Experiencing the Trail

Gene Waxman on November 14, 2023

Experiencing the Trail

Noble Foundation supports museum’s effort to preserve and retell the story of Oklahoma’s famed Chisholm Trail

By Patrick McSweeney

The smell of bacon floats through the early morning air. Breakfast on the prairie is quick, and soon the cattle roundup will move on. The wind blows the dust around, making it hard to see. A storm builds and soon raindrops fall from above.

And to think, all this is happening indoors.

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, Okla., has created a unique learning environment for students and adults alike, welcoming visitors to embrace the experience of the Chisholm Trail. Among the Heritage Center’s many interactive exhibits is the Experience Theater where visitors actually smell, see and feel life on the Chisholm Trail.

As a storm rages on the screen, the room’s humidity increases and the audience is sprinkled with “rain.” On this particular day, as the lightning flashed and thunder clapped around the theater, a 3-year-old girl in the audience clung to her mother in wide-eyed awe.

Interactive exhibits like the Experience Theater are at the heart of the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. The museum has been carefully designed to engage the visitor at each stop and is specifically focused on the youth demographic.

Students not only live a day in the life of a cowboy through the Experience Theater, they can practice their lassoing technique on a life-sized longhorn, use equipment that was actually on the Chisholm Trail, interact with famous characters (reenacted by center staff) and experience the Oklahoma Land Run.

“Most museums are not kid friendly,” said Darla Carpenter, education program teacher for the Heritage Center. “Our museum has been designed to be an environment that kids can effectively learn in. There are things that they can touch, operate and watch. It is an experience, not just static plaques.”

The Noble Foundation’s effort to support community education led the organization to contribute $75,000 to assist with the construction of the Experience Theater and $163,270 over a six-year period to support the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center’s education program.

“The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center plays an important role for the state,” said Mary Kate Wilson, director of granting at the Noble Foundation. “Their educational program has won numerous awards and brought history and arts alive for more than 4,000 students just last year.”

“The funding we receive is extremely important to our success,” said Stacy Cramer, executive director of the center. “Opportunities to get out of their communities are limited for many of the students we bring here. The funding we receive helps to get them here and support the overall educational experience we offer.”

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center provides elementary school teachers a unique way to teach required material to their students. Each lesson at the center corresponds with one of Oklahoma’s Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS) objectives mandated through the Oklahoma Department of Education.

Throughout the year, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center hosts students from surrounding schools, focusing on reaching students within an 80-mile radius of Duncan. However, schools have come from as far away as Tulsa.

When students visit the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, they learn more than Oklahoma history.

“As the children go through the center, the staff gets them to think about more than just dates and places,” Cramer said. “Students are encouraged to ask questions. These questions help them gain a better understanding of what happened during the time of the Chisholm Trail.”

With the help of the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center’s teachers, the students also discover how the cowboys accomplished their daily tasks without the use of modern technology. They are forced to imagine a time without phones, Internet or cars.

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center also hosts a large collection of Western art. The center’s board originally feared that the large groups of students might mistreat the art. However, the staff saw this as an opportunity to not only expose students to art, but also teach them about art etiquette.

“The only time you are told not to touch the art is when someone is yelling at you,” Carpenter said. “We not only tell them the proper art etiquette, we tell them why it exists. The students all leave with a real respect and understanding of the art.”

Duncan has embraced its Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. The trail has long been part of the region’s identity, a key message for the museum.

“Our children are getting so much further away from the agriculture and farming that served as the foundation of our community,” Cramer said. “Our program gives them a better idea of the difficulties it took to settle in the Southern Great Plains. This helps to unite the town behind its heritage.”

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Earning More Than Badges

Gene Waxman on November 14, 2023

Earning More Than Badges

A legacy of collaboration and participation builds stronger ties between the Noble Foundation and regional Boy Scout organization

by Jessica Willingham

The Noble Foundation and Boy Scouts of America Arbuckle Area Council (BSA-AAC) have been sharing campfires for nearly 50 years. The relationship began with Sam Noble, son of Noble Foundation founder Lloyd Noble. Sam Noble volunteered his time and gave personally to area scouts, whose official campsite, Camp Simpson, is located near Bromide, Okla.

As a result of Noble’s continued dedication, 75 acres of rippling water near Camp Simpson became known as Lake Sam Noble – a living testament to his impact. There, troop leaders still tell stories about the second generation philanthropist.

