A.W. Oakes & Son is proud to announce that our CEO, Dan Oakes, was honored with the 2024 Distinguished Citizen Award by the Three Harbors Council, Boy Scouts of America. This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service.
The luncheon honoring Mr. Oakes took place on September 25, 2024, at the Racine Country Club.
Mr. Oakes' dedication to Scouting has been evident in his support of Camp Oh-Da-Ko-Ta. As a member of the camp's properties committee, he has been instrumental in various projects, including clearing trees, removing stumps, improving roads, and relocating the rifle range. His contributions have significantly enhanced the camp's facilities and overall experience for campers.
In addition to his work with the Boy Scouts, Mr. Oakes has also been a strong supporter of other community organizations, including the Racine Zoo, the city’s parks department, and Gateway Technical College.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Oakes expressed his gratitude for the award and acknowledged the contributions of his team at A.W. Oakes & Son. "I'm very glad to be here, and I would like to thank the Scouts ... for giving me this very distinguished award today," said Oakes during his address, adding that he "wouldn't be here" without Bob Preston (pictured in middle photo).
Preston, now retired after a long history with Oakes, was also recognized at the event as the Good Scout Award Recipient. "And everybody else, thank you all very much for attending," Preston said. "I like to see this many people here in support of a very good boss and a very good man for Racine County."
Since 2010, Oakes's contributions to the Scouts have allowed the organization to complete various projects at the camp.
This work includes laying concrete to put buildings down, inserting culverts for drainage, and removing trees that were diseased or affected by the emerald ash borer, said Mike Foley, chair of the Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon.
More work will be done on the camp during October, such as painting, electrical and plumbing work.
"It's the philanthropic efforts that affect us. … For us, the Boy Scouts are a not-for-profit," Foley said. "Every month, all the money that comes in flows out in our operations, so there isn't excess funds to hire equipment. This equipment can be $800 an hour with an operator, so the value has got to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for the camp and what we've been able to do."
Hardin said Oakes and his company have made an "incredible impact on Racine." "You look at the list of all the organizations they have supported through the years. It's quite significant, and really what makes a community strong is leaders like Dan and Oakes construction and giving back to organizations in the community where they live," Hardin said.
Since 1948, A.W. Oakes & Son has been a proud member of the Racine community. "It's not 'I,' it's 'we.' We at Oakes, as a team, as a family. … We're all here to do work and give back to the community, and the community is great. We're here in Racine. I live in Racine," Oakes said. "Seventy five years we've been in business here, and we're looking for quite a few more years in all kinds of businesses, whatever they are, to support Racine or southeastern Wisconsin."
Previous winners include former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, former Racine Police Chief Art Howell and Dr. Bryan Albrecht of Gateway Technical College.
Our team at A.W. Oakes & Son extends our sincere gratitude to everyone who attended the luncheon or made a donation to the Three Harbors Council in honor of Mr. Oakes. Your generosity will help ensure that the organization can continue to provide valuable programs for young people in our community.
As a company committed to giving back to our community, A.W. Oakes & Son is proud to support the Boy Scouts of America. We believe that investing in the next generation is essential for a strong and vibrant future. By providing opportunities for young people to develop leadership skills, learn values, and build self-esteem, we are helping to shape the leaders of tomorrow.
We encourage you to learn more about the Boy Scouts of America and how you can get involved. Together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of young people in our community.
Photos and quotes derived from Racine Journal Times/Caroline Neal article.
