You can’t take it with you. . .Things can get ugly when someone leaves a sizeable estate and no will. Really ugly. And the last thing you want is MaryAnn putting Sally in a headlock (or worse) over who gets Aunt Muriel’s collection of World’s Fair spoons. The easiest way to keep your family from feuding, incurring extra legal fees or paying more taxes? Write a will. It’s a sensible approach to accounting for your personal property, real estate and finances, and outlining a distribution plan that’s entirely at your discretion. Whether you want to make sure your grandchild has a college fund, or the K-State degree program you graduated from has the support it needs for the future, or both, a will can help. While consulting a legal advisor about your will should be your ultimate goal, there are endless resources, both in libraries and online, that will make understanding the process relatively easy. The KSU Foundation Gift Planning Department even offers will kits to help you list your assets and make choices. You can request one at www.found.ksu.edu/plannedgiving. By writing a will, you can leave your gifts where they matter the most.

The secret to living foreverWhen you think about it, living forever probably wouldn’t be all it was cracked up to be. It would mean working forever. And it would mean reading the news forever, or listening to the next door neighbor’s dog barking in the middle of the night…forever. But if there was a way for you to live forever through a gift, would you want to know more? Because every year, people just like you are establishing scholarships in their names, the names of loved ones, even the names of pets, and doing just that — living forever by helping students get the educations they deserve at K-State. By working with the Gift Planning Department at the foundation, you can find the best way to invest in the future, whether it’s

through an outright gift, a gift of real estate, a gift of life insurance, or one of many other options. And if you want, you can set it up to see the benefits

to the students you’re helping now, with the knowledge that your gift will continue into perpetuity. It’s a great way to leave your legacy, to know that you made a difference, and will continue to make a difference, in the sea of purple that is K-State.

Are you a control freak?Some of us just need to have things the way we like them when we’re at a restaurant, despite what’s on the menu. Coffee with sugar, but no cream. Dressing on the side, if you please. Medium rare with extra onions and a splash of Tabasco, because you’re feeling spicy today. The great thing about giving to K-State? There are so many options, you can have it just about any way you want, even if it’s not “on the menu.” The Gift Planning Department at the KSU Foundation is committed to getting to know you and helping you choose the arrangement that works best for your needs. Does your family have strong ties to ranching, and you want your scholarship to only go to College of Agriculture students who are interested specifically in cattle production? Done. Or you’re a strong supporter of the arts and want the gift you made to the College of Arts and Sciences to just go toward renovating their art gallery? Done! No matter how complicated the plans for your gift may seem to you, we can handle it. We’ll draw up the language, seek out the greatest needs on campus, figure out the percentages, and find the right funds to get things done your way. We make it our job to ensure that giving isn’t a struggle.

For information about a free will kit, or help with designating a college or department at K-State in your will, contact the KSU Foundation Gift Planning Department at 785-532-7531 or giftoptions@found.ksu.edu.

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PLANNING FOR

TOMORROWWINTER 09

im Fitzgerald sat in the bleachers of the Sublette High School gym amid a roaring crowd of parents and students, siblings and teachers. It wasn’t his hometown, but he cheered right along with them as he watched senior point guard and K-State women’s basketball

recruit Shalee Lehning tear up and down the court.

“I saw him, and after a while I was like, ‘Who is that guy?’” Lehning remembered. “They told me he was from K-State, and he was there to watch me play. He couldn’t talk to me, because of NCAA rules, but he was still there. That’s the kind of guy he was.”

A resident of Mayetta, Kan., Fitzgerald followed the K-State women’s basketball team with unrelenting pride throughout his retirement. He studied the playing stats of high school recruits, knew their names, attended games both home and away, and sometimes even internationally. His loyalty was legend, and his presence was a boon for the entire team.

“He was so fun to be around, so genuine and real,” Lehning said. “His smile just lit up the room, and the support he gave the team made you feel loved.”

“Jim was such a kind and generous soul. He was an unbelievable source of encouragement,” said Deb Patterson, K-State women’s basketball coach. “Win or lose, it didn’t matter.”

Patterson first met Fitzgerald at a Cat Backer event in 2004, where they made a connection through their conversation about the team. After that, Jim began to make his presence at games and events known, and his support became a fixture in the program.

“He was amazingly sensitive to the difficulties faced by both coaches and players, and was always sending words of encouragement,” Patterson said.

In 2004, Fitzgerald chose to set up a scholarship, dedicated to young women from Kansas high schools who had been recruited by the K-State women’s basketball program, through a cash gift to the KSU Foundation. When Lehning was chosen as the first recipient of the scholarship, a bond between Fitzgerald and her family was immediately struck.

