2023 Legacy award recipients:

Kelly O'Lauge, President of the Pleasanton Community of Character

Ronnie Forbes, CEO of One Nation Dream Makers

Matt Troiano, Co-Founder of the Tri-Valley Thanksgiving Dinner

 

​

2024 LEGACY AWARD WINNER - KELLY O'LAGUE

Kelly began her Pleasanton journey as the Executive Director of the Tri-Valley YMCA where she oversaw and built up many of the Y programs to benefit children and families in the Valley.  Eventually, she was promoted to Vice President of Youth Development for the YMCA of the East Bay.

Kelly joined the effort to establish the Pleasanton Community of Character Collaborative and was a founding board member.  Her passion for helping every child thrive were very much aligned with the work begun by long-time community leader, Juanita Haugen to support and implement good character traits in every aspect of community life.  In 2009, Kelly was asked to serve as the President of the Board leading fundraising efforts and planning of annual awards luncheon and the scholarship selection process. 

In 2018, Kelly became CEO at Child Care Links.  She shepherded Child Care Links through a period of growth and expansion and re-branded the merged organization to become Hively.  Kelly’s longtime dream came true in early 2022 when Hively opened a family resource center, a free store for local families in need where they could access necessary services as well as get diapers, food, clothes and shoes and necessary household goods and furnishings.  Under Kelly’s leadership, Hively was recognized by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year.

While at the Y, Kelly worked with former Dublin City Mayor Guy Houston to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through an annual fellowship breakfast.  The event has become an honored tradition in the Tri-Valley gathering elected officials, community leaders, philanthropists and business leaders who honor Dr. King’s legacy each January. 

Recently, Kelly accepted a position as the President and CEO of the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette in Portland, Oregon.  While Kelly spends most of her time in Portland now, and loves living just a few minutes from her son, daughter-in-law and two adorable grandchildren, she is keeping her residence in Pleasanton and plans to continue to divide her time between the two communities. 

We appreciate all that Kelly has done for Pleasanton and those in need in the Tri-Valley.  She has been an outstanding leader in the nonprofits she’s served and as the chair of the Community of Character Collaborative.  She is always passionate about our mission while being compassionate and loving toward the members of our community.  We all were saddened with her move to Portland but look forward to seeing her when she is in Pleasanton. 

​

​

2024 LEGACY AWARD WINNER - RONNIE FORBES

 Ronnie joined the military in 1984 and served in Korea for three years. After being discharged by the Army, Ronnie suffered from PTSD, which led him to leave his wife, children, and support network, and to live on the streets. Unforgiveness drove him to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. He was homeless in Oakland and Hayward and was in and out of jail multiple times.

During his last stint in jail at Santa Rita, God gave Ronnie a grace-filled moment of intense clarity. He told Ronnie that he was either going to serve God behind the walls of prison, or he’d serve God outside the walls of prison. But one way or another, he would serve.

Ronnie made his decision.

He went back to the places where he’d been homeless and started delivering food where he’d once stood in line for a meal himself.

Motivated by his experience of homelessness and having stood in those same lines where he was now delivering food, Ronnie felt called to do even more. He organized One Nation Dream Makers so that others could use their God-given skills and can-do attitude in service to their communities - mitigating food insecurity and helping those most in need.

During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, One Nation Dream Makers hit a record of 1,700 boxes of food delivered each week. Each one of these boxes feeds a family of 4 for a week. This means One Nation Dream Makers was able to feed over 6,800 people a week during the height of the Pandemic.

 Ronnie is an expert at barbeque and is using those talents to help others, at a recent fundraiser for Goodness Village, he ran the barbeque for the event.

 He got involved with the VFW and is currently the Commander of Post 7265 Livermore VFW and a member of the American Legion.

As a homeless person himself, he recently opened a “Warming Center” for the homeless in Livermore.

​

​

2024 LEGACY AWARD WINNER - MATT TROIANO

Ten years ago, Matt was the was the co-founder of the Annual Tri-Valley Thanksgiving Dinner held at St. Raymond Catholic Church in Dublin, where hundreds of people in need of a place to go for Thanksgiving can receive a delicious turkey dinner on nice linen and china, served by happy volunteers.  Matt organizes the kitchen and makes sure everything is cooked to perfection, after two years of Covid cancellations, fortunately, the event resumed this year.

He has been heavily involved with Special Olympics as a basketball and track coach, raised funds by participating in the Polar Plunge and was on the Special Olympics State Committee for two years.

He has helped veterans by volunteering at the Livermore Veterans Hospital and at the East Bay Stand Down to help homeless vets.

He has supported the Livermore Homeless Refuge with clothing drives, bag lunches and providing cooked meals.

He has been a coach for Little League baseball, Pop Warner Football and youth soccer and was named Citizen of the Year in 2009 by the City of Dublin.

Matt has been an active member of St. Raymond Catholic Church and with the Diocese of Oakland Pastoral Council as a member and president.  He has been a member of numerous committees, councils, and events.  He was District Deputy of the Knights of Columbus and very active in all their events and activities too numerous to mention.