Employees at Orcon Industries in Le Roy have decided to donate their first year-end bonus in several years, to an organization that provides all-terrain wheelchairs for wounded veterans. Company management matched the gift, allowing for the purchase of two wheelchairs.
America’s wounded veterans sacrificed to protect our freedom.
This holiday season, employees and management at a Le Roy manufacturer made a sacrifice of their own — to help some of those same veterans better enjoy their freedom.
Workers at Orcon Industries have agreed to donate a portion of their year-end bonus pool, to the Independence Fund. The North Carolina-based nonprofit provides all-terrain wheelchairs and other services to disabled veterans.
The donation amounts to $15,000 — the cost of just one of the rugged “track chairs.”
In light of the employee decision, the management at Orcon — which makes industrial packaging at its facility on Lake Street Road — matched the gift.
“We thought we’d give our employees the opportunity to participate in something that’s pretty meaningful,” said Bruce Olson, the company president and CEO. “Something that they probably wouldn’t have been able to participate in, without us at least being the conduit.”
The key word, is “conduit.” Olson said he is a proud patriot and cares deeply for veterans' issues. But he gave all the credit to the employees.
The Independence Fund was established in 2007 to provide resources and therapies to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
Many veterans had enjoyed hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities before they were wounded. The Independence Fund’s Mobility Program allows them to get back outdoors using a variety of devices, including all-terrain wheelchairs and adaptive bicycles.
“The great thing with the Fund, is that 100 percent of the proceeds go to the soldiers,” said Michael Olson, Bruce’s son and Orcon’s general manager. “There is no administrative cost.”
Proceeds are not spent on publicity, either. In consequence, the Independence Fund is not very well-known.
It does however have a high-profile champion: political commentator Bill O’Reilly. He has not only featured the organization on his Fox News program, “The O’Reilly Factor,” but has helped it provide 1,400 wheelchairs to veterans.
That is how the Olsons first heard of the Independence Fund.
“Michael and I were talking, and we started looking at the year we had last year, which was probably the best year in the history of the company,” Bruce Olson said.
“In the past, we’ve always shared our success with our employees,” he continued. “So we were looking at what we had for a bonus pool this year to give back to the folks and it was, for us, pretty significant.”
They talked it over with partner Rick Flanagan, vice president for package design and engineering. Together, they decided to ask Orcon’s 60 employees if they would contribute to the Independence Fund.
It was a big question. This was the first bonus pool the company has been able to offer in years.
At a company meeting this past Friday, employees watched an “O’Reilly Factor” segment on the Independence Fund. Then they were asked if they would donate.
“The room just exploded in applause,” Bruce Olson said. “The response was overwhelming — tears, hugs, thank-yous.”
There weren’t many dry eyes, he said.
Certainly not his own.
“I’m a really emotional jerk,” he said. “So I lose it — I mean, I literally can’t finish the rest of the story. Michael finally got the message that he had to bail me out.”
The rest of the story was this: The company would match the gift.
“And they went nuts again,” he said.
Olson contacted the Independence Fund on Saturday to let them know Orcon would be making a donation. The Independence Fund, in turn, shared the news with O’Reilly.
And so during his broadcast on Wednesday, O’Reilly took a moment to thank Orcon.
Bruce Olson appreciates the attention. But he hopes any publicity generated by his company’s gift will help spread word about the Independence Fund and the work it does.
The story could have a sequel. Michael Olson said employees are already talking about ways to raise funds to make another contribution next year.
For more information about the Independence Fund, visit www.independencefund.org
To view “The O’Reilly Factor” segment on the Independence Fund, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onZmuZSl82w
Congrats to all involved. You
Congrats to all involved. You all truly know the meaning of the season.