These were the words of Laurel Butler when she had an “aha” moment during her tenure as chair of the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2008-2009. As a busy financial advisor and volunteer with a spouse and children, Laurel realized the importance of planning for “when I’m no longer here.” She wanted to include the community she calls home, but also had to focus on taking care of her family.

Laurel reasoned she could do that and still leave something for the organizations in whose missions she strongly believes. “I wanted the work they do to make our community thrive to be part of my legacy,” said Laurel. And so, she included those organizations as partial beneficiaries for her Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

Fast forward a decade to another “aha” moment:” When reviewing her legacy giving plans, Laurel decided to create a single repository for her IRA partial beneficiary designation and include all of her charitable priorities in one endowed field of interest fund at the Community Foundation. The Butler Daniels Fund will support five area nonprofit organizations in perpetuity.

At a time “very far off from now,” this new plan will simplify the distribution process from her IRA, create a favorable tax situation for her heirs, and put into place annual grant distributions to five organizations whose important work addresses the educational and spiritual needs, as well as overall quality of life, of residents of our region.