Village Honors Former Legion Commander John Donovan

Garden City's village board honored veteran and long time resident John C. Donovan with a proclamation Thursday for his decade-long leadership as commander of the American Legion William Bradford Turner Post No. 265.

Donovan, and his wife, Karen, are moving to the commonwealth of Virginia in the coming months. Mayor Don Brudie said the village couldn't let him leave without first acknowledging his "sense of community spirit through service" to the village.

"We cannot allow John to leave without paying him hommage for his duty to country, state and the village of Garden City," mayor Brudie said.

As commander, Donovan assisted veterans, fostered respect for the flag, honored youth achievement and sponsored a ward at the Northport Veterans' Hospital. He also ran Garden City's Memorial Day parades, Veterans Day ceremonies and was a key player in making Garden City's refurbished war memorial a reality.

Donovan has been the recipient of numerous military awards and was inducted into the NYS Senate Veterans' Hall of Fame in June 2010.

"Thank you, I am deeply honored," Donovan said upon receiving the citation.

For more information about the William Bradford Turner Post, call Ed Brown, new commander, at 516-742-5747 or Bob Rudkin, vice commander, at 516-747-3889.