“He and my mom became very close. They were in contact almost every day, in some way,” Lehning said. “She’d tell him news about me and how I was doing, or he’d tell her about his kids and what they were up to. They became really good friends.”

Once the scholarship was established and Fitzgerald saw how much the support meant to the Lehning family, he wanted to make sure the gift would continue to provide for student athletes far into the future. As a result, he established a $250,000 bequest that would pass to the foundation upon his death. The monetary support, while not out of character for Fitzgerald, nonetheless came as a surprise to those close to him.

“You never would have guessed that he had the means to make a gift that big,” Patterson said. “His joy came from watching the team.”

The fact that Fitzgerald had chosen to give to a women’s program was deeply moving to Patterson. It is something she credits as being very meaningful, not just to the team, but to future female athletes at K-State.

“What an impact that financial support makes, showing those girls that they have people who care about them and want them to succeed,” she said.

Fitzgerald passed away in July 2008 while the team was traveling in Europe for an exhibition game. When they arrived back home and heard the news, Lehning was amazed to see the effect it had on the entire team, but not surprised.

“There were girls who just went into a corner and cried,” Lehning remembered. “The whole team went to the funeral. It was really sad, but it showed you just how much one person could matter to so many people. He was the epitome of K-State. K-State creates relationships that show you people care about you as a person, not just an athlete.”

The significance of Fitzgerald’s gift has increased since his passing, having created a way in which he will always be remembered.

“What he gave is even more important now because he is forever honored by K-State and athletics,” Patterson said. “As our program moves forward he

is still being remembered, still creating bigger and better opportunities.”

Lehning herself has moved forward, to a spot on the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. She’ll remember Fitzgerald not only for his support, but for helping her see how important it is to give back.

“I owe myself to K-State and to Jim. He picked me up and helped me through a big part of my life,” she said. “It is a great opportunity and I’d like to do the same thing for someone else someday.”

For information about establishing a scholarship or leaving your legacy at K-State, contact the KSU Foundation Gift Planning department at 785-532-7531 or giftoptions@found.ksu.edu.

By Shanna Williams

LOVING THE GAMELEAVING A LEGACY,

J

Shalee Lehning

Shalee Lehning and Jim Fitzgerald

Please send me a free, confidential

personal illustration on the following:

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haritable remainder unitrust

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haritable gift annuityo

Deferred gift annuity

I would also like m

ore information on

making a gift of:

o Securities

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ther _______________

o Life insurance

o O

ther _______________

o Real estate

o O

ther _______________

I am interested in m

aking a gift to support:

o Research

o C

ampus infrastructure

o Scholarships

o Faculty enhancem

ent

o G

raduate fellowships

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e have included a bequest to the Kansas State U

niversity Foundation in my/our w

ill and/or living trust.

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Address

City, State, ZIP

Phone

E-mail

Birthdate

Spouse’s name

Spouse’s birthdate

We urge you to discuss your tax planning

with your accountant or other financial

advisor.

PLANNING FOR

TOMORROW

WINTER 09

DIFFERENCECREATING A PHILANTHROPIC

AT K-STATEYou can brag about K-State even more!Unfortunately, not all of us have K-State alumni for neighbors. But a little college rivalry is always fun. Whether you like trumpeting

about the Wildcat football team to that loud-mouthed rival university fan down the block, or you enjoy telling your friend about the groundbreaking research your niece is conducting in a microbiology lab, there are a multitude of ways you can help increase bragging rights for the purple and the white. Maybe you played on the K-State basketball team back in the day, and want to set up an excellence scholarship for a potential hoops star in need. Or you dream of helping further advancements in cancer research at the Johnson Cancer Center. With K-State making strides in research, scholarship and athletics at every turn, there’s no end to the areas you could help.

For a list of established funds that are used to help the areas you care about the most, visit www.found.ksu.edu/designate.

How to provide for your kids AND K-StateYou’ve dreamed about giving back to your alma mater for years, and maybe you’re finally in a position to do so. But then you stop and think: what about your kids? Or your grandkids, for that matter? They’re important to you, too. And as lovely as that set of china is, it’s not going to pay for a four-year degree. If only there were a way to provide for both your relatives and the university. Well, there is. It’s called a charitable remainder trust. You put the fund in our hands, and your family is paid income for a fixed period of time. Once that time is up, the remainder of the fund is used to help future generations reach their goals. With a charitable remainder trust, you can show your gratitude to the university that gave you your start in life, and care for those who enriched it. It’s the best of both worlds.

To find out more about a charitable remainder trust and other ways to generate income for yourself or your family while supporting K-State, contact the KSU Foundation Gift Planning Department at 785-532-7531 or giftoptions@found.ksu.edu.

