The Moraga Chamber of Commerce honored Business of the Year (Moraga Ace Hardware & Lumber) and Nonprofit of the Year (Moraga Lions Club) during a small reception on April 18 at the Hacienda de las Flores’ Casita building.

    This year’s recipients were chosen because they practiced good business strategies; supported the Moraga community; served as a good business or community role model; exhibited good customer relationships; and demonstrated ethical business practices.

    Ace Hardware owners Bill Snider and his wife Vel bought the store in 2000. Two years later, he added another business to his repertoire and called it Across the Way (which it literally is). His general manager, Susan Marconi, spends her days helping out in both.  Snider’s business has donated to many events and organizations such as Earth Day, Campolindo High School’s wrestling, football, and Robotics Club programs, numerous Eagle Scout projects, and more.  He has worked with schools to hire members of the neurodivergent student community in order for them to acquire work skills, and he was part of the Moraga Community Foundation committee that raised funds to upgrade the Moraga Commons Park restroom. Snider’s fundraising efforts helped create the Skate Park with a sizable personal donation.  Additionally, Ace Hardware has supported the Moraga Education Foundation, all of the Town’s schools, the Moraga Chamber of Commerce, and the Moraga Junior Women’s Club.

    “I recognize every person in this room, either from the Chamber or as a customer,” stated Snider.  “People come into the store and talk about how hard retail is.  I enjoy what I do and I like helping people. We’re in the customer service business.  Our goal is to have the customer leave somewhat satisfied even if they couldn’t find what they needed.”   

    The Moraga Lions Club’s list of all of the projects for the past year are too numerous to mention, but highlights include: concessions at the Fourth of July Picnic, Pear Festival and Summer Concert Series, supporting MOFD’s Pancake Breakfast, supporting Community Service Day, blood drives, eyeglass donations to Third World countries, scholarships for Lamorinda high schoolers, annual Crab Feed, cash donations to dozens of relief organizations both local and world-wide, sponsoring Campo’s Leo Club, E-Waste disposal, food donations to Food Bank of Contra Costa, clothing donations to Special Kids Day, and their latest project of removing usable items from homes about to go on the market in order to distribute them to local charities.

    Club President Andy Boggeri said, “We are very proud to be here with the Business of the Year. I’d like to thank all of our volunteers, especially those that aren’t even Lions. Our slogan is ‘We serve,’ and we’re always trying to improve things. Volunteering is so important – there are so many people that need help out there.”