A legacy of hope
Happy Valley Forest, ON (Photo by NCC)
Inspired by a past donor, Margaret Kelch inspires others with her message that hope comes in gifts of all sizes.
In the Happy Valley Forest, just north of the Greater Toronto Area, there’s a trail-side plaque on a very large rock honouring Roberta Langtry, who left a significant bequest to NCC in her will.
Margaret Kelch stops to read it every time she visits. She learned that Roberta was a teacher who invested her hard-earned savings which, over many years, became a wonderful gift to NCC. Happy Valley Forest, the largest remaining intact forest of its kind on the Oak Ridges Moraine, is one of Margaret’s favourite places to visit as it is just a short 45-minute drive from her home.
“This was someone who worked hard and was able to leave much of her savings to something she cared deeply about,” Margaret says of the donor. “Her generosity and passion spoke to me.”
Margaret Kelch (Photo courtesy of Margaret Kelch)
An avid birder, Margaret first learned about the Nature Conservancy of Canada while volunteering to watch and count the fall hawk migration in Toronto’s High Park in 2005. Norman Schipper, NCC’s Ontario Regional Board Chair at that time, and Bob Carswell, a long-time volunteer in Quebec, were fellow hawk watchers that day. This introduction led to a decade of service on NCC’s Ontario and national boards, including three years as the Ontario chair.
Margaret now co-leads the Ontario chapter of NCC’s Ambassadors’ Circle along with Gary Innanen.
“As a birder, you quickly learn the importance of healthy habitat and connectivity. To have an organization that is entirely focused on determining which habitats need protection and then putting in place plans to do that is incredibly appealing to me,” she says.
She contributed her time and expertise to NCC and made regular annual donations. In 2012, Margaret attended a Donor Motivation Program seminar hosted by NCC, which inspired her to rethink her own philanthropy.
Margaret chose to include a bequest in her Will to support something she cares deeply about: NCC’s conservation efforts in Ontario. And while she acknowledges that a planned gift allows her to donate more than might be possible during her lifetime, she also knows that even a modest contribution can make a big difference.
“When people read this, I hope they see an average, hardworking individual with hope for the future,” she says. “You don’t need piles of cash. Just a belief that we can all make a valuable contribution.”
Please let us know if you have made a gift in your Will to NCC so that you can enjoy all of the benefits as a member of NCC’s Nature Legacy Society. Please contact Jackie Mersereau at jackie.mersereau@natureconservancy.ca.
Now it's easier than ever to create a legal Will in fewer than 20 minutes.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is excited to announce our partnership with Willfora, a FREE resource with the information and tools to help you create or update your Will.
As a member of the Ambassadors’ Circle, we wanted to offer you the opportunity to create or update your Will at no cost to you!
Legacy gifts are instrumental to the foundation of NCC. They enable us to have funds that support the day-to-day operations of Canada’s largest land conservation organization but these gifts also enable us to make big, ambitious plans for the future of conservation in Canada.
Please note: for Quebec residents wishing to use this service, contact Jackie Mersereau at jackie.mersereau@natureconservancy.ca