A favorite tale recalls the time Sam hosted a group of influential oilmen at the lake and asked for donations to the local council. He received plenty of checks. Some, however, he didn’t mind handing back with an arched eyebrow, kindly encouraging the donor to add a zero or two. And they did.

“Mr. Noble had a commitment to serve youth,” said Brett Matherly, Scout Executive for BSA-AAC. “His legacy still lives on through our continued interaction with the Noble Foundation.”

Today, Noble employees volunteer time and energy, as well as bring their children to participate. However, the relationship with the BSA-AAC extends much further.

Teaching Badge

The Boy Scouts of America organization provides young men from first grade to seniors in high school with programs to develop responsibility, citizenship and character. The organization also offers young men the opportunity to earn merit badges based on acquired knowledge. As more than 20 merit badges are agriculturally related, David Annis, a soils and crops consultant with the Noble Foundation, volunteered to teach a course about soil and water conservation.

“My work with the scouts is directly related to what I do here at Noble,” Annis said. “I use information very similar to what I’d give a farmer or rancher. Instead of a scout applying it to a farm, he learns important life lessons about agriculture and works to earn his merit badge.”

Annis is an Eagle Scout and now serves on the area council Eagle Board, reviewing scouts’ collective accomplishments throughout their scouting advancement. His son is also a scout. He credits his professional success to his time in the organization. “Being a scout teaches you to step up and take charge, developing leadership abilities,” Annis said. “When I began work at Noble, I sat down to write my personal mission statement as a consultant. I immediately went back to Scout Law. It defines me as a person and my work.”

Consultation Badge

Annis is not alone. Several Noble Foundation employees can be found serving as scout masters, camp volunteers or area council board members. But the bond also includes a working relationship.

Camp Simpson has 12 campsites that host six Boy Scout summer camps with nearly 2,000 campers and staff each year. Through grants, the Noble Foundation helped the camp purchase an additional 1,000 acres – doubling its size – for camping space and resources, allowing room to grow and reach more youth.

The land provides plenty of opportunity for more sites, miles of hiking trails and extensive water sports, but it also requires more management. Several Noble Foundation agricultural consultants assist the BSA-AAC in stewarding their natural resources and achieving safer campgrounds through its consultation program – which is usually focused on agricultural producers, but assists all types of land managers.

The Noble Foundation agricultural consultants have assisted with wildlife habitat, pest control, prescribed burning and brush, timber and water management. Keeping the camp clean and safe for the 3,200 scouts in the BSA-AAC‘s nine-county service area is a challenge, but both organizations have risen to meet together. “The Noble Foundation has been key in helping us continuously work to utilize Camp Simpson to the best of our ability,” Matherly said.

Mike Porter, a wildlife and fisheries consultant with the Noble Foundation, began consultation work with the Boy Scouts in 1988 and now serves on the executive board for the BSA-AAC. Porter has helped plan and conduct the first prescribed burn on Camp Simpson to reduce brush encroachment, such as eastern red cedar, reduce wildfire risk, improve range health and improve wildlife habitat.

“As consultants, we help people and organizations like the Boy Scouts better understand and steward their resources,” Porter said. “Improving and maintaining land can be a challenge and a lot of work, but we are here to help people accomplish this in the most efficient and economical manner possible.”

Consultants are not only working to improve landscapes, but also futures. Through volunteer leadership and consultation, many Noble employees are also inspiring young men to pursue careers in agriculture. “I think being in Boy Scouts, and in turn being involved with the Noble Foundation, has opened my son’s eyes to wildlife management as a career choice,” said Teresa Meyers, mother and volunteer with Troop 5. Her son, Ethan, has pursued merit badges in animal science and conservation.

Giving Badge

While the youth enjoy their scouting experiences, many challenges still remain for the BSA-AAC. Camp Simpson is still in need of facility renovations. Damaged facilities have closed down certain activities, and some trails are too thick to be used by campers.

Other regional Boy Scout camps have more amenities and an easier time receiving corporate support. Despite local fundraising throughout the year, it can be difficult for smaller troops and their camps to compete. “Camp Simpson has more potential than any other camp I’ve been to,” said Mark Bruegel, scout master for Troop 5. “It could be the kind of place other troops would drool over.”

