Grants awarded 2011-2012

Local reeve plans to write "another child" into his will

Reeve Don Forfar has included "another child" in his will that he's not even related to. In fact the heir is not even a relative.

"When I sat down with my lawyer recently I told him I want to include the Selkirk and District Community Foundation as one of the beneficiaries of my estate just like my kids are being taken care of so should the community," said Forfar.

His decision reinforces many of the things people will learn next week during Will Week, April 23-27th – which features a series of free presentations by estate planning professionals across the province. In the sessions people learn how easy it is to support their community by making a charitable gift in their will.

The lesson for Don happened slowly but thoughtfully as he worked as the reeve for the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews.

"In 2006 our Council decided that we would support the Selkirk and District Community Foundation and do it significantly and lead by example. So our decision was to commit $25,000 a year for the duration of our four year mandate and designated that money to be used exclusively for our community clubs in perpetually. I'll be dead and the Foundation will still be giving money to the community clubs."

It was through Don's municipal work that he started to see the long-term vision that had gone into the creation of the Selkirk and District Community Foundation and what the spin-off benefits were to his community for years to come. He realized that he wanted to include a personal legacy that would continue to give in memory of his own family for years to come.

Don knows he has several options. He can choose to invest in one of the Foundation's existing funds or create a new and unique fund that will support a cause or project that he and his family want to support. Don is doing exactly what SDCF Board Chair Micheal Buhr always recommends.

"When people are making their last will we want them to remember their children, but think of the Foundation as one additional child. That inheritance sent to the Foundation will live on in the community and do good work here for generations to come," Michael says.

Over the years many people have included the SDCF in their estate planning. Some people make the Foundation aware of their plans well in advance, others never tell us and we find out from their lawyer upon the reading of the will, says Bev Clegg, SDCF Executive Director.

"It's always a real honour when out of the blue we find out someone has thought to include us in their will. No gift is too small," says Bev. In recent history the SDCF had received donations through bequests from:

• Ernest and Helga Kromrei for $395,000 in 2007 some of which was designated to the Kromrei Memorial Fund Bursary & Scholarship.
• Micky Hannesson for $38,400 in 2008 that established the Micky Hannesson Scholarship Fund. His children continue to donate to their dad's fund every year.
• Jennie Galagun for $18,690 in 2011 that went into the general Community Fund to support a wide range of programs.

To date the SDCF has $5 million in assets, donated over $1 Million to over 110 charities and non-profit groups over 15 years. The foundation serves the citizens and organizations in the City of Selkirk, the R.M. of St. Clements and the R.M. of St. Andrews in Manitoba. The SDCF creates different ways for people to give back to their community, connects donors with community wishes and dreams and provides grants that touch a lot of people. This work means SDCF is able to see how donors and recipients fit together for years to come so that the foundation is "Here for Good".