A Gift To Make a Difference (cont'd)

Elsie and her husband, Don, are retired Broome Community College professors. After 34 years, Elsie retired to do volunteer work. Don continued to teach until 2009 when, after 45 years, he also retired. Elsie approached A.V.R.E. because she wanted to work behind the scenes to learn more about vision loss and how vision rehabilitation can help improve people's lives. Her administrative assistance was invaluable to A.V.R.E.'s professional staff, but Elsie also benefitted by getting to know the staff individually and learning how they worked with consumers to empower them with the skills to work, go to school and live independently. She was especially touched by stories of babies who were born blind, but learned to experience and enjoy their environments in different ways through A.V.R.E.'s Early Intervention program.

Elsie has moved on to other volunteer experiences, but she and Don keep up with A.V.R.E.'s progress through the quarterly newsletter, InSight, and our agency website. They believe in our mission and appreciate the challenges we face in trying to reach the estimated 30,000 people in our service territory who might benefit from A.V.R.E.'s services. They wanted to do more to help us help more people.

The Wager's were able to rethink their estate planning and include A.V.R.E. A planned gift seemed an appropriate and generous way to remember Elsie's Mother and supportive Father. We are excited that Elsie and Don will be the first members of our new Founder's Society - created specifically to recognize people investing in A.V.R.E's long term goals through planned giving. Elsie's advice to others contemplating a planned gift: "Be sure to support a cause you're passionate about. Make a difference in someone's life."