YOUR LEGACY REMEMBERED
By Bud Layne, AMA Foundation Chairman | bud_layne@spantechllc.com
I’d like to be remembered after I’m gone. I’ve had a good life while I’ve been here.
My experience of growing up in the US has been nothing short of just plain wonderful—this is absolutely the best place in the world to grow up. Unfortunately, we’re all going to come to an end at some point. I’m thinking about the sweet hereafter, where there’s an endless supply of 5.5-pound balsa wood that’s all C-grain and perfectly straight, endless supplies of 599 rubber, and an indoor flying site that’s 300 feet tall with nothing but smooth walls and smooth ceilings. Yes, I can think about the sweet hereafter.
But what about the here and now? As a friend of mine put it, “Bud, in the business world, your existence here is like sticking your finger in a hat full of water. After you’re gone, you pull that finger out and nobody remembers who you were and nobody remembers what you did because you need something left that says who you were.” That’s the concept behind endowments.
You can endow, for example, an engineering building or a medical building at a university. If you form an endowment, it will have your name on it and be used for whatever purposes you decide it should be used for. You’ll be remembered from then on because of that.
Outside of endowments, there are many ways to be remembered by using planned giving. Through the AMA Foundation’s partnership with FreeWill, AMA members can leave bequests and designate beneficiaries through their wills, ensuring that their legacy remains prominent for generations to come. Free to use, this online tool allows you to create a flight plan for your future, all while ensuring that your impact is never forgotten. I encourage you to peruse planned giving options by visiting the FreeWill
website listed in “Sources” or by scanning the QR code.
Participating in the AMA Foundation’s Naming Rights Program is yet another way to have a lasting impact on our hobby while leaving a legacy rooted in philanthropy. Through this program, you can place your name on an AMA landmark of your choosing, which allows you to hand-pick the legacy that you leave. For more information about available naming rights, contact AMA Foundation Executive Director Steve Haston, whose contact information is listed in “Sources.”
Lastly, to forever cement your name in the hobby and sport of model aviation, consider purchasing a brick in the Walk of Fame. Not only will your monetary contribution go right back into the growth and sustainment of our hobby, but your brick will serve as a permanent testimony to your continuing support of model aviation. Available in a variety of sizes and materials, you’ll have the option of choosing exactly how your legacy is reflected in the brick(s) of your choice. For more information, visit the Walk of Fame website, listed in “Sources.”
Maybe you’d like to be remembered too. Just think about that for a little bit.
There are a variety of ways to ensure that your legacy is left, your name is remembered, and your impact is multiplied. Please reach out to AMA Foundation staff with any questions that you might have.
It’s always good to communicate with you. Enjoy yourself and keep on flying.
SOURCES:
AMA Foundation Executive Director Steve Haston
(765) 287-1256, ext. 279
stephenh@modelaircraft.org
AMA Walk of Fame
amafoundation.modelaircraft.org/walk-of-fame
AMA Foundation Naming Rights Program
amafoundation.modelaircraft.org/naming-rights-program
FreeWill
partner.freewill.com/amafoundation
