Stories about giving back

Mary and Jim Starsmore lived in a stone house that Jim built in 1928.

When Mary passed, she left her remaining assets in an endowed fund that would forever care for this beloved community asset. Today, the Friends of Cheyenne Cañon maintain the Starsmore Discover Center at the base of the canyon with the help of a $25,000 annual gift that comes from Mary’s estate.

Mary’s legacy lives on as her original home now serves as the gateway to the canyon’s beautiful waterfalls, rock formations, wildflowers and wildlife.

Jim Strub called us just before his 88th birthday. He was working out the details of his estate, but had one lingering concern: he wanted the peace of mind to know that what remained of his wealth would go to the ministry he and his late wife Peggy valued most — the church they helped plant in 2004.

To Jim, ensuring the church’s future was a important as supporting its beginning. He established an endowed designated fund that will accept complex assets from his bequest, and transform them into stable funding for the church decades from now, and beyond.

Wes and Charlotte Howard came to us with a vision, but they didn’t know where to start.

They wanted to strengthen the pipelines for students entering the trades, and for nurses who want to support their rural communities.

PPCF helped Wes and Charlotte establish scholarships with several institutions to meet their goals. Their fund allows them to engage in complex giving without the administrative burden.

Ben and Raynelle Kuckel moved to Colorado to be near family during their retirement years. Here in the Pikes Peak Region, they have been active as volunteers in the arts, their church, youth sports, their homeowners’ association, a land trust and higher education.

Through their donor advised fund at the Pikes Peak Community Foundation (“The September 7th Fund”, named after their anniversary date), the Kuckels are helping sustain non-profit organizations they are passionate about, organizations that are involved in the arts, higher education, land preservation and environmental causes.

Their donor advised fund allows them to put structure around their philanthropy, allowing them to support nonprofits they care about now as well as seeing these organizations receive grants automatically well into the future.