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Donor Stories

Learn how others have made an impact through their acts of giving to our organization and others.

  • Marybeth and Glen Gessele like to do things with an eye to the future and that's why they have made Gift Annuities part of their estate plan. They are easy to understand and easy to set up. They feel very blessed to live in the country, to be partners with God, with their garden, their berries, their orchard and their Gift Annuities-see why!
  • As one of three children, Roberta Hutchinson remembers the ranching life, sitting on horseback, waiting for the sun to come up, so she with her father, brother and sister could see the cattle they planned on driving to market. As an heir to a third of the ranch, Roberta asked the Trust Department of her Conference to sell her portion and establish a Charitable Remainder Trust, thus avoiding heavy capital gains on ranch land that had highly appreciated over many years. She now receives lifetime income and experiences the joy of financial freedom to support nine different church ministries including Christian education.
  • Whoever thought the game of golfing could aptly illustrate how a charitable lead trust can benefit the lives of young children and make a difference in the future of Christian Education. Dale Cosby shows you how a Charitable Lead Trust can support your charitable goals now and provide solid family security in the future —all with the same family asset.
  • Back in the garden, among the fruit trees and at the wood pile, Glen and Marybeth Gessele demonstrate through practical illustrations the benefits of an estate plan, its distribution, and the difference between a will and a trust.
  • Doug and Laura Edwards speak first hand for the need of Guardianship documents securing and protecting the future of children if parental rights are terminated by the state due to the untimely death of parents.

    • Gift Examples

  • Bequests
    Joe and Anna have been faithful supporters of Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. They believe it is important to support and encourage our mission.
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  • Tax-Free Sale
    Howard and Lynn were age 55 when they purchased some land outside of town, and they thought it would be a good investment that they could later sell.
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  • Fixed Income for Retirement
    After working for decades as a pediatrician in a small rural town, Patricia was ready to retire.
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  • Peace of Mind Gift Annuity
    Many years ago, Clara bought a home. Since she was so pleased with the home, she decided to buy stock in the company that built it.
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  • Sale and Unitrust
    Gene and Carol purchased stock in a small medical service company several years ago. Now, Gene and Carol are looking for a way to save taxes.
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  • The Retirement Unitrust
    Mary grew up on a farm. When her parents passed away, she inherited the farm. Now, several developers would like to build homes on the farmland.
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  • Part Gift and Part Sale
    Susan and Kevin bought their first home many years ago. They had planned to build a second home so that their children could spend their summers along the lake.
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  • Current Gifts
    As is the case with many families, there are times each year when Jim and Sharon focus their attention on gift giving.
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  • Deferred Gift Annuity
    Several years ago Larry and Allison invested $30,000 in what they believed to be an attractive stock. It turned out to be a very wise decision.
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  • Gift Annuity for Real Estate
    Jonathan purchased a home many years ago for $80,000. The home has appreciated substantially over the years and is now worth $420,000.
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  • A Bequest to Further Good Work
    Nancy and David were dedicated volunteers. Over the years, they had seen many individuals impacted by the good work of Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
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  • Capital Gains Tax Bypassed
    Peter and Gail were nearing retirement. Over the years, with the help of their financial advisor, they made solid investments in securities.
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  • Flexible Deferred Gift Annuity
    Lewis is a 54-year-old executive at a large healthcare company. He purchased company stock during years when the stock price was low, and now the stock has grown substantially.
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  • A Bequest to Save Taxes
    Thomas was a widower who had a great love for Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. As an individual who had directly benefited from its work.
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  • Property Turns Into Income
    Miranda lived in the family home where she and her spouse had raised their children. After her spouse passed, Miranda found it increasingly difficult to care for her home.
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  • Give it Twice Trust
    While visiting the Wills Planner on her favorite charity's website, June, a surviving spouse, came across the idea of a Give it Twice Trust.
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  • Providing for Our Children's Future
    Joe and Kathy worked for years building their nest egg for retirement. They also want to provide for their children.
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