What does a planned gift donor look like at Holy Wisdom Monastery? I’ve been fortunate to meet several of them in the past few years. They are Sunday Assembly members, Oblate community members, and members of the longstanding Community of Benedict. They are neighbors and environmental enthusiasts. They are supporters who have designated a few hundred dollars in their trust, will, or bequest, or they are people who have designated hundreds of thousands of dollars to benefit the Benedictine Life Foundation of Wisconsin, Inc. For a lot of people, a planned gift is a way to make a big impact on the organizations that they love and support.
We are fortunate to be welcoming back local attorney Melinda Gustafson Gervasi to lead two planned giving seminars at Holy Wisdom Monastery on March 25, 2012 (following Sunday Assembly) and on the evening of October 2, 2012. Melinda presented at Holy Wisdom Monastery in 2010, and I found her presentation to be very down-to-earth. She had some funny stories and practical wisdom to pass on. She is willing to work with people associated with Holy Wisdom Monastery at a discounted rate. I also had the personal experience of working with Melinda to put together a will for a woman I know who was diagnosed with brain cancer at the end of last year. Melinda acted quickly to get all the documentation necessary so that the woman’s young children could be put in the best financial position in case the worst happened, and Melinda was able to provide these services pro-bono for this low-income family. Melinda’s sense of justice aligns closely with the sisters’ mission of weaving justice into their communities.