Focus Forward Spring 2021

Spring 2017 2021 Summer

Thoughtfully providing for what you value most - whether a person or a place - will give you a say in how you want to be remembered. Speak to your financial advisor about what’s on your mind:

focusforward

1879 Society

Creating your legacy for the future of Lakefield College School inscribed on back

Spoken Word Poetry

Team Sailing on Katchewanooka Lake

“The thing is, if you had a good experience at Lakefield, if you think your child benefited from going there... you can leave something in your Will to help LCS thrive in the future...”

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— Phil Babineau

The affection Simone and Phil feel for Lakefield is abundantly clear. “We really wanted to do something meaningful, from the heart. But we didn’t know how to go about it,” Phil says.

The idea of making a legacy donation came from reading an article in Focus Forward. Phil and Simone were thrilled at the possibilities it brought to light. They could show their gratitude in a significant way without depleting funds the family needed in the present. It was the answer they were looking for and they didn’t hesitate to get in touch with LCS to discuss it.

Although the Babineaus chose to make their legacy donation a specific amount they plan to increase in the future, there are various options available. For instance, some donors leave a percentage of their estate, while others create an insurance policy with LCS as the benefactor.

“The important thing,” Phil says, “is to be at ease with whatever you choose to do. Look at your financial situation, look at your numbers, and see what you’re comfortable with. Whatever number you come up with is the right number.”

LAKEFIELD COLLEGE SCHOOL

Science Class

“I would add,” Simone interjects, “never to worry about the amount. It doesn’t have to be big. LCS is appreciative of any amount.”

Christian and Alex were very pleased to hear what their parents were doing for the school. “So, you’re philanthropists now!” Christian said. Phil pooh-poohed that, but since a philanthropist is “a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others,” they are indeed.

“Here’s a quote that expresses what we feel,” Simone says. “It really spoke to us.”

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” —W. Ward

The Babineau Family: Gratitude in Action

“The first time we were on campus was the day Christian started school in September 2012.” Simone Babineau says with a smile. She and her husband Phil Babineau are trying to explain why they’re so pleased to be leaving a legacy gift to LCS. “Classes hadn’t started yet, and we ran into Ian Armstrong ‘83— who we’d met before—walking down a corridor. He immediately came up to Christian, put his arm around his shoulder and said, ‘I’m so glad you’re here!’ I’ll never forget that. We just knew Christian was where he was supposed to be.”

Christian attended Grade 11 and 12 at Lakefield, then his brother Alex followed and did his junior and senior years there as well. “Alex spent a weekend at the Grove when Christian was in Grade 12,” Simone explains. “He

had an overnight at Rashleigh and came home saying —pretty emphatically—that it was his turn now!”

For all the Babineaus, LCS was like a surrogate family.

Although playing hockey was a major reason both Christian and Alex went to Lakefield, it was the quality of education, the abundance of experiences, and the kindness of the community that made each of them feel so good about the school.

“We wanted to do something more than just say thank you,” Simone says. “We wanted them to know how important they were in our lives. Lakefield fostered the boys’ independence, their individuality. And everyone showed them—and us—so much respect.

In the four years they were there, we always got the same response whenever we called: You matter. Your boys matter. Your opinions matter. It’s not often you see that kind of genuine caring in today’s world.”

“Absolutely,” Phil concurs. “The thing is, if you had a good experience at Lakefield, if you think your child benefited from going there, I would encourage giving whatever you can afford. LCS influences kids in their formative years to become socially responsible, productive citizens. If you can leave something in your Will to help LCS thrive in the future, it’s like helping society in general. The Grove cultivates good people.

And the world can always use more of those.”

By Stephanie Edwards P’09

Lakefield College School Foundation

Please contact Theresa Butler-Porter P’13, CFRE, MFA-P T | 705.772.0843 E | tbutlerporter@lcs.on.ca 4391 County Road 29, Lakefield, Ontario, Canada, K0L 2H0 www.lcs.on.ca/LegacyGiving

1879 Society

The information and opinions contained in this newsletter are obtained from various sources believed to be reliable, but their accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Lakefield College School and its employees and agents assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or for damages arising from the use of the published information and opinions. Readers are cautioned to consult their own professional advisors to determine the applicability of information and opinions in this newsletter in any particular circumstances. This newsletter is under copyright; its reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the copyright owner is forbidden.

Phil and Simone Babineau with sons Christian‘14 and Alex‘16

Continued on back

GRATITUDE IN ACTION | IN THEIR OWN WORDS | THREE EASY STEPS | DARREN’S DREAM

What is the 1879 Society?

In 1879, The Grove opened its doors to 15 boys, marking the beginning of what would become the Lakefield College School of today.

In honour of this humble start, and the foresight of our founders, the Lakefield College School Foundation established the 1879 Society to recognize and thank donors who have made provisions for future gifts in their Will or through their estates to support Lakefield College School.

