Philanthropy is a Verb for Carol & Tom Beeler

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | Photo by Nancy Guth

While there are a lot of ways to be involved in the enterprise of helping others, Carol and Tom Beeler find that doing things face-to-face is their preference. For example, the night before I spoke with them, they took four State College of Florida (SCF) music students to see the Guitar Girls performance at Florida Studio Theater, followed by dinner at the Beeler home for all the students and three professional actors/singers. “My favorite hobby is cooking,” Carol admits, “so of course I made dinner for the students and actors—I wouldn’t consider having it catered.” The conversation lasted until 11 p.m. despite students having classes the next day—they were that engaged in speaking with professionals and learning more about what it takes to become a successful entertainer.

When SCF president Dr. Carol Probstfeld first asked the Beelers to consider establishing a sponsorship program some five years ago, they readily agreed. The goal was to take an already-strong music program and push it to the next level, and Dr. Probstfeld knew exactly what would fit the bill: award the students in the Presidential String Quartet and Presidential Jazz Quintet with paid tuition and mentoring.

“We love the arts and have season tickets to almost every theater,” Tom says, so supporting young musicians in this manner made perfect sense. The arts are one of the things that drew the Beelers from Michigan to Sarasota 15 years ago and it’s a fixture in their always-busy schedule during the months they’re here. One of their shared hobbies is travel, and they’ve been to 135 countries so far.

“We’re typically gone four to five months a year,” Tom says. A semi-retired real estate developer, he’s now a photography buff. They’re always game to explore what’s out there with his camera ready, just in case. In 2017, they even joined the “Semester at Sea” program, a semester-long around-the-world academic cruise with 600 undergraduate students and professors organized by Colorado State University. “We saw a lot and we audited many classes,” Carol says with a laugh. She’s a fan of lifelong learning too, after a rich career first in the computer field and then in HR, later joining Tom in his broad real estate development company. Plus they both have a strong love for the classroom, after having first met in a calculus class as undergrads.

The Beeler’s philanthropic activity began in earnest in 2013 when they agreed to sponsor an acting student at the Asolo Conservatory. They now sponsor two students there. But the SCF opportunity was different because the students are generally 19-20 years old, and often the first in their family to attend college. Tight budgets and single-parent families are too often the norm. What the Beelers found, though, was that these students not only needed financial assistance, but life skills as well. Looking people in the eye when shaking hands. Writing a clear, timely thank-you note. Maintaining an accurate calendar and meeting deadlines. Knowing which fork to use at a formal dinner. “One of our students saw the word ‘prawn’ on a menu and asked about it,” Carol says, “so we ordered it. They bit off the wrong end at first. But by the end of the evening, they understood exactly what a prawn was and the best way to eat it. That’s a lesson no one else had ever given them.”

When it became time to think about creating a family foundation to support their philanthropic efforts, it was an easy choice. They already knew Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s philanthropic advisor Hermione Gilpin from her work at Asolo Rep. “We like her very much,” Carol says. “We’ve become good friends over the years.” And they’ve become quite the fans of GCCF President/CEO Mark Pritchett, too. “They’re a great organization.”

Pritchett has the same admiration for the Beelers. “The Beeler’s epitomize joie de vivre…the love of living in all facets of their philanthropy,” he said. “They relish the excitement of students learning and the creativity expressed through beautiful artistic performances. Tom and Carol will ensure others share those same experiences in perpetuity through their planned endowment with Gulf Coast Community Foundation.”

The Beelers’ primary philanthropic objective is to provide fully-paid education to students who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity. Equally important is that the support is focused on students from low-income families and that at least half of the support is awarded to racial minorities. The last bit—and the one the Beelers think is as vital as anything else—is that life skill training is part of the package.

This is where the face-to-face activities so often take place. They don’t just support students—they become part of their lives. For many, Tom serves as a father figure. For all, they both serve as trusted adults. And they take those roles quite seriously, whether it’s someone asking for advice on “girlfriend problems” or what to do with some money set aside for investment purposes. “There’s a lot of money in Sarasota,” Tom says, “but people are far more willing to give money than give time. What these young people need is mentoring. The only way many of them will learn the personal skills they need is to learn them outside the family unit.” That’s the part the Beelers love. They have no children of their own, but thanks to their interactions in the lives of so many area students, they have ample people who care about them and depend on them in important ways.

“We are so happy to be able to make a real difference in the lives of students, both now and through our legacy giving,” Carol says. “Often, getting to sleep at night is difficult because we’re so stimulated by our students and what they’re accomplishing! We’re so proud of them.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Gulf Coast Community Foundation, please visit www.gulfcoastcf.org or call 941.486.4600.