Legacy Circle Member Stories
Meet a few of our Cascade PBS Legacy Circle members and learn why they plan to include Cascade PBS as a beneficiary in their will, trust, or by designating us as a beneficiary on an account. You can become a member too! Learn more here.
Virginia Beugless
Hello, fellow Cascade PBSers! My name is Virginia Beugless, but family and friends call me Ginger. Raised in Rochester, N.Y., I was the youngest of three and so very lucky to have had caring parents who instilled in us a deep love of music, art, literature, nature, adventure, and involvement in the world around us.
After graduating with a degree in fine arts, I worked in advertising in Rochester before moving to Seattle in January 1972. My first job here was at KING-TV before returning to the ad agency side of the media business. Working in media was a great way to learn about this beautiful Northwest area, but I quickly discovered the heavenly, commercial-free escape offered by Cascade PBS. It's been my station of choice ever since.
Programming for All Ages
I love that Cascade PBS gives us in-depth news on local issues via IN Close and elsewhere via BBC World News, PBS NewsHour, and Washington Week, and putting a value on the educational programs on Channel 9 is hard. Daily children's shows like Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and Sid the Science Kid open up doors for youngsters of all ages in a non-threatening and entertaining way and, hopefully, encourage them to learn more about living in the world they're inheriting.
I, too, love programs that inform us about this fascinating globe of ours. At my age I've neither the time nor the energy to explore all the places I'd like to visit, so I travel on Cascade PBS with Rick Steves' Europe, Oregon Field Guide, Great Continental Railway Journeys, and even NOVA.
A love of history and mysteries adds to my list of favorites Masterpiece, Masterpiece Classic, Masterpiece Mystery!, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, and every Ken Burns series that comes along. I try not to miss the opera, music, ballet, and live specials from the Met, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. But thank heavens for DVR when ushering at McCall Hall keeps me away from my TV when these specials are aired.
For all of the joy and delight these programs give me, I wanted to do something to support them for future generations. Being of limited funds, however, my happy solution was to make Cascade PBS the beneficiary of my life insurance policy. And that gives me great pleasure, indeed. I encourage folks of a similar persuasion to follow this most satisfying and painless way of supporting this remarkable station.
Jessie and Mary Johanson
More Than Viewers
Jessie and Mary Johanson share many interests: hiking, traveling and Cascade PBS are just a few of the things this mother and daughter have in common. Mary says that her "travel bug" came from her mother and father, who traveled extensively.
"I traveled with them quite a bit and have continued my adventures, including trips to Madagascar, Eastern Siberia, Antarctica, Svalbard, the Galapagos, and on and on! Mom and I took our most recent trip to the Atacama Desert and Easter Island."
Loyal Watchers
When Mary and Jessie are not traveling, gardening (Jessie has a degree in botany), or hiking, they enjoy a wide variety of programs on Cascade PBS. Jessie's favorites include the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts and Masterpiece while Mary likes Travel with Rick Steves, KCTS 9 Cooks, and Outdoor Idaho. Both are fans of Nature, NOVA, and Doc Martin.
Mary recalls, "We got our first television in about 1961 and have been Cascade PBS viewers since then."
Loyal Supporters
Both Mary and Jessie are also annual donors and have included Cascade PBS in their wills. As Jessie says, "We both want public television to be able to continue into the future and realize that private contributions are the way that will happen."
Clearly, enjoying and supporting Cascade PBS is a Johanson family legacy!
Sherry Stevens
Growing Up With KCTS 9
Sherry Stevens has included Cascade PBS in her estate plans so that others can continue to benefit from the programs she loves. As a native of Seattle, Sherry Stevens says that she has grown up with the city and Cascade PBS. She began watching Channel 9 in the 1970s when a history teacher told her it was the only balanced news available.
When Sherry began teaching arts awareness classes for teachers, she used information from Shakespearian productions and novels gathered from Cascade PBS to broaden their experiences. She even listened to British programs to hear different English accents for a production of My Fair Lady. Today, Sherry is a local tour guide and finds Cascade PBS invaluable for keeping her informed about Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
Four years ago, a friend of Sherry's died unexpectedly without a will. This was a wakeup call for Sherry. "I sat down and thought about what, in this life, was important to me." After reviewing her estate, Sherry made Cascade PBS the beneficiary of a commercial annuity. She wants Cascade PBS "to always be there to provide dance, drama, music, painting and just plain beauty from around the world for children and adults to see."
Bill and Delia Purdy
Couple Finds Way to Give and Receive
Bill and Delia Purdy are Cascade PBS Legacy Circle members who value public television for its "trustworthiness, thoroughness, educational content, high-quality entertainment programs, and lack of commercials."
A sound engineer, Bill developed an appreciation for the value of and need for noncommercial broadcasting early in his career. He went on to found a company that produced equipment for cinemas and theatres. Delia's appreciation for Cascade PBS and public television is rooted in her four decades in education as a third-grade teacher and then as an elementary school principal.
Discovering the Charitable Gift Annuity
Approaching retirement and the sale of Bill's business, the Purdys wanted to provide a gift for the future of Cascade PBS, as well as a source of income for themselves. A charitable gift annuity turned out to be the perfect solution: lifetime tax-advantaged payments for Bill and Delia, and when the gift annuity ends, the remaining balance helps Cascade PBS continue to provide programs that inform, involve, and inspire the community.
Nicki Gates
Growing Up With Public Television
Nicki Gates first became familiar with public television when her children were toddlers and preschoolers. When she and her husband John married in 1971, he brought two children—Jennifer and Ted—with him. Then they added Christopher, Hilary and Molly for a total of five.
Nicki had her own ideas about raising children. "Of course, I was going to be the kind of mother who NEVER let the television 'babysit' her children. Someone had other plans. Mr. Rogers, Sesame Street and Electric Company were broadcast during the dinner prep/calm down time. And I must admit to enjoying much of the music and repartee myself. Chris and Hilary learned to read via Electric Company."
The Gates' involvement with public television did not stop with the kids. "Masterpiece Theatre—comedy, classics, mystery quickly became a part of our viewing. Ken Burns, Leonard Bernstein, Charlie Rose, Rick Steves, Alistair Cook, America's Test Kitchen, other cooking shows—the list goes on. PBS has become a complete entertainment and educational station, one which we are privileged to support in hopes that the mission will endure."
Nicki has been a Habitat for Humanity volunteer for 13 years and inspired by former Habitat CEO Dorothy Bullitt who always spoke about the privilege of giving, Nicki has included both Habitat and Cascade PBS in her estate plans. "We have been fortunate financially and in other ways. Our children have already benefited from our money, having graduated from undergraduate school with no debt. We have helped them all buy homes. Maybe we did something right as they all seem proud of the charitable work on our part. That's why I have designated Cascade PBS as one of the charitable beneficiaries for my IRAs and included Cascade PBS in my will. Both types of gifts were suggested by my brother who is a CPA and endorsed by my husband and children. I would absolutely encourage others to make similar gifts."
This is not intended to be professional legal or financial advice. You should always consult your advisors as they know your personal situation best.
