Legacy Society

The Allendale Community Foundation is so excited about the Legacy Society.  This society recognizes individuals and couples who have named the Allendale Community Foundation as a beneficiary of any type of planned or deferred gift through recognition in their will or trust.  In simple terms, it means leaving a gift from your estate to the Allendale Community Foundation.  Such gifts go into effect upon the donor’s death.  Planned gifts come in all shapes and sizes. 

Joining the Legacy Society requires two steps.  First, arrange for a planned gift in favor of the Foundation.  Second, inform the Foundation by submitting a Legacy Society form.  The Foundation will not ask how much is being gifted, but we will know that there will be a future gift, so we are able to show our appreciation to you now!  Knowledge of the gift also helps us to plan with you for its best use to benefit the community exactly as you wish!

A Great Example Of How It Works!

A new Fund was added in 2006, due to a bequest that one sister left on behalf of another sister.  Helen Wyngarden left a bequest to provide scholarships for needy kids to attend Christ centered summer camps.  She named the Fund in honor of her sister, Ellna Rotman, who was the camp cook at Cran Hill Ranch for years.  The Fund is called the Ellna Rotman Camp Fund!  What an incredible way to remember a sister!

Generation to Generation…One Generation to the Next

What will your descendants remember about you?   What will the world at large remember?  What will be your legacy?

An explosion of genealogy websites on the Internet demonstrates just how widespread is our desire to know about our ancestors. If we want to know about the lives of those who went before us, we can be certain that those who come after us will want to learn about our lives.

Be remembered as a philanthropist!  Be remembered for one who had a love for mankind!  Be remembered as someone who voluntarily gave to promote the common good!  Be remembered as someone who helped improve the quality of life in Allendale! 

What is a Legacy Society?

A legacy society recognizes individuals and couples who have named the Allendale Community Foundation as a beneficiary of any type of planned or deferred gift.  The purpose is to acknowledge and thank those who have made these gifts and to encourage and inspire others to do the same.

Members of the Legacy Society will be recognized in many of our publications.  Also, we will hold a special luncheon for the  Legacy    Society annually. 

To leave a legacy means leaving a gift from your estate to the Allendale Community  Foundation.  Generally, such gifts go into effect upon the donor’s death.  Planned gifts come in all shapes and sizes.  A bequest in your will, whether it is $100 or $1,000,000, would be appreciated and would make a difference to future generations. 

To leave a gift is easy.  You can arrange for a gift in several ways.  The most common way is through your will or trust.  Some people set aside a certain dollar amount.  Others leave a percentage of the estate or assets left over after providing for their family.  Others have established a Charitable Gift Annuity (see article on page 2) or a Charitable Remainder Trust in favor of the Foundation.  Still others leave stocks, bonds, real estate, a paid-up life insurance policy, retirement account or other financial investment.  All qualify a person or couple for membership in the Society. 

To join the Legacy Society  requires two steps.  First, arrange for a planned gift in favor of the Foundation.  Second, inform the Foundation by submitting the Legacy Society form, available on the last page of this publication. 

You don’t need to tell the Foundation that you left a gift.  Whether you tell or not is up to you.  We will not ask how much is being left to the Foundation, but if we know that there will be a future gift, we are able to show our appreciation now.  Knowledge of the gift also helps us to plan with you for its best use to benefit the community and assures your plan will be  followed exactly as you wish.   If you would like more information about leaving a legacy in the Allendale community, please call Ann Tabor at 895-4777, or contact your professional advisor.

Language of a Legacy 

I give (amount or description of gift) to the Allendale Community Foundation, or its successors, whose current address is P O Box 365, Allendale, Michigan, to establish an endowed fund to be called the (name of your fund), which may be used for (describe the purpose for which your fund can be used), or for such charitable, educational, benevolent, or public purposes as the Foundation Board shall deem appropriate.

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