The Wayne Oliver Foundation has earned a 2022 Make More Happen award through Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance — along with a cash award that was doubled thanks to the support of the Canby community.
The original award, which was for the foundation’s “exceptional volunteerism” and commitment to making a positive community impact, came with a $5,000 donation — with the chance of netting an additional five grand by collecting 500 or more “votes” (measured in comments on and social media shares of the award announcement).
Ryan Oliver confirmed to the Current last week that the foundation named after his father had indeed passed the threshold necessary to secure the full $10,000 donation, and a check presentation was held Wednesday, November 2, at Oliver Insurance.
The Wayne Oliver Foundation, or Wayne-O Foundation, was founded in 2014 to honor the legacy of Canby civic leader and businessman Wayne Oliver, who dedicated himself to bettering the community and was an avid supporter of local youths, schools and athletics.
His legacy includes founding Canby Kids, serving on the Canby Junior Baseball League’s board of directors and coaching and sponsoring countless teams over four decades. Canby High School’s baseball field is also named in his honor, and the team’s uniforms sport a patch bearing his smiling face.
Over the last nine years, the foundation has raised and donated nearly $100,000 back into their community to benefit organizations such as the ALS Association of Oregon and SW Washington, the Canby Volunteer Firefighter Association, youth baseball and other causes.
“All of us at Oliver Insurance are proud to celebrate and continue my father’s legacy of community service,” Ryan Oliver said. “He led by example, and the foundation works to keep his generous spirit of giving alive.”
The foundation’s main fundraiser is its annual golf tournament, the Wayne-O Golf Classic, which is organized and hosted by the agency’s seven employees. Now in its ninth year, the tournament raises money to support the local ALS Foundation chapter.
Oliver Insurance employees also participate in the annual ALS walk and fundraiser to help raise even more money for ALS research. In addition, the agency also donates $10 for every referral it gets from customers to a different nonprofit each quarter.
