A Trail Marker for the Future
August is National Make-A-Will Month
Close your eyes. Imagine yourself on your favorite trail. You know the one—the trail that, at summer’s peak, brings you a deep, quiet peace. You’re surrounded by green, the air alive with the rustle of leaves. Any hint of civilization has been left behind in the parking lot. It’s just you, the trees, the trail, and the birds.
The first time you hiked this trail, you didn’t truly know what to expect. Sure, you’d heard great things from friends and neighbors, but the experience was still yours to discover. Step by step, you followed the trail blazes up the mountain. Each one reassured you that you were on the right path. They led you to a place you now hold close—a place where you can set aside the noise of the outside world and just be.
A will can be just like those trail blazes. It’s a guide, showing both your loved ones and the organizations you care about how to navigate the path ahead. It’s a way to ensure that even when you’re no longer walking the trail yourself, the direction you’ve set will continue to lead others toward what matters most.
This Make-A-Will Month, take a few minutes to place your own trail markers. You might find it’s easier than you think, and it can be one of the most meaningful ways to protect what you love.
By including Conserving Carolina in your plans, you can make sure the places that bring you peace will be here for others to discover, long into the future. This can be done in a variety of different ways, and the list below illustrates some of the most common options for legacy and estate giving:
- Bequests
- Gifts of land outright
- Life estate, or a gift of land that you may continue to live on during your lifetime
- Making Conserving Carolina a beneficiary of your life insurance policy
- Making Conserving Carolina a beneficiary of your retirement account
- Life income gifts, or charitable remainder trusts, which can provide income for you during your lifetime
- Stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other publicly traded securities
- Cash or check, in a donation that supports your overall estate planning
By leaving Conserving Carolina in your will, you would be joining the nearly 100 households and individuals who have also decided to make a difference for conservation beyond their lifetime. You would now be a part of the Land Legacy League.
We are happy to talk with you, learn about your goals for your legacy gift, discuss your options, and share sample language you may use in your own will. If you would like to discuss your gift, please reach out to our Planned Giving Officer, Sierra Hoisington.
Sierra can be reached at 828-697-5777 ext. 220. Or you can email her at sierra@conservingcarolina.org.
If you have already chosen to make a gift to Conserving Carolina in your estate, please let us know, so that we can thank you and plan for the future.
Branches of Giving is a monthly segment sharing inspiring stories from our dedicated supporters, letters from our Development Team, and different ways you can give back and make a difference for conservation.