Why I Left Part of My Estate to SOAR

 In From the blog, In the News

By Van Royce Vibber.

When my wife Julie was alive, we created a trust which left the majority for the survivor’s use in their lifetime. We had an understanding that after providing for children and immediate family, the survivor would direct the majority of the remainder to various environmental organizations and causes.

What better way to celebrate your life than to leave a lasting legacy to whatever you believe in?

Why did I choose SOAR?

1. It’s concrete and tangible. Money given for nebulous concepts and abstract ideas has a way of vaporizing into thin air. The SOAR ballot initiatives are precise, far-reaching, meaningful, and enforceable.

2. SOAR is successful. The masterful, effective 2016 ballot initiatives protect farmland and open space in all of Ventura County and surrounding all 10 of its cities until 2050. Now we can provide the means to protect Ventura County for those generations the come after us.

3. SOAR is lean, mean, and green. A 5-figure gift is significant and highly beneficial. Because SOAR is a lean organization (all Board members and numerous others volunteer without pay and donate valuable professional services and expertise), my donation has a major impact and makes a real green difference. While some of the giant environmental organizations do excellent work and provide great benefit, some have become bloated and overly bureaucratic. Even $250,000 (although greatly appreciated) might just be absorbed in overhead, and barely moves the needle in some of the largest organizations.

4. This is the ideal time. The November 2016 ballot initiatives remain in effect until 2050. At that time, they will have to be renewed. Long-range planning and creating funding now will ensure that our goals willbe met. Farmland and open space can be preserved in perpetuity.

I am proud to say that my bequest is kicking off SOAR’s Planned Giving Campaign. I hope you will join me in making a gift which passes to SOAR in your estate plans.

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