“Dr. Anne was an inspiration to me,” says Esther. “I really marveled at her accomplishments.” Esther left Jamestown after her sophomore year to study at St. Aloysius Academy in Oakwood, N.D., and then attended the North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton, but her friendship with Dr. Anne, who passed away in 2002, remained strong through the years.
not even alive. The more you move with arthritis, the less pain you suffer.”
Esther (right) established a Charitable Gift Annuity with ACC in early 2010. ACC’s Shelley Nannenga is pictured here with Esther, during one of their recent visits.
“I enjoyed playing bridge with her from time to time,” recalls Esther. “I also had the fortune of traveling with her on a car trip to New York City for the 1964-1965 World’s Fair. That was so much fun!”
“A Gift from God” After completing her education, Esther returned to the school in Jamestown in 1953, this time as an employee. In that year, Dr. Anne was the administrator, and construction of the industrial arts department, homemaking department, and new kitchen and dining room facilities was underway. Esther was hired as a secretary in the principal’s office. For 14 years, she served as an assistant to the principal and the development director. Still living with Rheumatoid arthritis, she refused to let the disorder interfere with her busy life. The key, she found, was to keep moving. She excelled at typing and was responsible for typing lengthy progress reports for each student at the school. She was later recruited to work for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction in Bismarck. Two years later, Esther became the supervisor of the Steno Department at Deaconess Hospital in Grand Forks. The responsibility of the position doubled when Deaconess merged with St. Michael’s Hospital, and Esther began supervising ten medical word processors in the Medical Word Processing Center. Meanwhile, she was also pursuing her educational goals, spending summers studying at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn. In 1987, she graduated with her degree in health information administration. With her new degree and an impressive resume of work experience, Esther took advantage of a career opportunity far from home. She was hired for a position in the federal government at the VA Medical Center in Danville, Ill., where she worked for five years as the assistant chief of medical records. In 1994, Esther retired. She returned to North Dakota and now lives in Grand Forks, but she hasn’t stop moving. “I am currently involved with 13 organizations, and I take an active role in leadership in many of those organizations,” she says. As she looks back on her life, Esther describes each step in her career path as a blessing … a chance to contribute to the world, while keeping her body strong and agile. “I feel like work has been a gift from God,” she says. “I guess I always wanted to be like other people. That is what kept me going. I think if I hadn’t worked all of those years, I probably would today be bedridden, and maybe
Giving Back Esther credits the Crippled Children’s School (now the Anne Carlsen Center) with providing a strong foundation for future success. The school, she says, equipped and empowered her to lead an active, productive life. The former student … and former employee … is now connected to the Center as a donor, providing financial support for life-changing programs and services.
“I really wanted to do something special for the school,” Esther says. “I honestly believe I would not have had a normal life without the foundation I received there. Because of my experiences, training, education and therapy, I was able to go on to accomplish so many goals in life and make so many friends.” Esther chose to establish a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) with the Anne Carlsen Center. Through the CGA, Esther supports the Center’s mission, while receiving steady payments during her retirement years as well as an income tax deduction. Through a simple contract, Esther agreed to make a donation (options for donors include cash, stocks or other assets), and the Center agreed to pay her a fixed amount each year for the rest of her life. “It came at the right time for me,” she says. “I wish everybody who is able to do so could do that for the children of the Anne Carlsen Center. “The Center is a wonderful place. A loving staff provides support when it’s needed most. I am thankful that such a place exists.”
Benefits of Charitable Gift Annuities:
In addition to providing a gift to the Anne Carlsen Center and receiving fixed payments for life, you also receive these benefits: • Your initial gift is partially income tax-deductible. • Your Charitable Gift Annuity payments are partially income tax-free throughout your life expectancy. • Your payments are not affected by ups and downs in the economy. • The annuity can be for one or two people, so your spouse or loved one can also receive payments for life.
CGA Rates are Rising!
Did you hear? The American Council on Gift Annuities recently reviewed its maximum suggested Charitable Gift Annuity rate and approved slightly higher rates for most ages, effective July 1. The last time they were adjusted was February 2009. What does this mean? As of July 1, donors not only receive great satisfaction from supporting the Anne Carlsen Center, but they also receive greater payout rates on their gifts! To learn about the new rates, contact: Shelley Nannenga ACC Interim Development Director 701-952-5109, toll free 1-800-568-5175 shelley.nannenga@annecenter.org
The Ambassador
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