Brothers Dave and Doug Wayne have matched the largest financial gift in Auburn Community Hospital history with a $1 million donation to support the facility’s expanding health care services.
“We sold our business. Our family wanted to give back to our hometown,” said Dave Wayne, co-founder of D&W Diesel. “We are blessed to be in a position to give back significantly to a community we care deeply about.”
The Wayne brothers founded their company in Auburn in 1976. After selling the business, they conducted what they described as careful research before choosing to donate to Auburn Community Hospital (ACH).
“As a family, we did our homework,” said Doug Wayne. “We thoroughly reviewed multiple charities and agencies across Cayuga County. After completing our due diligence, we felt strongly that the best way to support our community was to make a donation to Auburn Community Hospital.”
The donation honors a family legacy of giving tied to personal experience. Decades ago, their late father-in-law, Don Doody, a local dairy farmer, sustained a life-threatening injury that led to gangrene. His life was saved at ACH, prompting him to later donate $100,000 of his retirement savings to the hospital.
“My father-in-law was rushed to Auburn Community Hospital. He credits their phenomenal care with saving his life,” said Dave. “Now our family continues his legacy of giving back generously to our community.”
The brothers made the decision after touring the hospital with CEO and President Scott Berlucchi. During their visit, they reviewed plans for new services and toured facilities including the Auburn Heart & Vascular Institute, the fully operational Upstate Cancer Center, and the planned Auburn Bone and Joint Center.
Berlucchi highlighted advancements such as a PET CT scanner with nuclear camera, two new mammography machines, and a bone-density scanner. “Auburn Community Hospital is grateful for the generosity of the entire Wayne Family,” he said. “We are a community-based hospital for all and will invest this historic investment right back into patient care.”
The gift is part of ACH’s $50 million Capital Fundraising campaign, which officially launched during National Hospital Week in May. It aims to enhance comprehensive care throughout Auburn and surrounding municipalities.
“We are deeply thankful to the Wayne Family for matching the largest donation in the history of Auburn Community Hospital: $1 million,” said Christine Moulton, the hospital’s Vice President of Fund Development. “We hope to build upon our initial fundraising success to achieve our goal.”
The Waynes hope their gift will spark broader community support. “At Auburn Community Hospital, they have a plan. Quality, comprehensive care is being provided. It’s happening right now,” said Dave Wayne.
“If everybody pulls together and everybody in the community gives what they can, then we’re going to have a great outcome,” added Doug Wayne.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].