Philanthropy
SUPPORTING BIG IDEAS OF THE FUTURE A talk with SA donor and IBOD member Sharon Cartwright
A
month before the pandemic began, Sharon Cartwright and her husband Geoff left their fast-paced lives in Sydney to move to a mountain village in Queensland, near where they grew up. It was a lifestyle change that allowed them more time to devote to Sharon’s parents and some personal interests and passions. For Sharon, one of those passions is Sweet Adelines International. Sharon has been a Sweet Adeline since 2008. After many years with Northern Beaches Chorus, she now sings with Vocalescence Chorus and Luminous Quartet. She is a member of the Sweet Adelines International Board of Directors, where she is chair of the Regional Leadership Committee and a member of the Board Resource Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Region #34 education faculty. Because Sweet Adelines International has been so important in her life, Sharon and her husband decided to include it in their estate planning. “The move interstate meant we needed new wills as we’re now under different state laws,” she said. “Having just changed our life significantly, updating our wills was a smart thing to do. ” Including an estate gift to Sweet Adelines International wasn’t something Sharon had thought about until the Nancy Bergman Legacy Society was launched in 2019. Although Australians are renowned for being big-hearted and generous when giving for disaster relief or local community fundraising, making financial contributions through estate planning isn’t as common as it is in some other countries. Sharon recalled her late sister-in-law Mary supported a charity she was passionate about in her will. As music is a passion Sharon shares with her sons Richard, Julian and Oliver, she was inspired to follow Mary’s lead by planning an estate gift to Sweet Adelines. “Some people in Australia take offense when they are asked to donate money over and above paying their dues, volunteering their time and supporting the many activities in their chorus and region,” says Sharon. “I assumed philanthropy is something corporations and foundations do, not everyday people on average incomes like me. When I read stories about why some members gave to Sweet Adelines, I was inspired by their belief in the
6
| July 2022
transformative difference their gift can make. Being a member of the board, I know there are bold and exciting dreams to grow the organization beyond where we are today, the kind that can’t happen with dues alone. Geoff and I saw my gift as a way to ensure something is ongoing as a result of me being part of an organization that gives me so much pleasure and is a personal passion.” Sharon said her favorite part of being a Sweet Adeline is the collaborative nature of it. “I love performing, and I always have,” she says. “It’s more than just the spotlight being on you and singing on a stage. Starting with the sheet music and a learning track, you know that, before long, something amazing is going to be created. It’s four voice parts, the arranger, the lyricist and composer, the director…Everybody's energy goes into creating this precious thing that can be offered to people to bring them joy.” Sharon says volunteering, holding leadership positions, and all the other work that goes into Sweet Adelines International is also meaningful. “Every time I'd offer a little bit of help, I could see the difference it made straight away and how people appreciated it,” she recalls about her early days as a Sweet Adeline. “That combination of seeing an instant result for my effort, as well as people being genuinely appreciative and gracious about the fact that I was donating my time to do these things made me feel that it was really worthwhile. I could see that being in Sweet Adelines was not just a hobby and a place to sing. I was growing, I was learning, I was able to make a difference. I was making new friends from all different places and walks of life, and I just thought more people in the world should have what I had. Now, leaving money to Sweet Adelines in my will makes me feel that what I've contributed doesn't have to stop.’" To find out more about donating to Sweet Adelines International, contact Chief Philanthropy and Administrative Officer, Susan Smith at philanthropy@sweetadelines.com or visit www.sweetadelines.com/give.