Daniel and Debbie Bardon enjoy hiking in the redwood forest near their Oakland-area home.
Our love of the Redwoods probably started in the seventies when we would spend the weekend at Orr Hot Springs Resort and play hide and seek in the Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve. It also might have been on a trip to the Hidden Springs Campground in Humboldt Redwoods State Park while swimming in the Eel River.
Years later, while marveling at the trees and sorrel on the Drury-Chaney Trail, we made the connection between what we were enjoying and the conservation history of the Save the Redwoods League.
From then on, we were committed to adding our contribution to preserving the forest. That opportunity came when we were old enough to begin taking our required minimum distributions from our IRA accounts.
By donating four qualified charitable distributions to the League, we could avoid federal taxes and fund a small grove in our name in the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We’re proud to see our names displayed there when we visit and content with our decision to contribute while we could still enjoy it.
If you asked us what it is about the League that continues to earn our trust, we’d tell you using words like stewardship, visionary, collaborative, practical, scientific, and historical. The League is a union of members and staff with a mission, almost like soldiers, ready to preserve, protect, and defend the Redwood empire.
A mission that we will continue to support because we love the forest.
Will You Help Defend the Redwoods?
There are many ways to help, whether through a qualified distribution like the Bardons, a gift that generates income for you, or a beneficiary designation. Explore these options with our online guide, Make the Most of Your Retirement Assets.
Download your FREE guide today!
Legacy gifts make it possible for Save the Redwoods League to continue its efforts to preserve the redwoods so generations ahead will be able to enjoy them just as Daniel and Debbie did. To begin creating your redwoods legacy, please contact Deborah White at 415-820-5828 or DWhite@SaveTheRedwoods.org.