The Gift of a Lifetime

I started birding a long time ago at the beach – I was tired of sitting, so walking and observing the wildlife seemed a much better use of my time. I’m less of a travel-to-exotic-climes kind of birder and rather a go-to-my-favorite-places- and-hope-I’m-revisited-by-some-old-friends birder. Although when I travel, I do pack those binoculars… I was introduced to Manomet at a “speed dating for charity” event in Boston where several nonprofits were making pitches for their organizations. Never having heard of Manomet, I was very intrigued and ended up having coffee with a person on the development team to dig deeper.

Widewater Society was a fit for me for a few reasons. We were in the process of revising our wills, and I recognized that at the end of my life (hopefully far into the future!), the personal work that I want to accomplish will not be complete. So the question becomes: how can I continue that work after I’m gone? What’s critical to me about Manomet is that it has a holistic approach to create sustainable, long-term solutions. Manomet worries about the shorebirds, coastal ecosystems, farmers, climate change – Manomet is working for a livable and thriving planet in the future and looking at the whole picture to make positive change. Supporting this work will be part of my legacy. Making a bequest to Manomet is also important to me because smaller organizations quite simply have a harder time attracting funding than do larger ones. In the end, supporting Manomet is a statement of what I value.”

Those who thoughtfully include Manomet in their will or estate plans are welcomed as members of our Widewater Society. Benefits include recognition as a Widewater Society member, exclusive updates on Manomet’s programs, and invitations to special webinars and events. To learn more, contact Justin Barrett at jbarrett@manomet.org or (508) 224-6521.