While there are many Land Trust supporters who have chosen to include the Land Trust in their planned giving, the following individuals wanted to share their stories as a way to encourage others to give a planned gift. Have you included the Land Trust in your planned giving? Let us know by contacting Brad Chalfant at 541-330-0017 or bsc@deschuteslandtrust.org.
Mary and David Campbell
Meet Chloe, Jacob and Charlotte: three of the main reasons my husband David and I chose to leave a gift to the Land Trust in our estate. Chloe is an inquisitive 5 year old who gladly hunted for bugs and butterflies while attending a Land Trust “Insect Investigation” at the Metolius Preserve. Jacob is 4 and Charlotte 2 and while we still need to take them out to visit a Land Trust property—to learn about butterflies or bats or water bugs—we know they’ll dig the experience as much as their cousin.
For more than 18 years, the Deschutes Land Trust has worked to permanently conserve special places in central Oregon. Protecting anything ‘forever’ is ambitious and requires long-term thinking. However, it is this vision that creates the legacy David and I want to leave behind for our children and grandchildren...read more.
Collins and Wendy Hemingway
Estate gifts come in many forms and members Collins and Wendy Hemingway chose to include the Land Trust in their estate plan by establishing a charitable remainder trust with the Oregon Community Foundation.
“Establishing the remainder trust was straightforward and helped us with our overall estate planning,” Collins said. “We know that the long-term sustainability of a non-profit depends on increasing its endowment over time. With a remainder trust, we get a regular income stream during our lives and beef up the Land Trust’s endowment when we go.”
The Hemingways chose to make their gift unrestricted. “If we’re going to preserve the precious lands in our region, we need more than the purchase price. We need the people in the field to restore the lands and streams,” Collins said...read more.
Dick and Mary Hollenbeck
"We’ve been supporters of the Land Trust since its inception and chose to become involved more personally because of a desire to preserve a part of Central Oregon and to help restore some of it to its wonderful habitats.
When we had property that we were going to sell, we liked the idea that a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) would give us an opportunity to support the Land Trust on a long-term basis. The CRT benefits the Land Trust and we receive the benefit of a charitable tax deduction, a small income for life, and the pleasure of a sizable contribution to the Land Trust in the future." Read more.
Carol Wall and Pat Kearney
Carol Wall and Pat Kearney have been Land Trust members since 2000. Steadfast voices for the land, Carol and Pat tell their story of support:
"Initially, we were just contributing members who were supportive of the Land Trust's efforts to preserve and protect special places in the area. As the years have gone by, we have volunteered and continue to do so as bird surveyors, trail stewards, tour shepherds and tour leaders, finance committee members, and amateur historians. As our involvement with the Land Trust deepened, our commitment to its work increased." Read more.
Note: The Deschutes Land Trust can provide information about how your planned gift can support the organization but cannot provide legal or tax advice. We encourage all supporters to seek independent financial and/or estate planning assistance.