Two long-time Oklahoma City residents are donating $30,000 to the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation with the goal of improving educational opportunities for coming generations of students.

The donation from Larry Lemon, chairman of the board of Haskell Lemon Construction Company, and his wife, Suzy, is the largest personal gift ever given to the Foundation.

"We’re tremendously thankful for the gift from Larry and Suzy Lemon. It’s an honor to be associated with such caring, thoughtful and forward-looking people. Their generous donation will help strengthen our schools and brighten the future of students for years to come,” says Caroline Gist, director of the Putnam City Foundation.

For the Lemons, the gift comes from the heart.
“Suzy and I have been big believers in education all of our lives. We want to give back. With our family growing up and going through the Putnam City school system, we thought it would be a good thing to help future students that go through the system and help them get the same excellent education our children did,” Mr. Lemon says.

The gift from the Lemons is one of the first to come to the Foundation through the Leo and Mary Ruth Mayfield Legacy Society. Because of the unique and meaningful role of the Mayfields in the history of Putnam City Schools, the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation in November created the Leo and Mary Ruth Mayfield Legacy Society.

The Mayfields have a matchless place in Putnam City history. Leo had a 36-year career in the district, beginning as a history, English and journalism teacher before becoming a junior high principal, high school principal and district superintendent. Mayfield’s tenure with the district stretched long enough that he was acquainted with Israel Mercer Putnam, after whom the district was named, and yet was superintendent for 14 years in the 1960s and 1970s, a period of explosive growth in the district. The love of Leo’s life was his wife of 50 years, Mary Ruth. Mary Ruth was a Putnam City graduate, a strong supporter of the district and a fixture for many years at schools and district events.

If things go as hoped, the gift from the Lemons will bring in additional donations to provide more enrichment and opportunities for Putnam City students. In addition to their $30,000 gift, the Lemons are also offering a “challenge” gift of $25,000. This challenge gift will allow up to 25 former or current Putnam City teachers to be part of the Leo and Mary Ruth Mayfield Legacy Society for a donation of $4,000. The challenge gift will add an additional $1,000 to each teacher’s donation. April 1, 2011, is the day that the challenge gift offer expires.

A memorial plaque honoring the Mayfields will be unveiled in the foyer of the Putnam City Schools Administration Building at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16. On the plaque will be the names of people who have donated at least $5,000 to be part of the Leo and Mary Ruth Mayfield Legacy Society. The donation from the Lemons will add six names to the plaque – not only their own, but the names of their sons and daughters-in-law. Both sons and one of their daughters-in-law graduated from Putnam City West High School. The Lemons will be on hand for the unveiling of the plaque.

Also on hand to see the plaque unveiled will be Marilee and Charles Hattendorf. Marilee is the Mayfield’s daughter.

“We so much appreciate the Putnam City Foundation for recognizing the legacy left by my father and mother. If my parents were here, though, what they would want us to recognize are the teachers, support staff and the other members of the tremendous Putnam City team that made all those good things happen,” says Marilee.

Suzy Lemon says being part of the Leo and Mary Ruth Mayfield Legacy Society both honors the past and provides hope for the future.

“We want this gift to help the next generation of students – students who maybe don’t have the opportunities that we had – open some doors and get a chance to excel at what they want to do. And maybe someday, after they’ve become successful, they’ll want to give back too,” she says.