August is Make-A-Will Month
Throughout our lives, we meticulously plan out our endeavors, whether it’s succession planting in our gardens, selecting the next waterfall to explore, or eagerly anticipating the upcoming fall migration to catch a glimpse of our favorite migratory birds. These preparations enrich our experiences and ensure that our desires are fulfilled. Yet, amid all this thoughtful planning, there is one aspect of our lives that often remains overlooked: creating a will.
August is National Make-A-Will month, and just like mapping out which plants species will bloom together in the garden, making a will is a form of cultivation for our legacy. It’s a way to carefully sow the seeds of our intentions, ensuring that our loved ones and cherished possessions are tended to, and that we can still make a positive difference for the causes we care about once we are gone.
In truth, planning to make a will shouldn’t be any different from other well-thought-out endeavors. It’s a reflection of the same mindfulness we apply when arranging our lives’ various components. National Make-A-Will Month serves as a timely reminder that just as we tend to our gardens, explore nature’s wonders, and eagerly await the arrival of migratory birds, we should also approach the task of creating a will with the same dedication. By doing so, we ensure that the legacy we leave behind is one of order, care, and consideration – a testament to a life lived with intention.
If leaving a legacy related to wildland conservation is of interest to you, please consider leaving Conserving Carolina in your estate plans. 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 [email protected].
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.
If you would like to read about one of our Land Legacy League members, Vivian Jordahl, who made a transformative difference for Conserving Carolina after her passing click this link.