he served as commander.
In May, Ruzicka asked the village board to pass a resolution to rename the beach in Masone's honor, and the board voted unanimously in favor of it.
Comments about this story? JKellard@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
