One of Texas’ largest oil and natural gas producers is celebrating its 25th anniversary by distributing dozens of employee built children’s playhouses to numerous destinations throughout the Midland area, where the company’s operations are based, a press release detailed.
Pioneer Natural Resources is donating 25 of the playhouses to dozens of nonprofits, schools, libraries and museums. Some destinations include the West Texas Food Bank, Midland Public Library, the Bynum School and the Museum of the Southwest.
The company, headquartered in Dallas, is donating 10 additional playhouses to the north Texas-based Irving Family Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that provides free counseling and education services for victims of crime, domestic violence, and families with high-risk juveniles.
“I can’t think of a better way to commemorate our 25th anniversary this year than by building and donating these unique playhouses, which will be enjoyed by scores of children for years to come,” Pioneer Natural Resources Operations Executive Vice President Joey Hall stated in the press release. “Since our founding, we’ve long held the belief that investing our time and resources back into area communities is not only the right thing to do—it’s the Pioneer thing to do. It’s a pleasure to celebrate our milestone birthday in this special way and, as we head into our next quarter-century, Pioneer looks forward to continuing our longstanding commitment to supporting worthwhile causes through service projects like these.”
For weeks, teams of Pioneer employees donated their time and talent to design, paint and assemble the playhouses, with each featuring its own look and style. The Museum of the Southwest, for example, requested an outer space theme because its playhouse will go inside an onsite planetarium.
“It’s hard to put into words the feelings I have for this project,” Pioneer lead maintenance technician Brent Shuler, who was among the dozens of employees who volunteered on the project, stated in the press release. “I am overwhelmed by the generosity the company and its employees always show.”
For Shuler, working on his team’s playhouse — a colorful structure destined for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Permian Basin — was one way to thank Pioneer for taking care of him after a cancer diagnosis last year. He said the company’s involvement in charitable projects like this demonstrates that Pioneer is “a family, not a workplace.”
“From the construction to the painting to the overall theme we were assigned, this team rocked,” Shuler stated in the press release. “Looking at the other teams, I can honestly say some have missed their calling as professional artists.”
Another employee volunteer, Kevin Jumper, said the project shows the company’s commitment to Permian Basin communities. “It’s been great for Pioneer to build relationships with these organizations and show in a small way that we support the work and services they provide,” said Jumper, Pioneer area construction superintendent.
To mark both its 25th anniversary milestone and Permian Basin Gives Day, Pioneer presented two of the playhouses on Tuesday to the West Texas Food Bank, which has forged an enduring partnership with the company.
“We are so excited to be the recipient of not one, but two of these special playhouses from Pioneer,” Libby Campbell, CEO of the West Texas Food Bank, stated in the press release. “So much of our programming revolves around children and their care. Any additions to our children’s play areas will make the kiddos feel special and will help them know that our community will always rally to provide for the children.
“We are so grateful to our friends at Pioneer for their continued support of our children’s programming through their sponsorship of our school pantry program and beyond!”
Since its founding in 1997, Pioneer has established itself as a state and regional leader in oil and gas exploration, industry innovation and production. Throughout its growth in Texas as a large independent energy company, among its enduring missions has been a deep devotion to community philanthropy and volunteerism.
One playhouse recipient is the Sibley Nature Center, a 49-acre preserve in Midland’s Hogan Park that celebrates the region’s natural history by offering a broad range of educational programs to visitors. The center’s playhouse will be placed in an educational garden and serve as an extension of its gardening program.
“The playhouse project will allow families with young children to experience everything a garden has to offer, such as insect identification, butterfly and bird migrations, as well as plant and flower lifecycles,” Paul Acosta, the center’s executive director, stated in the press release.
Distributing most of the project’s 35 playhouses in the Midland area again demonstrates Pioneer’s corporate giving focus as a 100% Permian Basin company.
The company closed out 2021 by donating 35 acres of land in November to Midland Habitat for Humanity valued at around $2 million and followed less than a month later with a pledge of $2.5 million toward a partnership aimed at redeveloping 120 acres of Hogan Park.