In Their Own Words

Our Students Share The Impact LCS Has Had On Their Lives Cole Fraser ‘21

Minjung Son ‘22

Every day I’ve spent in Upper Colebrook over the last four years, I have had the immense privilege of waking up on a beautiful campus surrounded by individually remarkable people who come together as a family. Whether it be playing hockey in front of my friends, or watching any of our artists perform, even something as small as a campfire for one of our weekend spirit events, our community never fails to amaze me. With the support of this community, I’ve excelled academically, conquered fears, and learned to love my life. At Lakefield, I found more than just a place to learn, I found a place to grow into a man I can be proud of.

Yeseo Kim ‘22 Lakefield didn’t change me. It made me.

Alongside the experienced, supportive faculty here, the school’s exceptional curriculum and facilities have allowed me to pursue my highest academic and extracurricular goals. At the same time, I learned how to be grateful for these amazing opportunities and to pay forward to the broader community. LCS shaped me into an ambitious yet compassionate adult.

By attending Lakefield, I have learned that the regret of not trying is bigger than failure. Time after time, the school has provided everyone the courage to try new things, and our community remains supportive regardless of the outcome. As a result, I have learned to challenge myself. To me, LCS is a place of exploration; a place to be curious. I never know what experiences and challenges I will face in classes and through experiential learning, but the teachers and students encourage me to take a step into the unknown.

Louise Prindiville-Porto ‘22 I have learned that leadership is about the little mistakes you make along the way that give you the experience to better influence those around you and make a change in the future. I have had the privilege to make a change the past few years to observe and learn how to lead. Despite the differences in those I admired, wisdom and empathy are two qualities they all contained. My experience at Lakefield has taught me that I too can be a leader who makes change.

Every day — without exception — students are impacted by the kindness of Grove family and friends.

As a school community we are forever humbled and inspired by the growing number of legacy gifts to the Grove — gifts of all sizes that have been realized or pledged to the school through the Wills and estates of members of the LCS community.

F O C U S F O R WA R D

Members of the 1879 Society primarily include donors of bequests (gifts in their Will), life insurance, real estate, or the proceeds of a TFSA/RRSP/RRIF. All gifts, regardless of the amount, will help LCS meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

If you are interested in discussing the impact that you could have on the future of The Grove and its students, contact Theresa Butler-Porter P’13 CFRE, MFA-P, C: 705-772-0843 or tbutlerporter@lcs.on.ca or visit www.lcs.on.ca/LegacyGiving

Did you know?

If Lakefield College School is in your Will or other estate plans for $100,000 or more, you may be able to name a bursary or scholarship after anyone you choose AND change the life of a teenager — forever.

Three Easy Steps

to Make a Gift in Your Will

The steps to making a gift in your Will (a bequest) are easy and, when done properly can help to ensure that your loved ones are cared for, your estate is protected, and any gifts you wish to make are secure.

Ask for Advice Make the decision that creating a gift in your Will is right for you and discuss your wishes with your family and the people who matter most in your life. Ask your financial advisor whether to give a specific amount, a percentage, or the residue of your estate.

Talk to Your Lawyer Instruct your lawyer to add a clause in your Will or add a codicil to your existing Will that establishes your bequest gift to the LCS Foundation. Provide your lawyer with the legal name Lakefield College School Foundation — and address — 4391 County Rd #29, Lakefield ON K0L 2H0 along with the Charitable Registration Number —8887 87066 RR0001. Then let your lawyer take it from there.

Share With Us If you are comfortable, tell us about your bequest. We would like to thank you, include you as a member of The 1879 Society and make sure we understand how you want your gift to be used. If you would like to remain anonymous, we promise to respect your privacy.

CREATING YOUR LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE OF LAKEFIELD COLLEGE SCHOOL

Darren’s Dream It’s no secret, that Darren Bishop ’03 believed that the four years he spent at Lakefield College School were life changing for him. Not only was it the special place where he met his best friends, but he also attributed his entire LCS high school experience as the most influential time of his life.

Darren was passionate about a lot of things - his family, his friends and hockey. Life was good and he invested himself wholeheartedly into every single moment. He worked hard, was confident, goaloriented and was in the early days of a successful career at Maple Leaf Foods when he was diagnosed with cancer in May 2012. Sadly, Darren passed away 28 months later but not before he had an opportunity to write his Will.

It was one of his LCS friends, Graham Bocking ’03 who shared that what inspired the 29-year-old to make a gift in his Will was simply his love of The Grove. “Darren was a regular Peterborough kid same as me - and when he made his Will, he wanted to do whatever he could to help another regular kid from Peterborough – like him – to experience the difference LCS could make in their life.”

Darren wanted others to have the opportunity to achieve their dreams and that meant having access to an LCS education regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

Because of Darren’s thoughtful gift, his dream of making an LCS education possible for a ‘regular Peterborough kid’ is unfolding. With Darren’s bequest and the ongoing generosity and commitment of those closest to him The Bishop Family Bursary continues to grow, and the goal of raising $100,000 to fully fund this endowed bursary continues.

Our entire community eagerly awaits the day when the first Bishop Family Bursary recipient - that regular Peterborough kid – steps on campus and, with Darren-like enthusiasm and spirit, embarks on their very own unique LCS adventure. Thank you, Darren!