The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorn Foundation Donor Spotlight: Mr. and Mrs. Nola Carter
03.13.2012 | Longhorn Foundation
March 13, 2012
When Nola Carter and his wife of 43 years, Elaine, began contributing to The Longhorn Foundation more than 20 years ago, it was not because they were your typical, diehard UT Football fans.
In fact, the Carters, who both hail from nearby Bastrop, TX, did not grow up UT fans at all.
It was not until the late 1970s, when the couple was looking for fun ways to spend Saturday afternoons in Austin, that they became interested in Longhorn Athletics.
"Back in those days you bought a ticket to the men's basketball game and you were able to watch the ladies play before them," Elaine Carter said. "Once the women's team started becoming more popular, they got their own games, so we bought season tickets for both teams."
Nola Carter adds that he and his wife began cultivating friendships with other Longhorn fans.
"I became a UT fan when we started going to the basketball games and following those players and coaches and getting to know them and some of the other fans at the games," he said. "We've met a lot of good people."
Since becoming associated with Texas Athletics and The Longhorn Foundation, the Carters also began purchasing football and baseball season tickets, as well as become members of the Austin Longhorn Club and the UT Club on the East side of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
They now encourage other Texas fans to donate.
"We've been able to get a couple of people involved by getting them tickets and taking them to games and eventually, they joined The Longhorn Foundation themselves," Elaine Carter said. "A lot of times the interest was there, they just needed someone to point them in the right direction."
Aside from supporting UT's athletic programs, the Carters have become involved in other projects surrounding Longhorn Athletics.
Elaine Carter, a breast cancer survivor, joined other Longhorn fans and breast cancer survivors in creating and selling a cook book geared specifically toward UT tailgates. All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
At football games, Nola Carter regularly assists the ushers in the ADA sections to make sure Longhorn fans with mobility issues are comfortable and enjoy themselves.
"You feel more like you're a part of the team when you get involved," he said. "You can just come to the games and be a fan and that's fine, but I like to feel like I'm helping the team and UT."
According to both Nola and Elaine Carter, they have developed lifelong friendships with people they met at Longhorn Football, Basketball and Baseball games, and being donors has made them feel as though they are part of "a big `ol family."
"Most of the time, UT is going to take care of their fans and their players," Nola Carter said, "and that's the way it ought to be. And I love the people I've met through The Longhorn Foundation. If they can help me with anything, they'll do it."
"On a scale of one to 10," he said emphatically, "I'd rate my Longhorn Foundation experiences a 10!"
