News & Stories
Taking Community Support a Step Further
Image description: Community Foundation donor partners, Mary and Bill Smith standing next to each other in front of abstract art.
As long-time residents of Traverse City, Bill and Mary Smith want to ensure their dedication to the region’s health and prosperity lasts far beyond their own lives. The couple have been Community Foundation donor partners for nearly a decade, ever since Bill was invited to become a Board Director by friend and former Executive Director, Phil Ellis.
Now, Bill and Mary have taken their support a step further by choosing to leave a gift in their will, becoming members of our Community Guardian Legacy Society. Their gift will go toward our Community Funds, allowing us the flexibility to respond to community needs as they change over time.
“There’s a factor of trust between ourselves and the Foundation,” said Bill. “We want staff to use their expertise and determine how our support can help further their mission.”
Bill was born in Traverse City, and after attending medical school and doing his residency, he returned to the area with Mary in 1978 and started a family medicine practice. Mary worked for the Intermediate School District (now Northwest Education Services) as a Career Tech Center teacher and professional training administrator, among other roles.
Bill and Mary found a home for their interests in the Community Foundation’s environmental and social priorities. Bill treasures the preservation of recreational areas that enable people of all ages and abilities to access natural areas. As a former educator, Mary is drawn to supporting the social and emotional health of local students.
“At the Intermediate School District, we serviced the five counties where the Community Foundation provides aid,” she said. “I’m acutely aware that some of our small districts need financial support. I celebrate every time one of them receives a grant.”
The ability to leave a gift that can benefit any of the Foundation’s needs and initiatives was a key component of the Smiths’ decision.
“The community’s needs may change after we’re gone,” Mary explained. “We trust that the Community Foundation will be attuned to those needs as they evolve.”
Relationships are fundamental to Bill and Mary’s entry into our Legacy Society. Deep conversations with our staff showed them that a legacy gift could have a long-term impact in a place they call home.
“We get all kinds of fundraising letters,” Bill said. “But we prefer to help people right where we live and to support local nonprofits doing outstanding work in the region.”
Writer: Jennifer DeMoss