Barbara Mendyke’s foresight in saving for her retirement is going to benefit 10 of her favorite charities forever.

The former Barbara Russell was an Appleton kindergarten teacher. She invested in a tax-sheltered annuity through WEAC, a statewide organization of teachers’ unions, to secure her retirement. But she decided that instead of spending the annuity money in her retirement years, she wants it to support her favorite charities for the long term.

The Barbara Russell Family Fund, already established at the Community Foundation, will receive the proceeds of the annuity upon her death and use the money to continue to support the 10 nonprofit organizations she has chosen – some local and some elsewhere – long after she’s gone. The arrangement gives her the flexibility to change the list, add more charities or give different percentages to each.

To thank her now for arranging that gift, she was invited to become a member of the Himebaugh Legacy Circle.

“I think giving through the Foundation is a wonderful idea,” Barbara said. “After I’m gone, I want to make certain the fund is being used wisely.”

She is relying on the Community Foundation to see to that.

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