On July 11, the board of commissioners of the Great Neck Park District named New York State Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli as its 2004 recipient of the Friend of the Parks Award. Commissioner Ruth Tamarin called Assemblyman DiNapoli a longtime friend of the Great Neck Park District who is always there to offer advice and support. She said, "A call to Tom is a call to a good neighbor, a fellow park resident and a respected assemblyman who, without a moment's hesitation, offers his help.

Commissioner Tamarin continued: "Assemblyman DiNapoli has always been an advocate of environmental projects. He serves on the New York State Assembly Committee on environmental conservation and is responsible for an historic superfund brownfield bill being signed into law. The law allows the refinancing of the state's superfund program and establishes a brownfield cleanup program. Brownfields are contaminated properties, often abandoned or underused, that contain hazardous waste sites and are potential environment and public health sites that will one day be preserved and productively developed."

Commissioner Tamarin concluded by saying, "Tom's contribution as an assemblyman, especially in all areas related to the environment, is helping our community, Long Island and the rest of the state. I am pleased and proud to present Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli, our friend and neighbor, with the 2004 Friend of the Parks Award."

Upon receiving the award, Assemblyman DiNapoli commented, "As chairman of the Assembly's Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation, I have held hearings on ways to protect our environment for ourselves, our children, and for the generations to come. From its inception the Great Neck Park District has had this goal and I applaud them for it. I am deeply honored to receive the Friend of the Parks Award from the commissioners and I'm proud to be a resident of this wonderful community."