BCBusiness

C R E A T E A L E G A C Y S p e c i a l F e a t u r e $30 million in funding to families and organizations in communities throughout the province. Philanthropy and legacy giving have become a tradition in the Arnish family. Recently Tracey Arnish, chair, board of directors for Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon, shared that she had named RMH in her family will. €From her perspective, the motivation stemmed from her ƒrst-hand exposure to the organization after her son was diagnosed with leukemia in 2007. "We were fortunate to receive medical treatment in our home city, but during this time we became aware of families [from out of town] who didn't have anywhere to stay," she recalls, adding that the forced separation of families is compounded by the monumental problems associated with loss of income due to having to relocate. €But at Ronald McDonald House, Arnish, who is also chief people o'cer for Coast Capital Savings, "saw the comfort and security as well as the sense of relief that those staying [in the facility] received." € RMH's success in keeping families together compelled Arnish to join its board in 2013; as for naming the organization in her will, she says the motivation "was knowing we can continue to provide families across B.C. and Yukon with a home away from home." €Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon is one of 14 Ronald McDonald houses across Canada helping the families of children diagnosed with serious illness or injury when they must travel for their child's treatment. Despite its high proƒle, the Make-A- Wish Foundation is very much a grassroots organization, with the 200 volunteers of its BC & Yukon chapter ensuring that 82 cents out of every dollar was used to grant 127 wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions last year, according to CEO Ross Hetherington. The importance of granting a child his or her wish cannot be underestimated. "They hold onto that wish as they undergo treatment," says Hetherington, adding that a special Wishing Well legacy fund also grants wishes in extreme cases: "Sometimes, unfortunately, we have to grant wishes within the space of a day, depending on the medical condition." As an organization that receives no government funding, Make-AœWish is constantly looking down the road for donation sources: understandable, considering the average cost of a wish is $10,000 and a Wishing Well wish is $15,000. Hetherington says: "I can't say enough about our wonderful donors, as well as our volunteers who continue to support what we do and provide children with comfort, happiness, and hope." Hospitals, Plus Leaving legacies to hospitals means so much more than funding new equipment and programs. "Community program funding is also an integral part of legacy giving," says Tinu Mathur, board chair of the Burnaby Hospital Foundation. "Our donors help fund everything from healthy-lunch programs for schoolchildren to health programs for seniors; in addition to the importance of hospital equipment and operations, this is extending the health care continuum." This is not to downplay the importance of hospital funding: governments do not fully fund BC hospitals, and the monies received are creating the baseline for our health-care system. Fortunately, Burnaby Hospital donors since 2002 have given close to $19 million to purchase new equipment, and the Burnaby Hospital Foundation's purpose is to ensure that the facility is equipped in every way to advance the health of all generations as well as maintain the vibrancy of the entire community (for the record, the most common legacy gift options are a bequest in a will, a gift of life insurance, and a gift of retirement funds such as RRSPs and RRIFs). Mathur says: "Anyone can help us make a di¦erence, and no contribution is too small. With our foundation, a donation is more than a gift towards wellness: it's an investment in your community family, your neighbour, and yourself." Je¦ €Sodowsky, chief development o'cer for the BC Women's Hospital + Health Care Foundation, stresses: "Everyone can make a legacy gift. So many people think one has to be a Pattison or Rockefeller to make a positive impact, and Legacies directed to hospitals and their foundations can mean new equipment, community funding and programs for children.

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