Helping the good work live on.

By INCLUDE A CHARITY

Ron and Jeanette Schofield of NSW have been supporting children and communities in need for more than 30 years. As coordinators of a World Vision Community Group, they’ve fundraised for emergency appeals, development projects and a fistula hospital in Ethiopia.

Since 1995 alone – when they moved to the Southern Highlands of NSW and started a new group with members of their family – they’ve raised more than $120,000. In fact, 10 years ago they had already clocked up over 2,000 voluntary hours!

Whether standing at a market stall, rattling a collection tin in a shopping centre, or hosting a fundraising event, the couple have been dedicated to helping as many people as they can.

Jeanette and Ron, both now retired, also taught their children about the importance of helping others. Both of their sons are still part of their community group, and Jeanette recalls her eldest son hosting regular five-course dinner parties in his university days, raising enough money to sponsor three World Vision children for a number of years.

Ron and Jeanette have made the decision to include World Vision in their Wills as a way to continue their involvement with World Vision into the future.

“It’s a way that we can still help where it’s needed, and continue the work we’ve been able to do. It’s just a continuation of what we’ve done all our lives…Giving is an ongoing thing and we don’t want it to stop if there’s some way we can keep going,” says Jeanette.

World Vision, and around 140 of Australia’s other most loved charities, including Barnados, Cancer Council Australia, Guide Dogs Australia, Cerebral Palsy Alliance, the Stroke Foundation, and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation,are coming together this September for Include a Charity Week (8-14 September 2014). “Live on” is the message of this national awareness campaign, which seeks to enocourage more Australians to consider including a charity when preparing, or next updating their Will.

While an impressive 70% of Australians support one or more charities during their lifetime, in 2012, only 7.5% of the people who passed away included a charitable gift in their will. Include a Charity is seeking to double the number of Australians aged over 60 who include a gift in their Will by 2020.

“Many Australian charities are reliant on bequests to fulfil their good work in the community, and Include a Charity Week highlights the enormous assistance these gifts can deliver,” says Leanne Warner, Include a Charity Chairperson.

During Include a Charity Week, collaborative local events will take place in charity offices around the country, and a digital campaign will be launched, showcasing with a collage, the number charities under the Include a Charity banner, and the vital role they play in communities all over Australia.

For more information about Include a Charity, a full list of member charities and for more on how to leave a bequest, please visit www.includeacharity.com.au 

Include a Charity Week is on from 8-14 September 2014.