(GREAT NECK, N.Y.) - Nassau County Legislator Ellen W. Birnbaum (D - Great Neck) joined the Great Neck community at the Village Green on Tuesday, Sept. 14 to unveil a memorial tree and bench honoring the memory of beloved mail carrier Tommy Janickey, who served many in the community for 40 years before he passed away last year.
“This tribute is particularly fitting because it is located in a part of the Village Green that is right across from the post office where he worked for more than four decades,” Legislator Birnbaum said. “Even though I did not personally have the pleasure of knowing Tommy, I, as a longtime Great Neck resident, have heard from so many of my friends and neighbors about this truly unique man. I thank the leaders of the Great Neck Alert Fire Company, the Great Neck Park District, and our community for coming together to make this memorial happen.”
Great Neck residents John Motchkavitz and Judith Kamali spearheaded the fundraising efforts to create this lasting tribute. Their endeavors were supported by the members of the Great Neck Alert Fire Company and Alert Benevolent Association, the Fountain of Kindness, and families on Janickey’s route. The Great Neck Park District also provided key support in the creation of the memorial bench and tree.
“Tommy was not only a letter carrier for many of us, but a friend who became an important part of the Great Neck community,” said Mr. Motchkavitz. “We felt that his life needed to be honored and that is why we all helped raise the funds to dedicate a tree and a bench in his name at the Village Green Park.
“Tommy delivered much more than the mail. He delivered laughs, love, and celebrated all our milestones with us all. We needed to honor his memory in a way that he deserves,” Mrs. Kamali said.