Community leader is a consistent volunteer with Rotary and other organizations
Brad Hansen is the newest Wilsonville First Citizen, Rotary Club of Wilsonville President Gladys Boutwell announced at Rotary’s annual Heart of Gold Dinner & Auction on Thursday night, April 11.
According to Boutwell, “Brad is a wonderful volunteer and community leader. He leads with a kind, patient and thoughtful outlook, always anticipating needs of those around him and setting the right example and tone for others to succeed. His contributions have been many over the years, with Rotary, with the local business community, at Coffee Creek and throughout the community.”
Hansen has served as president of the Rotary Club of Wilsonville and has served as chairman of the Wilsonville Rotary Foundation on multiple occasions. He co-chairs the club’s Through A Child’s Eyes program, which helps adults in custody maintain strong family bonds and break the intergenerational cycle of incarceration. He has assisted several local organizations and leads a men’s Bible study for local business leaders. He runs the local office for Guild Mortgage, which donates to the Hands and Feet Project in Haiti, which assists and educates orphans and supports startup businesses.
Wilsonville First Citizen is an annual award given since 2001 to recognize a local community member for their exceptional volunteer service. Also recognized as finalists for the award this year were Wilsonville High School football coach Adam Guenther; Oregon Business Resource Center volunteer Fatima Falcon Ontiveros; and Brad Holly, a volunteer with Wilsonville High School Booster Club and the school’s softball and wrestling programs. A committee made up of Rotary and other Wilsonville community leaders reviewed the nominations.
All of the past First Citizens are listed on a monument in the Rotary Rose Garden in Town Center Park, and Brad’s name will be added there. Prior First Citizen honorees include Tammy Sue Bradley (2022), Lisa Krecklow (2021), Elaine Swyt (2020), Jake and Dianne McMichael (2019), John Budiao (2018), Jordan Scoggins (2017), Tim Knapp (2016), Sherine Beltran (2015), Jaimy Beltran (2015), Donna Bane (2014), Kathryn Whittaker (2013), Jay Puppo (2012), Dick Spence (2011), Debi Laue (2010), Lonnie and Julie Gieber (2009), Anne Easterly (2008), Theonie Gilmore (2007), Laura LaJoie Bishop (2006), Sue Ludlow (2005), John Ludlow (2005), Charlotte Lehan (2005), Alan Kirk (2004), Doris Wehler (2003), Bob and Judy Woodle (2002), and Ron Anderson (2001).
This year’s Heart of Gold theme was “Spotlight on Service,” playing off of the strength, balance, grace and poise of performing aerialists and acrobats for Cirque du Soleil and other troupes. Entertainment matching the theme was provided by Innovative Dance.
Besides honoring Wilsonville’s First Citizen, Heart of Gold event serves as the main fundraiser for the Wilsonville Rotary Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Money is raised through sponsorships, auction purchases, donations, raffle and game tickets, dinner tickets and other contributions that night. The Wilsonville Rotary Foundation, in turn, provides funding for the numerous service projects conducted or supported by the Rotary Club of Wilsonville, including:
- Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts — These FREE summer concerts in Town Center Park (www.wilsonvilleconcerts.com) provide high quality family entertainment to benefit polio eradication through voluntary donations to End Polio Now. This year’s shows will be July 18, July 25, August 1 and August 8.
- Through A Child’s Eyes (TACE) — A two-day annual event at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility to strengthen inmate families and break the negative intergenerational cycles that lead to incarceration.
- Good Eggs Omelet Breakfasts — Rotary partners with local schools and other organizations to create fundraising breakfasts and dinners with multiple revenue streams.
- Rotary Youth Exchange — These exchanges send local students abroad for short-term and long-term exchanges and host international students for the same in Wilsonville.
- Dolly Parton Imagination Library — This program provides free books monthly for young readers, in partnership with the Wilsonville Public Library. Rotary has expanded the program to include the children of adults in custody at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.
- College Scholarships — The club awards several scholarships to deserving high school graduates from Wilsonville to support their future education.
- Support of Scouting BSA — The club sponsors one Scout troop and two Cub Scout packs in Wilsonville.
- Peacebuilding — The Rotary Club of Wilsonville is an official Peacebuilder Club and has installed three Peace Poles in the community, with more to come.
The club also supports international service projects conducted throughout the world by the Wilsonville club and other area clubs, and responds to certain needs as they arise.
First Citizen nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis at WilsonvilleRotary.com/Nominate, so people are always welcome to submit a nomination for the next deserving Wilsonville First Citizen. For further information or any questions, please contact Gladys Boutwell at 503-482-7050 or President@WilsonvilleRotary.com.