‘Professional Volunteer’ Committed to Veterans

Hicksville, N.Y.

LARRY SKLAR, 63, has never fought in a war, but he has dedicated his spare time to working with veterans.

“It’s the greatest thing, trying to help serve those who serve us,” Mr. Sklar said.

Mr. Sklar was in the Army briefly; he was drafted in 1962 but was discharged during basic training for medical reasons. A “life patronage member” of Gieir-Levitt Post 655 of the Jewish War Veterans, he was doling out salad, chicken and pizza on Dec. 9 at a holiday ice skating party run by the Nassau County parks department and other sponsors at Cantiaque Park here. It was attended by 150 families of active military personnel from all branches of the armed services who live in military housing in East Meadow and Garden City.

Earlier, Mr. Sklar had solicited and picked up food from 17 restaurants to supplement the party’s 0 food budget. The post, based at the Mid-Island Y in Plainview, has 135 members; 11 members volunteered at the party.

A resident of Jericho, Mr. Sklar is a retired auctioneer and liquidator who reconditioned and refurbished supermarket equipment and likes to play gin rummy. These days he calls himself a “professional volunteer.”

Stephanie Davis, community manager of GMH Military Housing, which runs the military housing colonies for 250 families, thought it might be more apt to call him “an angel.”

“He has helped financially, and he has come out and labored tremendously,” Ms. Davis said.

At a communal barbecue in August in East Meadow, Mr. Sklar grilled hamburgers, chicken and hot dogs. When school started in September, he arranged for the distribution of 280 bags of school supplies stuffed with loose-leaf paper, notebooks, crayons and pens. Extra bags for children of military personnel who may move in during the school year were included.

“The Jewish War Veterans, his chapter, has been a blessing to us,” Ms. Davis said.

Mr. Sklar’s involvement with the veterans began about a dozen years ago, while he was president of the Brotherhood at North Shore Synagogue in Syosset. He was asked whether the synagogue would like to help collect Hanukkah gifts for the Jewish War Veterans. They amassed 0 worth, but “that wasn’t satisfying enough,” Mr. Sklar recalled. He ended up helping to distribute the gift bags at the Northport Veteran Affairs Medical Center.

Mr. Sklar began to volunteer at the veterans hospital and was invited to join the Jewish War Veterans. Later the group appointed him a national deputy for homeless veterans affairs. He sits on the veterans’ advisory committees for Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay. As a member of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, he lobbies in Washington for veterans’ rights twice a year.

Joe Sledge, a spokesman for the Northport hospital, called Mr. Sklar “a staunch veterans’ advocate.”

His service includes working on the community advisory board for a Salvation Army residence for homeless veterans that is on the campus of the Northport hospital. Mr. Sklar helped get the shelter started a decade ago. He ran a holiday dinner there earlier this month.

Jack Hayne, a past Jewish War Veterans post commander who lives in Old Bethpage, said that Mr. Sklar was “very, very good at organizing.”

His altruism isn’t limited to veterans’ affairs. Mr. Sklar is also a member of the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity’s home-building projects in Nassau County and works with the Interfaith Nutrition Network, which helps the hungry and poor on the Island.

In August, he received a medal from Nassau County for distinguished service to veterans, adding to a long list of accolades and awards.

Charitable efforts keep him going.

“I don’t know how to play golf. I don’t play tennis,” he said. “My exercise is volunteering.”

E-mail: lijournal@nytimes.com