The Noble Foundation continues to provide granting support to help the camp maximize its offerings. Since 1969, the Noble Foundation has given $850,000 to expand acreage and update camp architecture. In addition, they have provided more than $430,000 to support the council’s various programs. “The Noble Foundation and Boy Scouts of America share the similar values of conservation, stewardship and service,” said Mary Kate Wilson, director of granting. “The board of trustees appreciate those shared values and want to help provide opportunities for area youth while honoring the shared tradition between our Foundation and the Boy Scouts.”

As for the troops, the legacy of interaction, learning and support provides – according to Bruegel – continued possibilities. “Camp Simpson and the local troops have so much potential,” he said. “We are blessed because of the Noble Foundation. They are helping us reach that potential.”

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Philanthropy in Action

Gene Waxman on November 14, 2023

Philanthropy in Action

Since its inception, the Noble Foundation’s philanthropic activities have supported worthy organizations and changed lives

By J. Adam Calaway

Tom Riley is talking, but his words aren’t really audible.

The bass-thumping, sitar-laced techno music from the adjacent aerobics class gobbles up any sound the second it leaves the mouth of the Ardmore YMCA’s executive director.

After 12 years of sharing a wall with high-decibel workouts, Riley doesn’t realize he’s become an unknowing mime until his eyes fix on his visitor’s puzzled face. “You get used to it,” he said, increasing his volume. “Sometimes it’s quite enjoyable. I’ll be on the phone and dance along a little.”

The 68-year-old Riley starts to wiggle and jive in his chair, chuckling at his own anemic moves. Soon Riley is up to lead an impromptu tour of the facility. He winds through (somewhat) quieter halls, basketball courts, yoga studios and weight rooms, detailing a schedule of activities that would make an Olympic organizer faint.

Ardmore’s YMCA hosts the city’s entire schedule of Little League baseball and basketball, an indoor soccer team, flag football, youth day camps, 66 aerobics classes per month, and a swim team, along with free child care and the usual slew of workout options. All told, more than 11,000 people benefit from the local recreational facility.

Despite his earlier joking and dancing, Riley carries the same burden most nonprofit leaders shoulder – finding resources to help his organization survive in an ever-evolving economic climate. The task is certainly daunting.

“It takes a lot to keep this place open,” he said. “There is always a financial struggle to keep going and keep growing. However, we don’t turn anyone away from a membership or activity because of inability to pay. We offer scholarships so everyone can participate. That’s where the Noble Foundation comes in.”

Beginning in 1969, the Noble Foundation has provided more than $1.3 million for the Ardmore YMCA, including $25,000 for operating expenses in 2013, funds that keep the scholarship program available.

The Noble Foundation has offered charitable grants to worthy nonprofit organizations since 1946 when it made a small grant to the University of Oklahoma for scientific instrumentation. Since then, Oklahoma’s largest, private, nonprofit foundation has issued more than $317 million in grants and scholarships to local, state and national organizations mainly focused on health research and delivery systems, capital funding for higher education, and social services projects.

The Noble Foundation’s grantmaking activities, however, branch from a larger philanthropic platform that includes a deep commitment to the local community, two scholarship programs and employee volunteer activities.

No matter the activity, all Noble Foundation philanthropy is rooted in the legacy of founder Lloyd Noble, who said, “that the only true happiness must come from not only understanding your own needs, but an understanding and willingness to secure the same things for your fellow man.”

Bottom line: Noble wanted philanthropy in action.

Words of Wisdom

Sitting in her office on the second floor of the Noble Foundation’s Administration Building, Mary Kate Wilson is the model of professionalism – organized, efficient and kind.

Few know more about regional philanthropy than Wilson (though if one made that statement in her presence, she’d wave off the notion). She has spent 16 years at the Noble Foundation, earning four advancements before finally taking the reins of the department in January 2010. Her portfolio expanded yet again this year, and today she serves as director of philanthropy, engagement and project management.

Wilson acts as the liaison between the countless grant seekers and the Noble Foundation’s Board of Trustees who closely direct the organization’s grantmaking, following a simple philosophy – be good stewards of the resources entrusted by Lloyd Noble.

Of course, Noble set up a unique “foundation” that comes with additional challenges. In lieu of only a traditional granting program, he established an organization that conducts a no-cost consultation program, educational activities, and plant science and agricultural research. The scale of this dual research-granting institution does not exist anywhere else in the United States.

“People are often surprised by the scope of our operations,” Wilson said. “We are completely unique in terms of a private foundation.”

That uniqueness of operating an agricultural and research institution comes with financial obligations that sometimes impact grants. However, this year Noble leadership established a spending policy to better ensure the availability of a granting budget.

