On September 30, John Noel passed away at his home in Plover. The business world knew him as the founder of Travel Guard and the Noel Group. Here at home, we knew him as a neighbor, and, alongside Patty, as one of the most generous partners our community has ever had. Our hearts are with Patty and the entire Noel family.
Sam Dinga, a member of the Community Foundation board of directors, says it beautifully: “When John was talking to you, it seemed like you were the only person in the world.” I believe that is where John’s philanthropy began. He listened first. Then he showed up. Some of the most abundant gifts are the quietest ones.
For decades, John and Patty believed in a world where everyone knows they belong, and together they have given their time, talent, and treasure toward that dream. How lucky are we to live in a community so inspired by their vision. You can see it in Moses Creek Meadows along the Green Circle Trail, where families walk, kids explore, and neighbors cross paths.
You can see it at the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County, too, where John was a founding board member. Danielle Belsky, the Club’s CEO, wrote recently that John “believed every child deserves the opportunity to discover what they are capable of.” He helped shape a Club culture built on belonging and encouragement, and on the belief that where a young person starts should never determine how far they can go. What began as a single site and a big dream has grown into 12 programs across the county.
John understood that the most transformational gifts don’t just fund a program. They build capacity, and capacity starts with people. You see it in leaders like Danielle. Today Danielle and her team serve kids in every corner of Portage County, and with Danielle’s leadership they are walking alongside friends in Marshfield as that community builds a Club of its own. You see it in Sam, who says he learned from John how to truly listen, a gift he now brings to our own board table. When we believe in people, organizations grow stronger and their good reaches further than we could ever imagine. That’s not just good philanthropy; it’s how a community compounds its own generosity.
John also had a simple way of thinking about generosity. Give what you can and look for what would go unnoticed if it wasn’t in your account, then share it.
I love the freedom in that. It doesn’t ask anyone to match John and Patty’s philanthropy. It asks each of us to notice the quiet abundance already in our lives and let it do some good. Twenty dollars a month. A few shares of stock. A line in your will. On its own, it might feel small and quiet. Shared alongside our neighbors, it becomes a Boys & Girls Club that grows from one site to twelve.
If John’s story has stirred something in you, we’d love to help. We pride ourselves in listening first. Then we walk alongside you as you discover what feels most meaningful to you. You might add to the endowments we already hold for the Boys & Girls Club and the Green Circle Trail. You might start a fund for the cause closest to your heart. Or you might help grow the next generation of leaders through our nonprofit leadership work.
Sam shared that he’s caught himself asking, more than once since John’s passing, “What would John do?” I’ve been asking it too. I think he would listen. Then he’d ask how he could help. And he’d remind us that we are all, together, building something worth being proud of.
Thank you, John. For listening, for believing in this place, and for showing us how much quiet abundance can do when we give from love.
Jenny Riggenbach
Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin
A Trusted Philanthropic Partner