Heritage Society Holiday Reception Offers Members an Update on the Progress of Vision 2020 Campaign

LOMA LINDA >> The 2015 Heritage Society Holiday Reception, held Thursday, December 10 in the Chen Fong Conference Center on the campus of Loma Linda University Health, afforded administrators and philanthropy staff an opportunity to thank society members for their continuing dedication and support. According to Todd Mekelburg, director of planned giving, membership in the Heritage Society honors donors who have generously provided for the work of Loma Linda University Health through a planned gift commitment. He added that donors who make estate or deferred gifts of any size are recognized for their dedication to the organizational mission through membership in the society. After lunch, guests were welcomed to the event and introduced to the 22 newest members of the society. Mekelburg singled out two members—Ellsworth E. Wareham, MD, and Natalie Kopp—and asked them to stand. At ages 101 and 31, respectively, Wareham and Kopp represent the oldest and youngest members of the society. After the applause died down, Mekelburg introduced Eric Schilt, MBA, assistant vice president of construction at Loma Linda University Medical Center, and Laurie McCoy, AIA, an architect with the design firm of NBBJ. The pair presented the latest renderings and plans for both the Medical Center and Children’s Hospital. At the end of the presentation by Schilt and McCoy, President Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, brought the group up to date on the status of Vision 2020, the campaign for a whole tomorrow. He pointed out that the construction at the front entrance to the Medical Center and other locations on campus, while an inconvenience at times, is actually a sign of progress as the campaign has now moved off the drawing board and into the dirt. Hart fielded questions from society members at the end of his presentation. Just before adjourning the meeting, Mekelburg challenged society members to consider documenting their planned gifts for the Vision 2020 campaign. Afterward, a number of society members expressed their appreciation for the information shared by Schilt, McCoy, and Hart and said it keep them apprised of current and upcoming developments. Gifts to the Heritage Society can take many forms. Mekelburg says they be made by designating Loma Linda University Health as the beneficiary of a will or living trust, IRA, qualified retirement and pension plan or annuity, life insurance policy, or charitable trust. He said the office of planned giving is also happy to help people arrange for life income through a charity gift annuity or charitable remainder trust. He stressed that he and his staff are able to assist donors with a variety of options. Additional information is available on the Heritage Society webpage at http://llulegacy.org/heritage-society or by phone at (909) 558-4553. “Overall, we were very pleased with the level of enthusiasm for this annual event,” Mekelburg observed. “Despite the fact that it falls in the middle of the busy holiday season, many people told me later just how much they enjoyed learning more about what’s going on around our campus. I think it gives us all a chance to get together and reflect on the meaning of our commitment to this remarkable organization.”