Donor Stories
Learn how others have made an impact through their acts of giving to our organization and others.
We are grateful for the witness of members of our congregation who have shared their stories of faith and commitment to legacy giving. Additional stories are representative of how various planned giving strategies may be employed.
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Shaping A Family's Future"Our Father, who art in heaven…" begins the familiar Lord's Prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. Perhaps living a life of a faith-filled disciple as a dedicated dad may...
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A Family of FaithMarried in Atlanta in 1967, Ann and Zeno were both from the South. Ann was raised in Chattanooga, TN and Zeno in a rural community east of Raleigh, NC. They...
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Diana and Eric Freeburg: A Legacy of LoveDiana and Eric Freeburg's story is a legacy of love of faith, family, and U of M! They first met at Michigan when Diana was selling carnations at the ATO fraternity to...
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Russ and Sue Ives: Birmingham First is "Home"Before he was aware of it, the sanctuary, choir rooms, and hallways of Birmingham First would become a second home to Russ. He didn't have a chance. When the...
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Paul & Jackie Keller: Family LegaciesThe Kellers agree, "we think 'legacy' may be a little overused, but we really do feel a part of a family legacy of faith that began with our parents and continues with...
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Jerry LaBrake: The Charitable Gift Annuity is a "Wonderful Thing""I think this Charitable Gift Annuity is a wonderful thing." Jerry has been a member of FUMC since 1971 and over the past ten years, has secured three Charitable...
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Celebrating Bob and Mary's Generosity!Bob and Mary Feldmaier met as college students through a student organization at Purdue University. After graduation, Bob's work as an engineer in the...
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Joan and Dwight BennerJoan and Dwight Benner met when Dwight helped Joan unload her car when she arrived at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, where Dwight would earn his Master of Divinity Degree...
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Susan and Claude Oleson: Legacy BuildersSusan and Claude Oleson were invited to attend First Church by John & Liz Stevens. (Susan and Liz are both Speech Pathologists and are friends). At the welcoming luncheon...
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Blessed to be a Blessing: Mixie and Jeff HockmanJeff and Mixie Hockman celebrate the blessings in their lives and are committed to blessing others through...
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Tim and Laura Dickerson: A Legacy of FaithWe are both so thankful for the amazing legacies of faith from our families…very different, yet very Christ centered.
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Jim and Merry Beth Valiquett: Christ-Centered LivesJim and Merry Beth Valiquett's faith journeys were quite similar, yet different in several ways. Both grew up in Christ-centered homes, one a...
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BequestsJoe and Anna have been faithful supporters of our organization. They believe it is important to help further our mission.
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Using a Beneficiary Designation to Make a Gift to CharityJoanne and her late husband Hal had been longtime supporters of our organization. Recently, Joanne's children encouraged...
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Fixed Income for RetirementAfter working for decades as a pediatrician in a small town, Patricia is ready to retire.
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Tax-Free SaleHoward and Lynn were both age 55 when they purchased some vacant land a few miles outside of town. They thought real estate would be a good investment that could be sold later for a profit.
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Capital Gains Tax BypassedPeter and Gail were nearing retirement. Over the years, with the help of their financial advisor, they made solid investments in securities and built a sizable portfolio.
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Peace of Mind Gift AnnuityMany years ago, Clara bought a home. Since she was very pleased with her home, she bought stock in the company that built the home.
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Endowment GiftPat and Shelly were recently married. They both had been dedicated volunteers at their favorite charity for many years.
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Sale and UnitrustGene and Carol purchased stock in a small medical service company several years ago. The company has done well.
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The Retirement UnitrustMary grew up on a farm. When her parents passed away, she and her husband Bill inherited the farm.
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Property Turns Into IncomeMiranda lived in the family home where she and her spouse had raised their three children. After her spouse passed away, Miranda found it increasingly difficult to care for her property.
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Flexible Deferred Gift AnnuityLuis is a 54-year-old executive at a large healthcare company. He purchased company stock during years when the stock price was low, and now the stock has grown substantially in value.
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Part Gift and Part SaleSusan and Kevin bought a vacant lot along Lake Michigan many years ago. They had planned to build a second home so that their family could spend their summers along the lake.
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Current GiftsAs is the case with many families, there are times each year when Jim and Sharon focus their attention on gift giving.
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Gift of a Bank Account When No Longer Needed (POD)Keith has been a faithful supporter of Birmingham First and makes regular gifts to support our work.
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Transferable on Death (TOD) GiftsHarold and Jeanne married after meeting at an event Birmingham First held for our donors. They wanted to leave a legacy gift...
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A Bequest to Further Good WorkNancy and David were dedicated volunteers. Over the years, they had seen many individuals helped by the good work of their favorite charity.
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Deferred Gift AnnuitySeveral years ago, Larry and Allison invested $30,000 in what they believed to be an attractive stock.
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What Will You Do with Your Unspent Retirement Savings?Michael and Kelly were retired engineers with two adult children. They owned a home, some stocks, and IRAs.
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Gift Annuity for Real EstateJonathan purchased his home many years ago for $80,000. The home is now worth $420,000. Jonathan wants to sell his home and buy a condo for $130,000.
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A Bequest to Save TaxesThomas was a widower who had a great love for our organization. As an individual who had directly benefited from our work, Thomas wanted to thank us with a gift from his estate.
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Leading for the FutureLuke and Cynthia spent many years volunteering and supporting their favorite charity. They wanted to give back in a way that would help fulfill its mission.
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Give it Twice TrustWhile visiting her favorite charity's website, June came across the idea of a give it twice trust. She contacted the charity for more information.
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Providing for Our Children's FutureRon and Kathy worked for many years building their nest egg for retirement.
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Bequest of InsuranceMarla and Wayne purchased a life insurance policy many years ago to create security for their children's future.
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Testamentary Charitable Remainder Unitrust: Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!We have all heard the saying "You can't have your cake and eat it too." This phrase describes a situation where we want two good things at the same time when that isn't possible.
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