Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Most of you have supported the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust for years and years and years. Over 50% of you made your first gift to BTLT 10 years ago or earlier. Last year, 80% of you renewed your membership support of our work, far outpacing the national nonprofit annual retention average of 40 to 45%. The steadfastness of your membership fills us with awe and gratitude.
And what a difference your support has made! Your annual fund gifts and donations to land projects have protected more than 3,220 acres of land in Brunswick, Topsham, and Bowdoin. You have protected wildlife habitat, salt marshes, and farmland. You’ve conserved miles of river frontage, critically imperiled sand plain grasslands, and quiet forests, home to deer and foxes and skunks and so many other local critters. You have made all of our land conservation work possible and have given our community places to explore, exercise, and experience all that our incredible natural areas have to offer. You have made it possible for the Land Trust to make the forever commitments that underlie land conservation. We — and future generations — thank you for your generosity.
You can actually continue your preservation efforts far after your lifetime with a gift through your estate. Leaving a gift to BTLT is a profound way to ensure that we keep our conservation and stewardship promises, while also positioning us to answer the “what ifs” that arise as we strive to meet the expanding needs of our communities. As August is “Make-a-Will Month,” please consider creating or updating your will to leave a percentage of your estate to the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. You can do this by talking to your attorney or using an online estate planning tool. We have some resources on our website, including sample language to make a bequest and information about other gift planning options, such as designating BTLT as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or investment account. If you have already included BTLT in your estate plans, we would love to know, both to be sure we understand your intentions and to thank you. Thank you in advance for considering making a planned gift to BTLT, enabling you to continue what you’ve already begun and ensure a solid future for land preservation in our midcoast area.
If you have any questions or need additional information about legacy giving options, please do not hesitate to call Kristi Hatrick, Director of Development, at (207) 729-7694 or email her at kristi@btlt.org.
