Our Make-a-Will-Month series continues with longtime member Reta Rutledge sharing why she and her husband, Robert, decided to name our organization in their wills.
What led you to include the land trust in your estate plans? What considerations went into the decision?
Ellen Jacquart, who I greatly respect, was helping to start CILTI, so I joined. When the group began raising money to buy Burnett Woods, I thought, I could make a difference here. I contributed and was so happy when the land was purchased.
Then a few years after that, I was asked to join the board. When I saw some of the projects we were working on and saw what was possible, it just captured my heart. I’d walk properties with [current President, then Conservation Director] Cliff in those early days and learn about what went into choosing the land. Then the stewardship program ramped up, and I realized that’s so vital. You don’t just own the land, you have to take care of it—to literally steward it.
I told my husband Rob, “I want to be able to keep helping them after I’m gone.”
What kind of legacy do you hope to leave through your planned giving? What would you like to see happen in Central Indiana as a result?
I’d like to see us taking care of what we do have, weeding out the invasives, giving the natives a chance to grow. How do we help the land be everything it once was? And we continue to find special places that are at risk. They’re going fast. More and more places are at risk, such as wetlands. Groups like CILTI will be the ones to save them.
What do you see as critical qualities to support in a conservation organization?
Three things: Long-term planning. Financial stability. And an increasingly quality board.
What would you say to others who might be considering taking a similar step?
Do you appreciate what CILTI is doing? Do you love the results? Do you really want them to end when you’re gone?
We appreciate the Rutledges and all the other forward-thinking members of our Burr Oak Society. By including the land trust in their estate plans, they ensure that the critical work of land protection can continue into the future. As Reta puts it, “While we alone might not be able to buy and protect land, we can join forces as CILTI members to do it. And by joining the Burr Oak Society, we can keep having an impact long after we’re gone!”
For details on planned giving, contact Stacy at scachules@conservingindiana.org or 317.441.0535.
Shawndra Miller
Communications Manager