By Alex Vlahopoulos
For NCRF Founding member Debra Cheyne, CSR (OR/WA), MA (USD) the decision to support the National Court Reporters Foundation’s (NCRF) Legacy Society came from a desire to give back to a profession that has given her so much. An NCRA member and former NCRF Trustee from Sherwood, Ore., Cheyne is one of the NCRA members to include a provision benefiting the Legacy Society in her estate planning. Cheyne spent decades providing realtime for the deaf and hard of hearing, mostly in the Oregon court system.
“I first learned about the Legacy Society when reading the JCR magazine, and I noticed a page dedicated to a colleague’s legacy provision,” said Cheyne.
“I, like most people, want to leave the world a better place for having been given the gift of life,” she said. “The National Court Reporters Foundation’s philanthropic programs make our world a better place. Becoming a member of the Legacy Society helps ensure the next generation of court reporters will have the support through scholarships and grants to succeed in continuing our role as verbatim guardians of the record.”
Cheyne added that one of the greatest values of the Legacy Society is the example it provides. “Supporting NCRF through the Legacy Society helps ensure the next generation has the resources to succeed,” Cheyne said. “It’s a way to give back to a profession that has given so much to me.”
She believes such donations offer visible role models of good leadership, service above self, and a shared commitment to promoting the profession of the future.
Through the NCRF Legacy Society, members can ensure that the profession that has supported them continues to thrive for future generations. A legacy donation to NCRF allows members to give back by including the Foundation as a beneficiary of their estate. These planned gifts help sustain programs that advance education, preservation, and professional development across court reporting, CART captioning, and legal videography.
NCRF Chair Doug Friend, FAPR, RDR, CRR (Ret.), emphasized the importance of planned giving in securing the Foundation’s future and ensuring long-term impact.
“Remembering the National Court Reporters Foundation in my estate planning is the best way to know that my contributions will have a lasting impact on my beloved profession,” Friend said. “Although I’ve contributed regularly to the Foundation for decades, I know that when I pass, the bequest I leave will continue to benefit all our members, from recruitment to retirement, for several years after I’m gone.”
For many members, joining the Legacy Society reflects a deep appreciation for a profession that shaped their lives. NCRF Angel Gatherers Committee member Melanie L. Humphrey-Sonntag, FAPR, RDR, CRR, CRC, credits the Foundation and the profession with creating opportunities that have endured throughout her career.
“I’ve been lucky to be involved in the Foundation’s work,” Humphrey-Sonntag said. “Because I am a member of the Legacy Society, I know that the good work of the Foundation will continue to go on for years and years, enabling other lucky people who find this career.”
Watch Melanie Humphrey Sonntag’s video about her NCRF Legacy donation.
Legacy gifts provide meaningful benefits such as potential estate tax advantages and the peace of mind that comes from planning ahead.
Ways to support the NCRF Legacy Society
There are several flexible options for including NCRF in your estate plan:
- Bequests: Designate NCRF in your will or trust by leaving a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or remaining assets after providing for loved ones. Bequests to NCRF are fully deductible for estate tax purposes.
- Life insurance: Name NCRF as the beneficiary of all or a portion of a life insurance policy. These gifts are also fully deductible for estate tax purposes.
- Outright gifts: While not required for Legacy Society membership, outright gifts — including gifts of appreciated stock or mutual fund shares — may be made during a donor’s lifetime and can provide immediate support to NCRF programs.
To learn more about joining the NCRF Legacy Society or to make an online legacy pledge, visit the NCRF website.
For more info, contact Jill Parker Landsman, NCRF Director, at jlandsman@ncra.org, or Alex Vlahopoulos, NCRF Manager, at avlahopoulos@ncra.org.
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