Lakewood Honors Publisher Ben Sklare and Deputy Mayor Mary Moss with Larry Saunders Service Awards

At its Dec. 1 meeting the Lakewood City Council hosted the Lakewood Community Foundation Fund’s presentation of the Larry Saunders service awards. Bob Warfield, a foundation director, and emcee Walter Neri praised two recipients for sustained civic contributions.

Warfield described the award as an annual recognition honoring extraordinary community service and noted grants tied to awardees, including a Rose Murphy endowment and 'Keep Lakewood Beautiful' funds that the foundation said are growing toward a $500,000 objective to support public-space improvements.

Walter Neri told the council that Ben Sklare, publisher of the Suburban Times, built an open local platform over two decades and “accomplished something really special and unusual.” Sklare accepted the proclamation and said he will support Cascadia, a nonprofit successor to the Suburban Times. Deputy Mayor Mary Moss — recognized for nearly 40 years of community service and as a founding president of the Lakewood Multicultural Coalition — accepted the award and thanked nominators and family members in attendance.

The council presented a formal proclamation to Sklare and gave a ceremonial Lakewood coin; photographs followed. The foundation’s awards committee and named community partners were acknowledged in the presentation.