Second Annual Award to Be Presented on June 27 as Part of Vida OLE! Weekend
NAPA, CA – April 9, 2024 – The OLE Health Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the Napa Valley Vintners will be the recipient of the 2nd annual John Shafer Visionary Award. The award honors the legacy of vintner John Shafer, who was among OLE Health’s fiercest advocates. Shafer helped create the OLE Health Foundation and foster the community support that sustains the organization today. The John Shafer Visionary Award recognizes those who have furthered the mission of the organization, which is to ensure that high quality primary care is provided to everyone who lives and works in the communities it serves. Last year, the inaugural award was presented to vintner and longtime OLE Health supporter Rick Jones.
In 1984, ‘Clinic OLE’ became a beneficiary of the Napa Valley Wine Auction, later known as Auction Napa Valley. And, for nearly 40 years, the Napa Valley Vintners continued supporting Clinic OLE as it grew and became OLE Health, and now CommuniCare+OLE. This award recognizes that historic giving from the Napa Valley Vintners, which totals $40 million since that first auction.
“The financial support from Napa Valley Vintners was instrumental to the growth of OLE Health. With their help, it was able to expand and better serve the Napa Valley community,” said Naoko Dalla Valle, OLE Health Foundation Board Chair. “Their giving was invaluable in the creation of our two flagship health centers right here in Napa. This award allows us to recognize the long-term contributions and historical impact that NVV has had on the organization.”
In addition to financial contributions, NVV was a part of many of the major milestones in OLE Health’s history. In 2002, it moved into its first permanent home as a result of John Shafer and NVV’s effort to spearhead and serve as lead donor for the building of a community health center. In 2016, NVV donated $6 million to help kick off the fundraising campaign for what is now the Napa Valley Vintners South Napa campus. Other donations over the years allowed the organization to expand operations to include additional health services.
Those being honored include current NVV Board Chair Cyril Chappellet, and past NVV Board and Auction Napa Valley chairs Bruce Cakebread, Hugh Davies, Dan Duckhorn, David Duncan, Kathleen Heitz, Paula Kornell, Beth Novak, David Pearson, John Trefethen and Bob Trinchero along with Napa Valley Vintners President and CEO, Linda Reiff.
“It’s an honor to receive this award. The most important part of a community is its people. Since its founding, OLE Health has helped to ensure that anyone who lives or works in Napa County receives the healthcare they need. We are humbled to look back on the many ways that NVV was able to contribute to the success of OLE Health in caring for our community, and we’re so thankful to know that it has grown into the thriving organization that it is today,” said Reiff.
The John Shafer Visionary Award will be presented at the Vida OLE! Visionaries’ Brunch on June 27, 2024, hosted by OLE Health Foundation Board Member Claire Stull and her husband Steven Stull at their Stags Leap home. The invitation-only event acknowledges those who have provided significant support to CommuniCare+OLE throughout its 50-plus year history and serves as the official kick-off to Vida OLE!, a celebration raising critical funds to support CommuniCare+OLE programs and services in Napa County.
To learn more or purchase tickets to attend Vida OLE! Events taking place June 27 – 29, 2024, visit olehealth.org/auction.
About the OLE Health Foundation
The OLE Health Foundation was started by vintner John Shafer in 1986 to ensure a more stable financial future for OLE Health. As a separate 501c3, the OLE Health Foundation’s mission is to raise money and build support for the work of CommuniCare+OLE in Napa County. Its signature event, Vida OLE!, takes place each summer and includes three days of festivities geared toward celebrating the work of OLE Health and the special relationship the organization has with the vintner and business community in Napa County. The Foundation is governed by a board of directors comprised of community leaders. New members are nominated on a continuous basis and serve for a three-year term with no limit on reappointment.
