My connection to the Coastal Land Trust and Springer’s Point is through my brother, Jim Stephenson. Jim was an environmental policy analyst who lobbied for causes in Raleigh. He was visiting Springer’s Point on Ocracoke Island with his wife, Sally Anger, in 2009, and declared that the Coastal Land Trust had done such a great job that he wanted to find a way to provide additional funding for their projects.
Sadly, Jim died of a heart attack later that month. To honor his commitment, my husband Paul and I have donated annually to Springer’s Point. Then it just seemed natural to revise our will to include a bequest to the Coastal Land Trust.
My own environmental connection was as a former teacher in Maryland advocating for the environment by creating curriculum, writing grants, and conducting workshops. So when your heart aligns with the mission of the Coastal Land Trust and you can actually see the results made by donations, it’s easy to make the decision to create a personal bequest plan.
Just visit any of the lands they protect. Your heart should speak to you about how important the beautiful coastal properties are for the future.
Jane Stephenson Heill
Ocean City, Maryland
Photo courtesy of Jane Heill, left. Pictured with her sister-in-law, Sally Anger, at Springer’s Point
