Lagana to Receive Mort Farberow Award

If anyone understands the value of giving back, it’s lifelong Palisadian Sam Lagana. Throughout his adult life, he has dedicated his time and energy to making the community in which he lives a better place for his kids and their kids after that. In recognition of his tireless work for numerous local organizations, Lagana is this year’s recipient of the Mort Farberow Award, which will be presented at the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce installation dinner June 14 at the Riviera Country Club. Upon learning of the honor, Lagana expressed surprise, gratitude and, most of all, respect and admiration for the man the award is named after. ‘I’m Unbelievably honored and humbled to receive this kind of distinction,’ Lagana said. ‘I was a huge fan of Mort’s. I saw him work as a mentor-leader by the way he just embraced people. He opened his place to encourage leadership. He was there to support you. He and Bobbie grew their business from the counter deli to a community landmark and fostered a sense of give-back that I took to heart.’ Now in its fifth year, the Mort Farberow Award was established in memory of the past Chamber of Commerce president who owned and managed Mort’s Deli on Swarthmore for over 25 years. The award emphasizes three things Mort held dear: community, Chamber and children. One way Lagana gives back is as a member of the Board of Managers for the Palisades-Malibu YMCA, where he offers advice and insight into how the facility on Via de la Paz can better serve Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga. ‘Giving back is critical,’ Lagana has always said. ‘There are a number of ways to do that’by serving our families, our faith, our community and our country. The YMCA fills several of those aspects for me, especially sharing of the community spirit ‘ Lagana grew up in the Palisades and now lives in the Marquez area with his wife Eileen and daughters Cambria (12) and Cienna (8), both students at Corpus Christi. He is an active member of both the John Wooden Award national steering committee and the American Legion Sons of the American Legion’s Squadron 283 executive council. On July 4 he can be seen and heard announcing at the annual PAPA parade. In serving the Chamber, Lagana has been involved with committee work since the mid-1990s. Last year he co-chaired the Holiday Ho! Ho! Ho! committee. In serving children, he has been active as a coach at the Recreation Center and YMCA for girls’ basketball for six years. Twice he has been elected to serve as Chief of the Indian Guides and Princess Nation and he frequently volunteers his time extending the message of ‘Positive Coaching’ to AYSO and the YMCA. Professionally, Lagana has made sports advancement his life’s work both in the Palisades and just up the road at Pepperdine University in Malibu, where he is the Assistant Vice Chancellor. As head of the Waves Club, he oversees a group of alumni and donors to spearhead several projects on campus, including fundraising for an athletic village that would add a 26,000-sq.-ft. enhancement to Firestone Fieldhouse. ‘Sports have been an important part of my life,’ said Lagana, who was a promising basketball player at Palisades High until a back injury brought a sudden end to his prep career. ‘Whether playing, coaching, announcing or administrating, I have always enjoyed the passion, camaraderie and strategy that goes into producing a moment of competitive greatness.’ Lagana is proud to join past Mort Farberow Award winners Bob Benton, Bob Sharka, Roberta Donohue and Cheryel Kanan. ‘These are people who have meant a lot to me,’ Lagana said. ‘I’ve know Bob Benton since he opened his store. I’ve seen what Bob Sharka and Roberta and Cheryel have done. I’m grateful to the people who have worked beside me and with me. If you surround yourself with great people, great things happen.’