Bequests & Memorials

Estate planning is one of the best ways to support charitable giving without limiting your flexibility or access to resources during your lifetime. Orcas Island community members who have already made a legacy commitment to one or more organizations are Founding Members of the Orcas Island Legacy Circle.

 

If you plan to make a charitable gift by will, please think it through carefully. Then, meet with your attorney to discuss and update your will. Tell him or her exactly what you want to do. Be as clear as possible in describing what you want given to whom. Following are several ways to make a bequest. You should discuss them with your attorney as you prepare to update your will.

Specific Bequest

This is a gift of a specific item to a specific beneficiary. If the specific property has been disposed of before death, the bequest fails and no claim can be made to any other property.

General Bequest

This is usually a gift of a stated sum of money. It will not fail, even if there is not sufficient cash to meet the bequest. Other assets must be sold to meet the bequest.

Contingent Bequest

This is a bequest made on condition that a certain event must occur before distribution to the beneficiary. A contingent bequest is specific in nature and fails if the condition is not met. (A contingent bequest is also appropriate if you want to name a secondary beneficiary in case the primary beneficiary doesn’t survive you.)

Residuary Bequest

This is a gift of all the “rest, residue and remainder” of your estate after all other bequests, debts and taxes have been paid. You may prefer to divide your estate according to percentage of the residue (rather than specifying dollar amounts), to ensure that your beneficiaries receive the proportions you desire.

Bequests may be made anonymously if you prefer, and your gift will remain confidential. Recognition of your bequest, however, has the added benefit of encouraging others to do the same. Below is a list of Orcas Island community members who have made a legacy commitment to one or more Orcas Island organizations and are Founding Members of the Orcas Island Legacy Circle.

Rachel Adams*
Rosemarie Altberg
Bill & Valerie Anders
Marilyn Anderson*
Helen Bee
Diane Berreth & David Kobrin
Mary Blackstone
Diane Boteler & Bill Miller
Antoinette Botsford
Doug & Nancy Boyden
Janet Brownell & Lance Evans
Hilary Canty & Henry Date
Rosalie Chantiny
Bruce & Marty Coffey
Martha Farish & Joe Cohen
Sam & Cynthia Coleman
Roger Collier
Jim Connell & Susan Hull
Walt Corbin & Gayle Kieth Ashley
Carl de Boor
Bob Distler and Lolo Duni
Ellis Family
Dick & Judy Evans

Peter Fisher
Winnie Adams & Bob Gamble
Rick Gould
Ginny Hawker & Theron Soderlund
Bob & Phyllis Henigson
John F. Hogan Jr.
Sara Jane Johnson
Susan McBain & Steve Jung
Lisa Byers & Laurie GalloMary & Alan Morgan
Tom & Leslie Murdock
Gabriel Olmsted
Jon Kimura Parker & Aloysia Friedmann
Victoria & Bruce Parker
Barbara Bentley and Glenn Prestwich
Donna & Michael Riordan
Doug & Judy Schliebus
Dimitri & Lorena Stankevich
Millicent Vetterlein
Nani Warren
Bob & Marsha Waunch
H.S. Wright & Kate Janeway

We invite you to add your name to the list. Please contact the Community Foundation for more information.