Greetings, Classmates! It is with pleasure that I have taken on the role of Planned Giving Chair for our class. Planned giving is a terrific way for us to contribute to our College, and is therefore near and dear to my heart. In fact, I had the honor to serve as the first Chair of The Grecourt Society, Smith’s honorary society for anyone who makes a planned gift!
Eighty members of the Class of 1955 have joined Grecourt. That’s a lot! Wouldn’t it be great to add to that by our next reunion? If you haven’t made a planned gift, I encourage you to contact me, or the Gift Planning Office at Smith to talk about what might fit for you. The staff are knowledgeable, approachable, and will never pressure you to make a gift of any particular amount. For more information, contact: Sam Samuels, Director of Gift Planning 413-320-6174 (the college is currently working remotely during the pandemic).
Members of our own class have:
–Included Smith in a will or trust;
–Named the College as a beneficiary of an IRA (this is very simple to do, and saves your estate taxes)
–Purchased a charitable gift annuity that pays you income for life (the older we get, the higher our rate of income–right now it is about 8%!)
Planned gifts from our class have contributed over $5 million to Smith. These gifts have supplied in the past and will support in the future;
-Scholarships to students with financial need
-Our remarkable Museum of Art both financially and by adding to the collection
-The Botanic Gardens;
– Continuing upkeep of such buildings as the popular Campus Center
– Undesignated support to the college–welcome as it’s so hard to know the future needs of our Alma Mater
On a personal note, I want to tell you what fun I have had over the years being closely involved one way or another with our dear class. Now it feels full circle, chairing an organization I started 25 years ago! Onward, masks and all…. !!
Warm wishes, Jan
Jan Carlson Oresman, Planned Giving Chair
January, 2021