The Gilchrist Foundation Helps Bring Shared Stories to the Stage
Sharing experiences not only helps us learn from each other but also lets us realize we have more in common than we initially thought. And for the past year, Nebraska audiences have been able to experience what being a staff sergeant in World War II was like, thanks in part to the Gilchrist Foundation.
In 2023, the History Nebraska Foundation was awarded a $60,000 Project Grant to help bring the play “Not Too Far Distant - Championing Community Connections through the Shared Stories of Veterans, Liberators and Survivors” to the stage. The play explores the personal accounts of Staff Sergeant Clarence Williams and his journey as a soldier in World War II.
Not Too Far Distant Champions Community Connections
Not Too Far Distant is an original play by Becky Boesen, commissioned by History Nebraska, in collaboration with BLIXT, Humanities Nebraska, Lied Center for Performing Arts, Civic Nebraska, Institute for Holocaust Education, Nebraska Stories of Humanity, Greater Nebraska Communities and Nebraskan Veterans.
The play is centered around Staff Sergeant Clarence Williams’ personal letters home, illustrating how even things that seem far away are much closer than we think. Not Too Far Distant honors the experience of the American soldier and reminds the audience that we all have the power – and the responsibility – to help create a brighter future.
It premiered in the fall of 2022 at the Jewish Community Center in Omaha, Neb. Subsequent performances were held at History Nebraska and the Lied Center for the Performing Arts, the most recent being on Nov. 8, 2023.
The play falls into the History Nebraska Foundation’s goal to support the work of History Nebraska to collect, preserve and open to all the histories we share.
About History Nebraska and History Nebraska Foundation
History Nebraska, the state’s historical society, collects, preserves, and shares Nebraska’s history. History Nebraska was founded in 1878 as the Nebraska State Historical Society by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed History Nebraska from a state institution to a state agency.
In 2019, the History Nebraska Board of Trustees recognized that a Foundation that shared a name and a mission with History Nebraska was needed to meet current and future organizational goals, and so established the History Nebraska Foundation. The History Nebraska Foundation’s goal is to secure the financial resources that will enable History Nebraska to fulfill its mission in new and inventive ways to reach a 21st-century audience.
The Gilchrist Foundation is proud to support History Nebraska Foundation and its mission to spread awareness of History Nebraska’s efforts and seeks financial support from those with a passion for Nebraska’s rich and diverse history.
About the Gilchrist Foundation
Music, art and theater were all passions of Jocelyn Gilchrist. As she grew older, she enjoyed listening to orchestra performances on local public broadcasting stations. During her lifetime, Jocelyn used her family’s wealth to help fund charitable organizations that promoted and facilitated not only the arts but also wildlife and conservation and disaster relief. After her death, the Gilchrist Foundation was created to continue her charitable works.
The mission of the Gilchrist Foundation is to carry out the philanthropy established by the Gilchrist family. The emphasis is on fostering the long-term viability of the charity and enabling special projects rather than supplying short-term operating funds. The Foundation provides incentives and funds to pre-selected non-profit organizations whose interests include: Wildlife & Conservation, Arts & Public Broadcasting and Disaster Relief.
Contact us with any questions about the Foundation and how we support the arts in Siouxland.