A Stayton couple has gone above and beyond to serve their community, earning the title of 2020 Philanthropic Champion from the Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce.
Nominators called Mike and Steffani Klein “selfless servants” who “truly love their community and walk alongside those hurting by financially supporting the efforts of our neighbors, our businesses and our nonprofits.”
“We feel very honored and so much appreciate it,” Mike Klein said of the award. “It was completely unexpected as we usually like to help others as quietly as possible!”
The Philanthropic Champion is given to “an individual, business or organization that seeks to support the welfare of our region through a posture of financial generosity, resulting in a lasting, positive impact on our communities.”
The Kleins own Cascade Floors, Inc., an industrial floor and wall coating company that services over 2,000 food processing plants and over 340 breweries across the United States. The 50-year-old business employs 20-30 employees, many of them long term, and several of them family members..
The Kleins are avid financial supporters of many local nonprofits, including Family Building Blocks, Liberty House, Santiam Teen Center, Regis auctions, Sublimity School auctions, Santiam Youth Sports, Covered Bridge Café Community Dinner and many other charities and events.
“We also support local businesses with our business and tried to help as much as we could for the COVID relief efforts as they have come before us with the Chamber of Commerce,” Mike said.
Julie Hilty, director of business partnerships for Family Building Blocks, said the Kleins “have enriched our community by walking alongside others by being present, volunteering their time, and financially partnering with a number of civic groups, businesses and nonprofits in the Santiam Canyon.”
According to Rotarian Jennifer Tiger, last May when the COVID-19 shutdown started to affect local businesses, Stayton Area Rotary partnered with the chamber to create a Small Business Relief Fund.
“Rotary contributed the first $15,000, and we asked the community for matching donations,” Tiger said.
“Within hours of announcing the creation of the fund, Mike and Steffani Klein very generously offered to match all contributions. As a result, the Chamber/Rotary Small Business Relief was able to give over $90,000 to businesses struggling to comply with new governmental regulations.
Currently, the Kleins are helping with the benefit dinner/auction “The Heart of the Canyon,” on Aug. 28 to raise money for the Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund and the Detroit Lake Foundation.
To motivate others, Steffani said, “Get connected and put yourself in the mix of things needing done and others needing help.”
“Just remember as you all have heard a million times, we are all in this together, so let’s have each others backs in times of need,” she said.
