For Loran and Carol Wright, charitable giving isn’t a conscious decision—it’s an ingrained act that is as natural as breathing. They have early memories of their families donating any extra dollars they could to charity, and the couple acquired a community-centred focus through observing their families’ generosity with money and volunteering time.

As adults, Loran and Carol have made yearly donations for 40 years to non-profit organizations that address heart disease, diabetes and cancer. They regularly send money in honour of their birthdays and holidays, as well as in memory of friends and family that passed away.

More than a decade ago, Loran underwent triple bypass surgery. After a successful recovery, Loran and Carol decided to leave a gift to a cardiac health charity in their wills.

“If we don’t donate, how are we going to get better treatments?” Carol points out as one of the driving forces behind their legacy gift.

In addition to leaving a gift, Carol and Loran have become passionate advocates for planned giving. As naturally open and friendly people, they often strike up conversations with strangers—and these exchanges can lead to Loran and Carol sharing their story and discussing the importance of leaving a donation to charity in wills.

BC’s Make-a-Will Week is April 9-15, 2017. MAWW is a Ministry of Justice campaign that brings awareness to the importance of creating and maintaining an up-to-date will, which ensures that the people, charities and organizations you care about most receive the benefit of your estate.

In conjunction with the Leave a Legacy Vancouver program of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners, we are sharing tips and info throughout the week to help our readers learn more about wills and their pertinence in ensuring that final wishes are understood and executed. Visit our blog all week for key posts related to MAWW and will preparation.