The establishment of the Field Artillery OCS Chapter Charitable Endowment Fund with The Lawton Community Foundation was discussed and approved at the annual business meeting held during the June 2004 reunion.

The Fund was opened with an initial contribution (gift) of $10,000 on December 6, 2005. A matching grant of $2,500 was provided by the Lawton Community Foundation on January 17, 2006. The Chapter followed up with another $10,000 contribution (gift) on June 19, 2006 to meet the initial funding requirement.

An annual distribution (grant) from the Fund is received each November equal to five percent of the average market value of the fund averaged over the previous twelve quarters. It is anticipated that future annual distributions (grants) from the Fund will be used to support our Scholarship Program and to maintain and preserve the Field Artillery OCS Hall of Fame (Durham Hall).

The Chapter Board of Directors determines the disposition of the annual distributions (grants) and any additional contributions (gifts) to the Fund from the FAOCS Alumni Chapter Inc.

So far the annual distributions (grants) have been gifted back each year to help the Fund grow.

On June 30, 2008 the FAOCS Alumni Chapter submitted a matching grant request to the Lawton Community Foundation. On September 22, 2008 the Trustees of the Lawton Community Foundation approved a one for one matching grant of up to $5,000 for new contributions to the Field Artillery OCS Alumni Chapter Charitable Endowment Fund.

On December 31, 2009 The Trustees of the Lawton Community Foundation deposited $4925 into the Field Artillery OCS Alumni Chapter Charitable Endowment Fund as part of the 10th Anniversary Match Challenge. Individual Contributions of $4925 made directly to the fund during 2009 were matched dollar-for-dollar as a result of that program.

The Board of Directors submitted an application to the Lawton Community Foundation for another matching grant request of up to $5000 on June 30, 2010. The grant was approved on September 8, 2010 for the full amount of $5000.

On June 30, 2011 the FAOCS Alumni Chapter submitted another matching grant request to the Lawton Community Foundation. If approved the Board of Directors has approved the immediate transfer of up to $5000 to the Fund to secure the dollar for dollar matching grant. We are pleased to report that the Fund balance on July 21, 2011 stood at $65,108.

The Lawton Community Foundation was established in 1999 to support the charitable interests and concerns of the people of the Lawton community and surrounding areas. The Lawton Community Foundation’s unique endowment structure ensures that Lawton’s cultural, artistic, educational and charitable work will have a strong and lasting source of funding from which future generations will benefit. The Lawton Community Foundation is affiliated with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, which has been serving central Oklahoma for 41 years. For more information, please visit www.lawtoncf.org.