Writing the tax collector out of your willThere’s a saying around the KSU Foundation Gift Planning Department, coined by one of our most loyal donors: “The only person happy when you die is the tax collector.” And unless you’ve got an archenemy out there somewhere, he’s probably right. The government benefits from the distribution of an estate or an IRA withdrawal more than most people know. But there are ways to make sure that your hard-earned money goes to the causes or people who actually need it. With giving vehicles like charitable IRA rollovers and charitable remainder trusts, the value of your gift is undiminished by Uncle Sam. It can be used to set up or supplement scholarships, improve facilities, or reward hard-working faculty members. Whatever you want to support, the foundation can help ensure that when the tax man cometh, he’s not leaving with his pockets full.

Watch for upcoming legislative news on charitable IRA rollovers at the Gift Planning Department tax news Web site, www.found.ksu.edu/plannedgiving.

Discover a wealth of information by visiting

www.found.ksu.edu/plannedgiving

Planned gifts • Gifts of real estate • Gifts of

securities or mutual funds • Gifts of personal

property • Give now

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TAKING CONTROLOF THE UNEXPECTED

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I was having a good run.

I was 48 years old, I’d never been seriously ill a day in my life, and after taking up a fairly strenuous fitness program, I’d dropped 25 pounds. I made an appointment for a physical with my doctor and wrote

down my list of minor concerns: this knee is achy, I’d like to get this mole removed — your typical middle-aged guy stuff. At the bottom of my list was a relatively recent, but in my book, not very alarming concern — a hard spot on my lower abdomen that I’d written off as a pulled muscle, but that was refusing to get any better.

About ten days later, I sat in my doctor’s office while he prodded and palpated this new feature of my physique. He was concerned, so he took a blood sample. My white blood cell count was off the charts. The next day, I was in Topeka, seeing a cancer specialist. The following week, I was in Omaha, Neb., seeing another specialist. The diagnosis? Stage IV Mantel Cell Lymphoma, a particularly aggressive cancer that calls for equally aggressive treatment. I don’t need to tell you what all went through my head, but I will tell you one thought I had: “I don’t have a will.”

Now, I didn’t have a good excuse for not having a will. In my line of work, I should have known

better. I mean, I talk to people every day about the importance of wills and trusts and planning their estates in order to provide for their children, make a gift to K-State, or save their beneficiaries the trouble and expense of figuring out what goes to whom. Not to mention the fact that I have three kids, one of them a minor and the other two in college at the time. Or the fact that I’d seen first-hand what can happen to families when someone shares their ideas and goals, but fails to put those thoughts into a will. No, I didn’t have an excuse. And in reality, no one has an excuse.

Not to sound morbid, but you never know what could happen. My case is a perfect example. One day I’m in perfect health, a few weeks later, I’m headed toward major surgery, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. I had a retirement fund, a couple of insurance policies, a house, car and truck, plus a ton of stuff that was of great emotional worth to me. But there was no way to account for all that or make sure it went where I wanted it to go — if my surgery and treatment didn’t go the way I wanted it to go — without a will.

Maybe you think what you have isn’t worth the trouble of creating a will. Think again. Do you have a house? Probably. A car? Almost definitely. Retirement funds, life insurance, real estate? I bet you do. And if you added all that up, you’d end up with at least a few hundred thousand

dollars-worth of personal property. Without a will, there’s no telling where it will go.

So before my surgery, I worked with an attorney and made a will. It was a surprisingly easy process. I can’t explain the relief I felt, going into that surgery a little more than a year ago, knowing I’d taken control of the things I could control, considering the circumstances.

Beginning last fall, I spent 13 weeks in the hospital and six months away from my desk. Now I’m back, and I’ll reach over and knock on wood as I tell you that I’m in remission. Things are looking really good, and when they weren’t, my family, friends and coworkers were an amazing source of support.

So what’s changed? My hair has gone from straight to curly, and I’ve eliminated years of guilt and reluctance by sitting down with an attorney, putting my thoughts and goals on paper, and sharing that information with my family.

No one could have done for me what I did for myself and my family when I wrote that will. Only I could do that for myself. Only you can do that for yourself. And should K-State be a part of your estate plans, I’m here with the rest of the Gift Planning Department at the KSU Foundation, ready and willing to help you figure that part of it out.

KSU Foundation gift planning officer Gordon Dowell is faced with life-changing news and finds the inspiration he needs to plan his estate.

Kent Sedlacek, senior director of gift planning; Lori Rogge, associate director of gift planning; Gordon Dowell, gift planning officer for extension and real estate; Darci Cain, gift planning officer; Sarah Ptacek, gift planning coordinator.

RESOURCEMEET OUR STAFF, WE’RE YOUR

Gordon Dowell