“The spending policy will allow us to maintain consistency in our grantmaking by providing a baseline,” Wilson said. “The most difficult aspect of granting moratoriums is the irregularity of funding for entities that have historically received consistent support.”

Even with a steady granting stream, Wilson knows the number is never enough to satisfy an ever-growing need. With such great demand, the process of securing any grant from any institution becomes a gauntlet of competition and expectations.

Wilson has experienced the ebbs and flows of the industry, and offered a few words of wisdom (see sidebar for full details) for grant seekers, beginning with diversification. Gone are the days when nonprofits could depend solely on a few large donors for decades on end.

“Diversification is essential as markets fluctuate, as board members change, as wealth transitions generations, as priorities shift,” she said. “There are so many variables that donors consider, and those often change.”

Equal to diversification is demonstrating impact. The Giving USA 2013 Report, the annual state-of-the-union for philanthropy, showed that donors increasingly require recipients to have a plan with specific objectives and tangible outcomes. “Everyone is taking a more critical look,” Wilson said. “You want to place your dollars where they will have the most impact.”

Wilson sees this trend continuing to grow as generations shift on governing boards across the country. “The generation coming up wants to effect change more quickly,” she said. “They have grown up with information at their fingertips, and they’re adept at responding quickly. I anticipate they expect a quick, tangible return on their philanthropic dollars.”

Granting officers like Wilson have responded to the challenges of the granting process by going beyond facilitation and becoming counselors and intermediaries. Wilson has often provided introductions between other organizations and donors, facilitating the building of new revenue or knowledge sources.

Likewise, the Noble Foundation and other grant makers are helping connect groups with similar missions or overlapping commonalities. This process of nonprofit partnering is a growing (and highly successful) trend. “Donors are always looking at a group’s outcome for a community or the problem it is trying to address,” Wilson said “Finding organizations with similar focuses, but different constituencies, then bringing them together makes the overall effort stronger.”

And strengthening communities is the overall goal of the Noble Foundation’s philanthropy. Through almost seven decades and hundreds of millions of dollars, the Noble Foundation’s impact radiates from Ardmore, Okla., then spreads through its home state and across the nation.

A Legacy of Support

Resting on 147 acres of tranquil Chesapeake Bay shoreline is Ashley (Father Martin’s Ashley), a private, nonprofit, inpatient alcohol and drug addiction treatment center that incorporates multiple disciplines (medical, psychiatric, psychological, scientific and spiritual) into a comprehensive program.

“Our philosophy of treatment differentiates us from everyone else,” said Father Mark Hushen, who has served as president and CEO for seven years. “We focus on the dignity of the human person and supporting the family unit. We’re a treatment center with a soul.”

The Noble Foundation and Ashley have built a legacy of interaction, dating back more than 30 years. Longtime Board of Trustee member Sam Noble (son of Lloyd Noble) met Ashley’s cofounders Father Joseph Martin and May Abraham during the pair’s initial effort to found the treatment center in 1979. Martin and Abraham sought Noble’s expertise in business and development. The relationship grew, and the Noble Foundation provided seed money for Ashley.

Through the decades, Sam Noble, Mary Jane Noble (Sam’s wife) and Rusty Noble (their son) have all served as board members. “There is a true relationship here,” Father Mark said. “The Noble family has shared their knowledge, wisdom, time and resources with us for generations. The Noble Foundation and the family care about people, and they are committed to assisting us as we help people heal.”

Ashley joins several health research and delivery organizations, such as Dean McGee Eye Institute, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) and the OU Cancer Center, as premier medical institutes able to expand their physical campuses and services as the result of one or more Noble grants.

The Noble Foundation has provided more than $2.6 million in support to Ashley through the decades, including $150,000 this year for a capital campaign to construct a new 42,000-square-foot building that will house patient rooms, admissions, a wellness center and a chronic pain management program. The new facility will expand the institution’s reach, which has already helped 37,000 patients and 12,000 family members.

“Noble made an investment in us, and 30 years later there is a huge return,” Father Mark said. “There is a deep level of gratitude for that support. The legacy of the Noble Foundation and Ashley is tied together. We’re guardians of that legacy.”

Education in Action

Beyond the capital campaigns of health organizations, the Noble Foundation’s philanthropic focus lies mainly within the educational arena. A portion of the annual granting budget is dedicated each year to advance educational programs, such as Oklahoma State University’s Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program, and provide life-changing scholarships.

