Inaugural Oregon Charity Championship Nets $78,000

32 nonprofits competed at Oregon Golf Club in early October

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pacific Office Automation (POA), the largest independent office equipment dealer in the U.S., reported that the inaugural Oregon Charity Championship (OCC), a competitive scramble format golf tournament at Oregon Golf Club on October 2, raised $78,165. A $50,000 purse was at stake in a showdown of 32 Oregon nonprofits, each represented by a team of four golfers competing for the top prize of $25,000, won by The Maurice Lucas Foundation. Randall Children’s Hospital took Second Prize of $15,000, and The First Tee Greater Portland took Third Prize of $10,000.

Created by Green Barn Events with POA, the Oregon Charity Championship united Oregon businesses, the local community, and Oregon nonprofits in their shared commitment to making a positive impact in the region. Oregon Golf Club in West Linn was the host course, and official scorekeeping was provided by Les Schwab store managers.

“The Oregon Charity Championship was a huge success. We are incredibly proud of the money we helped raise, and grateful for the opportunity to create an experience at the intersection of sports and philanthropy, both foundational to our culture at POA,” said Doug Pitassi, president and CEO of Pacific Office Automation. “We are on board for The Oregon Charity Championship next year, and think it’s a format we can work with Green Barn to bring to other markets where we operate.”

Maurice Lucas Foundation, the winner, is a Portland nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth with opportunities for positive developmental growth through sport. Randall Children’s Hospital Foundation, second place, is a regional leader in the care of babies, children, and teens, and offers complex surgical and medical care while creating a peaceful environment for patients and their families. First Tee, third place, is a nonprofit that aims to empower kids and teens through golf.

“The Oregon Charity Championship is the culmination of more than 30 years of experience in PGA and non-PGA golf events, often made-for-TV, with a vision for giving back,” said John Bladholm, founding partner at Green Barn Events. “With POA, we were able to elevate the starting point of this inaugural event, dream big, and bring together an entire community of sponsors who know our work, and nonprofits who believe in our mission of helping.”

Green Barn Events, the organizer of the Oregon Charity Championship, is a Pacific Northwest event management company with a focus on nonprofit fundraising. The company specializes in event planning, operations, sponsorship, and promotions. The company’s tailored expertise in golf and event management inspired the event, drove sponsorship, and gathered nonprofit participation.

POA and Green Barn Events is evaluating the opportunity to replicate the event across markets in eight Western U.S. states, and anticipates future details in coming months with the goal of giving back to all of these communities.

Sponsors of The Oregon Charity Championship were Safeway, Toyota, OnPoint Community Credit Union, Les Schwab Tire Centers, NECA-IBEW, Mondelez, Union Home Mortgage, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Parr Lumber, Dregs Vodka, Tecta America, and Kadmark Print & Embroidery. A key media sponsor, FOX 12 KPTV, interviewed several nonprofits and conducted a blind drawing of two randomly chosen charities to participate alongside the other 30 charities, selected based on their outstanding contributions. Participating charities included:

• Adaptive Sports NW
• B.U.L.L. Session
• Boys and Girls Club
• CDM Homecare
• Children’s Cancer Association
• David's Chair
• Edwards Center
• Floyd Bodyfelt Foundation
• Good Samaritan Ministries
• Goodwill industries
• JoyRX
• Junior Achievement
• Kickin’ Cancer
• Lines for Life
• Medical Teams International
• Morrison Child and Family Services
• Neurotherapeutic Pediatric Therapies
• Partnerships in Community Living
• Project 48
• Randall Children’s Hospital
• Ronald McDonald House
• Safeway Albertsons Foundation
• Sam Day Foundation
• Sequoia Mental Health Services
• Serendipity Center
• Special Olympics
• Sunshine Division
• The Children’s Course, Inc.
• The Dougy Center
• The Maurice Lucas Foundation
• Trillium Family Services
• USO NW

About Pacific Office Automation:

Founded in 1976, Pacific Office Automation (POA) is a privately held office technology company headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon. POA has more than 1,300 employees across eight states. It has grown to be the largest authorized dealer of high-quality printer manufacturers, and it commits to offering custom office solutions, state-of-the-art technology and award-winning customer service to customers and the community. POA provides managed print services, enterprise level IT services, software, office equipment and unified communications all over the United States. Learn more at www.pacificoffice.com.