COLUMBUS, OH – With a history of giving back to the local community dating back to 1904, the family-owned Stolly Insurance Group received the OIA Community Service Award for its Operation Giveback and SUCCEED scholarship programs. This award recognizes Ohio independent insurance agents making a positive difference in their communities.

“We have never lost our giving spirit, even five generations and 112 years after opening our doors,” says Peter Stolly, CIC, independent insurance agent at Stolly Insurance Group. “I think it’s important for any local business, especially independent insurance agents, to give back to their communities. We are blessed to have offices in five different community locations, and make an effort to help out in any way we can.”

Through the agency’s Operation Giveback program, an online contest for local nonprofit charities, Stolly Insurance Group gives donations to a variety of causes. Since 2015, the agency gave away a total of $4,500 to 10 charities. Members of the community can vote for their favorite nonprofit on Stolly Insurance Group’s website (stolly.com), and the nonprofit with the most votes gets the largest donation. The annual program and voting typically runs in July.

Recipients of the Operation Giveback program include Discovery Riders, based in Bellefontaine, which provides therapeutic equestrian riding to individuals with physical, mental and emotional challenges. Another nonprofit, Our Daily Bread soup kitchen in Bellefontaine, serves nearly 20,000 meals each year to members of the community in need. “I’ve volunteered at the soup kitchen with my local Rotary club over the years, so it was personally rewarding to present a donation to this organization,” Stolly says.

In 2004, Stolly Insurance Group established the SUCCEED Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to two high school students each year who demonstrate excellence in academics, personal achievement and leadership abilities. The scholarships are used for post-secondary education, whether college or a technical school. The agency has received 200 applications for this year’s scholarship program.

“The Stolly Insurance Group philosophy has always been a commitment to education and helping young people in our communities,” Stolly says. “It’s a rewarding experience to visit a local high school and present a check to a deserving student, knowing we helped ease the financial burden for them to attend college.”

Ohio Insurance Agents Association

Ohio Insurance Agents Association (OIA) is the collective voice of 1,400 independent agencies that employ nearly 10,000 Ohioans. We promote, progress and protect the professional advice and guidance only independent insurance agents provide. OIA members write 82 percent of the commercial insurance policies and 44 percent of personal insurance policies in Ohio. Our purpose is to help our member agencies protect consumers and employers by offering them access to the best resources, tools and professional development programs available. OIA serves our members in four key areas: advocacy, professional development, business solutions and industry thought leadership.