2008 U.S. Oil Open is Wednesday

U.S. Oil Co., Inc., expects to exceed the $1.15 million fundraising goal for this year’s U.S. Oil Open for Basic Needs.

More than 600 business and community leaders, representing more than 250 businesses, foundations, and community organizations, will gather to raise funds for the U.S. Oil Open Fund for Basic Needs established at the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation.

The 2008 U.S. Oil Open will be held Wednesday at Mid Vallee Golf Course in De Pere, Countryside Golf Club in Kaukauna, Wander Springs Golf Course in Greenleaf and Fox Valley Golf Club in Freedom.

Last year the event raised $1 million, bringing the 22-year total for the outing to more than $7.7 Million. In that time, more than $5 million has been given in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Fox Valley and Green Bay regions. This year the event plans to spread its reach throughout all of Northeast Wisconsin as it establishes the U.S. Oil Open Fund for Basic Needs at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation.

“When we started this event in 1986, we were hoping to help a few people, hoping to make their lives a little easier,” said Bill Schmidt, Chairman Emeritus of U.S. Oil Co., Inc., and founder of the event. “I don’t think that anyone thought our little outing would get this big or raise this much money. We’re just glad that we are able to do our part to help people who are really in need.”

In the summer of 2007, U.S. Oil Co., Inc., announced the launch of the U.S. Oil Open Fund for Basic Needs and its consolidated efforts to fight poverty in the region. At that time, the J.J. Keller Foundation, Inc., announced it would match the grantmaking budget for the funds then established within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation. In May, these funds granted more than $1.5 million to nonprofit efforts to fight poverty, with some grants spanning three years. J.J. Keller Foundation has agreed to match the grantmaking budget again in fiscal year 2009. It is anticipated that $1.5 million will be available again for grantmaking cycles beginning this fall.

The U.S. Oil Open Fund for Basic Needs is structured to support nonprofit efforts to help people struggling to secure basic life needs such as housing, health care, and job skills. All money raised at the U.S. Oil Open is deposited into the funds within each of the three community foundations.

Participants in the 2008 U.S. Oil Open will gather for breakfast and 18 holes of golf at one of four courses: Mid Vallee in De Pere, Countryside in Kaukauna, Wander Springs in Greenleaf, and Fox Valley Golf Club in Freedom. This year, special guests Paul Hornung, Jim Irwin and Marla McGee, daughter of former Packer Max McGee, will be present to honor long-time friend of the event, Max McGee.

The event culminates with a dinner, program, and auction at Van Abel’s Supper Club in Hollandtown, where the participants will enjoy a special tribute to Max McGee beginning at 6:30 p.m.

As the host of the U.S. Oil Open, U.S. Oil Co., Inc., pays for all the expenses of the event. Every dollar contributed by sponsors and participants goes directly to the Community Foundations for the Fox Valley, Green Bay and Oshkosh regions. Funds are then managed by advisory committees at each of the community foundations, with 10 percent of the fund balance being given to nonprofit organizations in grants annually.

“U.S. Oil Company is proud to host this event,” said John Schmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Oil Inc. “But we are even more excited about the number of generous businesses and individuals in this community who come out to support the event. This is truly the community’s money and it will help make our community even stronger.”