Planting a Tree That Provides Shade for Future Public Safety Needs

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/ 

Remember how you felt when you learned a grateful patient, victim, volunteer or community member remembered you in their will? Their legacy of support for public service lives on through your work. You were able to strengthen your department's operations with their incredible gift.  

Ever wonder how much more good you could do if more people were aware of their opportunity to forever impact your mission? LEAVE A LEGACY Iowa ^® shares your interest in this approach. 

In many cases, charitable estate bequests will remain the knowledge of the donor and his or her professional advisors until after his or her passing. Professional advisors play critical roles in helping donors balance charitable intent with family, business and other needs and desires of the client.

In a few cases, professional advisors may contact your department to work with you on bequest language and ensure any restrictions a donor may place on a gift are honored. If this happens, be sure to honor and recognize or respect the anonymity of the donor exactly as he or she desires.

You may be inspired by the video public service announcement from LEAVE A LEGACY Iowa^® here.  

LEAVE A LEGACY^® is a collaborative effort of people in the nonprofit community and professional advisors in Iowa and border communities. The project's volunteers include charitable development officers, directors of charities, attorneys, financial planners, accountants and others.

  
Your department can become a partner in LEAVE A LEGACY Iowa^® for as little as $150 a year. Your partnership investment includes being listed as an option among a strong statewide network of those most involved in estate planning. For more details on becoming a partner, click here.   

Blessed be the continued legacy of those who keep their favorite nonprofits nonprofits moving forward through their estate planning gifts. 

A Thanksgiving Lamp Oil Challenge

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/treslola/

Note: These remarks were adapted from remarks I gave at the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Eastern Iowa Chapter National Philanthropy Day event on Thursday, November 18 in Cedar Rapids. For the full program and details on the inspiring event honorees, click here. 

It’s truly poetic that nationwide National Philanthropy Day events and the United States Thanksgiving holiday happen so close together.  

This Thanksgiving, I offer deep & abiding gratitude for all that you do. You continually train and interrupt your own lives to spring into action when someone else has their time of greatest need when they make a 911 call.

Mother Theresa once said, “To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil into it.” It is my hope that this Thanksgiving gives you a little inspirational oil to keep doing the amazing work you are doing.

Whether you're at home with your family, on duty at the station or out on a call, you might wonder how to keep the holiday magic, the attitude of gratitude going. Is there a way to all of us offer a little more lamp oil for our journeys, if you will?

In that vein, I offer a challenge for all of us. Take some time to reflect on the loved and admired ones  in your life who have inspired your own journey of giving to the Fire Service and everything you do. Who taught you by example the impact and joy of reaching out to the world around you? 

Between now and the end of this month, chose at least one of those who have inspired you to focus your gratitude. Pick up the phone. Write a note. If you can, schedule a visit.

Make sure your loved and admired one knows how they have inspired you. Remind them they are an important part of the legacy of passing on the infinite goodness and potential that exists in our world. 

In some cases, this reflection, as many of our honorees mentioned, may bring an opportunity to again appreciate those loved and admired who have gone on before us. I pray that in those cases, you feel only gratitude for how their legacy lives on in your life.

If it works for you to try the Thanksgiving Lamp Oil challenge, would love to hear more about how it works for you through the comments below. 

Happy Thanksgiving!