Mark Danowski selected as this year’s grand marshal

This year’s Moriches Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day Parade grand marshal has been announced as Mark Danowski. The 21st annual parade will take place on Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m. on Main Street. 

According to the chamber, the criteria for being considered for grand marshal of the Moriches St. Patrick Parade is that the individual must be of high moral character, someone who lives their life with strong ethical principles, a person of honesty and integrity, and has contributed over a long period of time to the high quality of life.

“Mark Danowski is such a person,” said former chamber president Art Gerhauser. “Mark generously gives his time and resources to the community. He coordinates the team of volunteers that maintain and water the hanging plants in our downtown business district.”

Also, as an officer in the Downtown Beautification Organization, a sister organization of the chamber of commerce, he works towards improving Main Street and can be seen driving the watering cart and cleaning up litter. 

“A longtime member of the chamber of commerce, Mark provides storage space for the chamber’s holiday decorations that we all enjoy each December,” Gerhauser said of the easy choice in Danowski. “Mark always supports our community.”

Danowski was born and raised in Manorville and still lives there today. He graduated from Eastport High School and went to Suffolk County Community College while working at Heinz Deli, on Main Street in Center Moriches.

During this time, he said, he developed his affection for Main Street.

After two years at SCCC, he then attended SUNY New Paltz and graduated with a business degree. His first and current job out of college was working for Allstate.

“I started selling Allstate insurance at the Sears store on Main Street in Riverhead, which added to my affinity for Main Streets,” he added.

Then, in 1988, he joined Don Striplin in Center Moriches. At that time, he also helped promote the Spring Fair and other chamber activities.

Danowski is also responsible for helping Gerhauser, then chamber president, start the Downtown Beautification Organization of Center Moriches Inc., along with Gerry Sapanaro, so that Main Street could receive grants, impact fees, and other funding for improvements.

As the first president of the organization, and now vice president, he helped fund the Bank Street Park and various other small projects until 2008, when they redid all the sidewalks on Main Street with benches and new garbage receptacles.

Danowski was also a 17-tear member of the Manorville Fire Department and a former member of the Eastport South Manor Sports Association, where he was a 10-year board member and director of youth basketball. He has also coached Little League baseball, Little League softball, both boys and girls youth volleyball, and girls lacrosse.

He is married to his wife Melissa (Missy) and together they have five children: oldest son Jake, oldest daughter Sara, middle child and youngest daughter Emma, and twin sons Alex and Noah.

Melissa’s—formerly Knerr—parents owned Sunrise restaurant on Main Street in Center Moriches until 1986. They met while she was working for North Fork Bank on Main Street in Center Moriches. She is a special education teacher at The Little Flower School.

His son Jake was on the 2016 NYS champion ESM boys volleyball team, and daughter Sara was on the 2019 NYS champion girls lacrosse team.

Currently, with the chamber, he is in charge of making sure the flowers get watered.

As for being selected as this year’s St. Patrick’s Day grand marshal, he said:

“I am very humbled to be the grand marshal and be included in a list of past grand marshals such as Gerry Sapanaro, Miriam Gillies, Art Gerhauser, who have done so much for Center Moriches.”

Danowski plans to march with his family, except his son, Alex, who is proudly serving in the Air Force and currently stationed in the Ramstein, Germany.

The parade begins on Lake Avenue and ends at Railroad Avenue and includes floats, fire departments, and pipe and drum bands.

The chamber’s dinner will be held on March 14 at 6 p.m. at the Rock Hill Country Club. Tickets are $75 per person. For more information or to request to be part of the parade, visit www.moricheschamber.org.