The Professional Oklahoma Educators Foundation works to support education by providing Oklahoma teachers’ educational training and services. The organization conducts an annual Leadership Training Conference, as well as workshops and seminars on everything from “reading your pay stub” to professionalism. The organization also recognizes outstanding educators through its Excellence in Education Awards Banquet.

“Those who are honored have said it is the highlight of their career,” said Ginger Tinney, executive director. “That’s our goal: recognize the best educators, support all our teachers and provide world-class education for all Oklahoma students.”

The Professional Oklahoma Educators Foundation is one of a handful of entities who receives a grant for general operating expenses. For this educational foundation, the $20,000 (which is not used for administrative costs) is essential.

“It’s life,” Tinney said. “If you do not have this type of support, you don’t know from one year to the next if you’re going to make it. I don’t want to cry …,” she paused, holding back tears. “But we would not be in business without the Noble Foundation. I will be forever indebted and grateful to the Noble Foundation.”

Tinney said there was an additional bonus to receiving a Noble Foundation grant. Other grantors see the Noble name on donor lists and it provides instant credibility. “People understand that Noble only associates with excellence and vets organizations thoroughly,” she said. “It is like a stamp of approval.”

The Noble Foundation’s pursuit of educational philanthropy extends beyond granting and into two scholarship programs. The Noble Educational Fund provides $200,000 annually for children of employees working at Noble-related companies, and the Sam Noble Scholarship Program provides $150,000 for scholarships for Oklahoma students studying agriculture and technology. Since 1999, the Noble Foundation has awarded more than $2.1 million in Sam Noble Scholarships to almost 170 students.

“Lloyd Noble always believed education was the key to improving one’s life,” Wilson said. “His desire to provide these life-changing scholarships has continued through his family and our Board of Trustees. Because of this belief, hundreds of students have jump-started their careers and set their life course.”

Team Noble

While the Noble Foundation’s philanthropy funds state and national projects, the organization remains dedicated to its hometown and south-central Oklahoma neighbors. Each year, community grants support organizations like the local Boy Scout Council, nonprofit medical and family services clinics, and child care centers. As witnessed at Riley’s YMCA, these grants serve as the lifeblood.

This community dedication extends beyond the organizational commitment. Noble Foundation employees embody the giving spirit of their founder through an annual schedule of events dedicated to building a stronger community.

The Noble Foundation’s Employee Team launched a program called “Noble in the Community,” whereby employees volunteer time, money and energy toward worthy activities. One weekend, employees may help clean the shoreline of a nearby lake or teach children about agriculture; the next, they may be serving their local school district or operating a water stop for a regional marathon that supports cancer treatment.

“We’re proud to be a part of Team Noble and support our neighbors in whatever way we can,” said Lori Heman, chair of the Employee Team. “We are a reflection of the organization, and it is a reflection of us. What better way to live than to serve others.”

Each year, Noble employees donate almost $350,000 for educational matching grants and various campaigns, such as the United Way, March of Dimes and Toys for Tots. These efforts are supported by the Noble Foundation, which matches every donation dollar-for-dollar.

From traditional grantmaking to employee volunteering, the Noble Foundation’s philanthropic endeavors have impacted countless individuals and families, providing necessary resources and offering hope, and built stronger communities.

“Most people will never know how much the Noble Foundation and its employees give,” Wilson said. “I’m confident, though, that lives have been forever changed and that’s what Lloyd Noble wanted – philanthropy in action.”

Noble Foundation News

Stay up to date on all the ways the Noble Foundation is helping address agricultural challenges and supporting causes that cultivate good health, support education and build stronger communities.

💡Potential Grant Seeker Tips

Here are some helpful insights and tips to aid potential grant seekers.

Have realistic expectations. Donors have to say “no” much more often than they say “yes.”
The Noble Foundation Board of Trustees sees value in partnering with other donors to support major projects. Requests for 75 or 100 percent of a project are less likely to be successful.
Grant seekers should bring priorities for funding. The worst thing a grant seeker can do, whether with the Noble Foundation or another donor, is to create a project that they think matches the donor’s priorities or mission, but does not align with the organization’s core purpose.
Don’t be scared to talk about the negatives. Be honest and forthright. It helps the entire process.
Most granters want to see that 100 percent of the recipient’s governing board gives – in some way – to its own organization.