The Star of the North Retreat House - Registered CRA Charity *108008871RR001
__________________________
We publicly thank our generous donors William and Jane Simington for a recent grant contribution of $8,000 through the Raymond James of Canada Foundation. We acknowledge the enormous contribution Jane Simington’s work has made towards education, healing, trauma and grief recovery, internationally and especially at The Star through "Taking Flight International".
Thank you Jane and William for your ongoing support of The Star through the years.
____________________________
(Please note: Our new online donor platform is the non-profit "Zeffy". When you make a donation on our donations page, donations are set with a percentage going to Zeffy as a non-profit. By clicking on the percentage box area, you can choose and determine how much you will donate to Zeffy. Also, you will receive a tax receipt by email from Zeffy, not from The Star of the North. Please check in junk mail or in your regular email box for Zeffy when making donations. Thank you.)
“Even a seemingly small act of generosity can grow into something far beyond what we could ever ask or imagine (see Eph. 3:30) – the creation of a community of love in this world, and beyond this world, because wherever love grows, it is stronger than death (1 Cor. 13:8). So when we give ourselves to planting and nurturing love here on earth our efforts will reach out beyond our own chronological existence. Indeed, if we raise funds for the creation of a community of love, we are helping God build the kingdom. We are doing exactly what we are supposed to do as Christians.” Henri Nouwen
We thank God for the gifts of so our patrons and community partners who have contributed to the Star and who form part of a community of love for the Star, for the glory of God! May God bless us all, near and far, alive or gone before us, who have or are shaping a history of healing and hope for future generations to come.
Star of the North will continue to dare to live the Gospel and offer radical hospitality, hope and inspiration for the weary, the wounded, the healers, bridge-builders, creators, lovers of God’s dream for a world of peace, love and justice.
Star raises funds through our Camino Walk, letter mail-outs and other fundraising events for the following:
* annual inner-city Men’s and Women’s Weekend Wellness Retreats
* Retreat, Seminar, Conference, and Spiritual Formation Grant Subsidies for those who need assistance to attend a variety of programs.
We thank you for your support.
Planned gifts – also referred to as legacy gifts - are generally deferred gifts that come from accumulated assets. They are most often received on the death of a donor, but not always. Many are larger gifts than the donor would normally make through their annual giving.
A choice to leave this type of gift is not a spur of the moment decision. Donors make a commitment after careful consideration. This may include:
Gifts can come in the form of bequests in Wills, life insurance policies, endowment funds, publicly traded securities, real estate and other assets. Most are deferred gifts, but a few can be outright donations, where the donor is able to witness their legacy in action. What they all have in common is a goal of seeing the good works of the Star of the North Retreat House continue for future generations.
The Star of the North Retreat House was established by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1953. Your support through a planned gift will help insure that both the programs and services offered by the Star of the North and the legacy of the Oblates remain an important part of our community and its history.
There are two types of bequests. The first is one that is made for a specific amount. It would look somewhat like this: “I direct that $5,000 be given to the Star of the North Retreat House”. The second leaves a percentage of the residue of the estate as part of a Will: “ I leave 25% of my estate to the Star of the North Retreat House”.
With specific bequests, the Star of the North might receive the gift as soon as the Executor has determined that adequate funds remain to look after any expenses to the estate, such as taxes and unpaid bills. When the bequest is in the form of a percentage of the estate, it can take longer for the Star of the North to receive their share, as all bills have to be paid and the estate fully settled before the final disbursement is made. Either way, the Star of the North benefits and is grateful for your support.
Has the Star of the North Retreat House had a positive impact on you or one of your loved ones? By leaving a bequest in your Will, you will help insure the future of the Star is secure for generations to come.
For further information on bequests in Wills and other methods of planned giving, please contact Lucie Leduc, Executive Director, at (780) 459-5511.