Review/Update Winter 2013 - Lake Forest Academy

• • •Merrill Ferguson says he had “no idea what to expect” whenhe entered the Academy as a freshman in 1968. LFA was astrange atmosphere. He knew no one; he missed home. Butbefore long, the Academy became a familiar and comfortingplace to Merrill. He made friends. He found his way around.He enjoyed the challenges of the classroom and the thrill ofacademic discovery.“One of the things I learned from my LFA experience wasan appreciation for an academic outlook,” says Merrill.“Knowledge for its own sake was a good thing; it didn’t haveto be useful or practical in some obvious way. It was an end,a good thing, all by itself.”Gift MakesGood Senseby Ruth KeysoOne of the most thoughtful ways to demonstrate support for anorganization is through a planned gift. Donors who name theAcademy in their estate plans send a powerful message abouttheir belief in the institution and their desire to see it thrive.Longtime donors and planned giving supporters ShaunaBarry-Ferguson and Merrill Ferguson ’72, P’10 say their decisionto provide for the Academy in their estate plans makesgood sense. After all, they’ve supported the school loyallythroughout their lifetime. Why not continue that support afterthey’re gone?“If you believe in something and it made a difference in yourlife, if it helped you, then turn around and help [that organization],”Shauna says. To the Fergusons, there is no greaterexpression of thanks and gratitude.(above) Shauna and Merrill Ferguson ’72, P’10Merrill stayed close to the Academy in the years after graduation,eventually serving on the board of trustees and, today,as life trustee. In 2006, when their daughter Emily’10entered LFA as a freshman, Merrill and Shauna’s bond withthe school deepened. They watched Emily thrive in the smallclassroom environment, and participate to the fullest in theacademic and artistic world that surrounded her.“The school was an ideal fit for someone of her intellect andwit,” says Shauna. “She challenged herself at a young ageand blossomed in so many ways.”The Fergusons believe in the Academy and its mission toeducate and inspire young people to be good scholars andcitizens of the world around them. Their leadership supportof the annual fund, their generous campaign gifts, and theirdecision to include the Academy in their estate arrangementssupport this sentiment. Modest and matter-of-fact abouttheir personal giving, the Fergusons recognize the positiveinfluence the Academy had in Merrill’s life—the friends hemade, the bonds he formed, the teachers he encountered—and want to perpetuate this legacy for today’s students.“It just makes sense to do our part to ensure this happens forgenerations to come,” says Merrill.The Fergusons have not designated their planned gift; rather,they entrust the Academy to use their investment in the area“Planned giving is the easiest way to make a contribution to the school: You have your assets duringyour lifetime, and then the Academy is remembered when you no longer need them. To me, makinga planned gift to LFA is the right thing to do as it helps ensure the long-term future of the school.The Academy has had great success over the past 15 years with increased annual fund and generouscapital campaign contributions. The challenge now is building the endowment. An investmenttoday—through a planned gift arrangement—is protecting LFA for future generations.”—Life trustee Karl Gedge ’69, P’01, Charleston, SCAnnual fund, planned giving, and campaign supporter6 Update February 2013