Giving and Saving: A Testimonial from one of our longest serving volunteers and board leaders, David Kappler

Dear Friends of the Issaquah Alps:

I first heard about this crazy phrase "Issaquah Alps" in 1976 from some guest newspaper editorials.  At the time I lived in May Valley at the base of Cougar Mountain and got up the courage to call the inventor of the phrase, well known author and environmental activist Harvey Manning. So you can figure I must be pretty old. Old enough to have to take the Required Minimum Distribution from my IRA account or really pay a heavy tax on the amount I was supposed to have withdrawn. Remembering that all my money in an IRA has not been taxed I have the option of giving some of that money to a qualified charity tax free if the money comes straight out of my account to a qualified charity.

I still give smaller donations to other charities by personal check, but for larger donations I am having them come directly out of my retirement account and thus untaxed. This year I am really pleased to give a significant donation to the club with some direction how I would like to see it spent. My interests include helping fund signage and improvements to the former Bergsma property and helping to support volunteer work parties to deal with some real bad infestations of ivy and other invasive plants on city and county property.

I can't force the club to do a certain thing with my gift, but since I'm stuck doing a RMD for as long as I live I expect they will do their best to honor my request especially since my parents both lived well into their 90s!

How to Give and Save

If you are 70 ½ and would like to support the IATC with a tax free gift from your IRA, please contact your financial advisor or IRA account administrator. If you have questions about making a donation, you are welcome to contact Lindsay Frickle, Executive Director of the IATC at (206) 940-2816.

I you are interested in learning more about giving tax dollars to a non-profit doing great work, we recommend reading this article from Market Watch for more information. Please consider supporting the mission of the Issaquah Alps Trails Club with a donation from your IRA, and thank you for your ongoing support!