Jim Flaherty
AARP Wisconsin
608-286-6308

MADISON, WISCONSIN – Oregon resident Wayne Wiese will be presented with AARP Wisconsin’s highest and most prestigious honor – the “2018 Andrus Award for Community Service” – this Friday, Oct. 19, at the Oregon Area Senior Center, during a brief ceremony beginning at 2 p.m.

“This award honors Wayne’s tireless commitment to making life better for others,” said AARP Wisconsin State Director Sam Wilson. “Through his volunteer service for the AARP Driver Safety Program (DSP), Wayne has built up the trust, influence and respect it takes to accomplish great things not only in his community, but across Wisconsin and the entire country.”

Wayne and his wife, Sandy, have two grown children and four grandchildren. They are native to Wisconsin and have lived in Oregon for eight years. During this time he has served in numerous roles with the DSP, rising to the title of State Coordinator and serving as interim State Coordinator for three other states.

“His efforts in the last three years as State Coordinator has almost doubled the volunteers within the state for the Driver Safety Program,” said Neil McCallum of Madison, who nominated Wiese for the award. “By growing and mentoring the ranks he has allowed Wisconsin instructors to help 2,047 people in 2017 alone.”

Wiese said he is deeply appreciative of the award. “It is a tremendous honor to be selected for this award and recognized for all the volunteer work that has helped people drive safer in Wisconsin. It is a great honor and I’m grateful to be nominated and selected over a field of excellent candidates.”

As part of his award, Wayne was given the opportunity to select an organization to receive a $1,000 donation from AARP. He has chosen to give the money to the Oregon Area Senior Center, where he has taught DSP classes and witnessed the value of the center to the Oregon community.

Wiese graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and joined Gulf Oil as a geologist, later working in information technology. His distinguished 35-year career with Gulf/Chevron included management assignments in Houston, Texas, San Ramon and Bakersfield, California, Caracas, Venezuela and Lagos, Nigeria.

After retiring he became involved with the DSP in the roles of Classroom Instructor, Data Manager and Facilitator/Coordinator of DSP programs such as “We Need To Talk” and CarFit. He has served in leadership roles as the State Coordinator for Wisconsin, Vermont and Massachusetts as well as a member of the AARP Executive Council for Wisconsin during his five years as a volunteer with the program.

Currently he is one of five National Coordinators for DSP. He is the Wisconsin Deputy State Coordinator and Interim Pennsylvania State Coordinator. He is also a board member of the Delta Upsilon of Wisconsin Foundation that provides college scholarships for its members.

Recipients of the Andrus Award (named after AARP founder Ethel Percy Andrus) in each state across the nation are chosen for their ability to enhance the lives of AARP members and prospective members, improve the community in which the work was performed, and inspire others to volunteer.

“Wayne clearly goes above and beyond the definition of volunteer, and serves as an inspiring example of the phrase ‘service before self,’” Wilson said. “He is committed to doing whatever he can to make life better for those around him and all of us as we age. He is truly one in a million.”

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