Benton County Foundation Awards
The Benton County Foundation has several awards that it administers that recognizes outstanding adult and youth citizens from around the county.
The Meritorious Service Award was began in 1990 by the four Rotary Clubs within the communities of Corvallis and Philomath. The award recognizes adult citizens within the area that have made extraordinary acts and exceptional efforts to enrich the lives of Benton County’s youth. Award winners are selected by Rotary Club members and then are publicly recognized at a Rotary club’s meeting, announced in the local news media and honored with their name added as an inscription plaque on a memorial piece of artwork located in the Corvallis Benton County Public library reading room. Also at the public recognition event, the Rotary club’s present an annual contribution to the Benton County Foundation in honor of the Meritorious Service Award recipient. The contribution is deducted from the dues each Rotarian pays monthly. If you know of an exceptional and extraordinary citizen that is tirelessly working to improve the lives of children without any personal gain to them, contact your local Rotary Club president or the Benton County Foundation office.
2010 Meritorious Service Award
2009 Meritorious Service Award
2008 Meritorious Service Award
The Benton County Foundation Annual Founders Trophy was established in 1997 by the Bob & Billie Holcomb family as a recogniztion award for youth ages 10 to 20 in the county who exhibit exceptional acts of altruism within their communities…whether within or outside of school environments. The recipients are also publicly recognized at a Rotary club’s meeting, announced in the local news media and receive a $2,500 cash award & trophy to use for any purpose they choose. The award honors the memory of those members of the Corvallis Rotary Club who founded the Benton County Foundation in 1953 with the Rotary motto of Service to Others Above Self.
Founders Trophy Award history
2008 Founders Trophy awardee, Casey Higgins
2008 Founders Trophy awardee, Alice Heinz
2007 Founders Trophy awardee, Rachel Lee
2006 Founders Trophy awardee, Mayra Valencia
The Bob and Billie Holcomb Family Youth Hero Award was created in 1997 to honor children ages 8 to 18 who demonstrated exceptional acts of courage and bravery by saving another person from loss of life at the risk of loss of their own life. These recipients are also publicly recognized at a Rotary club’s meeting, announced in the local news media and receive a significant cash award & trophy to use for any purpose they choose. In addition their name is added to the inscription plaque on the memorial piece of artwork “Moment of Decision” located at the entrance of the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis, Oregon.
2008 Youth Hero awardee, Travis Williams
2006 Youth Hero awardee, Chris Vonacek
2005 Youth Hero awardee, Ricky Garcia
If you know of any children that you feel should be considered for the Founders Annual Trophy or the Youth Hero Award contact the Benton County Foundation office at (541) 753-1603. The recipients of these award must be residents of Benton County, Oregon.