NHGSA FOUNDERS LEGACY FUND

Dear Fellow Ambassador,

On behalf of my fellow Granite State Ambassador founders, Judi Window and Peter Morgan, I want to thank you for all you do to showcase New Hampshire and serve our guests and neighbors. It was a pleasure to share our Star Island Founder’s Day excursion with you recently. As I said in my remarks, my personal goal in founding GSA in 1996 was to build an organization that I would enjoy volunteering for.

As an active Granite State Ambassador, you know how we add value to the New Hampshire experience. More importantly, together we add value to the experience of all of our fellow volunteers. We appreciate you for that and for your dedication to learning, serving and sharing with joy. Your commitment and passion are the core of the Granite State Ambassador organization. I encourage you to continue your engagement as a volunteer and grow in your knowledge as an ambassador.

One of the ways to support the impact of Granite State Ambassadors and the opportunities we offer is by supporting an ongoing initiative that is close to my heart: the Founder’s Legacy Fund. This endowed fund was established as its name implies to ensure the long-term sustainability of our organization. It is a way to participate in our original and ongoing vision to welcome guests and neighbors with authentic New Hampshire hospitality through you as a trained and certified Ambassador.

Since 1996, we have trained and certified 2,000 granite staters, maintaining an actively engaged group of more than 350 friendly and knowledgeable ambassadors serving 20,000 hours annually. We invite you to join us in ensuring that Granite State Ambassadors can continue to thrive by growing our endowment. Your contribution will allow us to continue providing exceptional service and educational opportunities through fiscal security. There are several ways you can participate:

Name Granite State Ambassadors as a Beneficiary                                                                                                 
        By specifying a dollar amount or a percentage of your 401(k), 403(b), or IRA to the Granite State Ambassadors Founder’s Legacy Fund.

Amend your Trust                                                                                                                                                                                    By including a specific gift to the Granite State Ambassadors Founder’s Legacy Fund.

Update your Will                                                                                                                                                                                             By including a codicil that includes a specific gift to the Granite State Ambassadors Founder’s Legacy Fund.

We understand that planning for the future is a deeply personal decision. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the Founder’s Legacy Fund further, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at FoundersLegacyFund@nhgranitestateambassadors.org or call us at 603-851-8624 to be put in touch with a board member.

Rita Curtis Glasheen, a member of the Granite State Ambassadors Inaugural Class of 1996, beautifully said, “When you volunteer you get so much more back than you give.” This sentiment captures the essence of what it means to be part of the Granite State Ambassadors family. Your support of the Founder’s Legacy Fund will ensure that we can continue to share the wonders of New Hampshire as we serve guests for generations to come.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to leave a lasting legacy. Your generosity and dedication make a difference in the lives of our guests, neighbors and fellow volunteers.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Bill Petersen, GSA Co-Founder


FOUNDER’S LEGACY FUND

an initiative to ensure the longevity of the Granite State Ambassadors program.

Please join Peter, Bill & Judi by making a gift to honor their legacy and the impact it has had on the tourism industry and individuals – both volunteers and travelers alike.

Championed by our Founders, the Founder’s Legacy Fund will make an additional contribution for donations received that name Granite State Ambassadors as a beneficiary of the donor’s will or trust. Donor gifts will become part of our endowment to sustain Granite State Ambassadors in the future, and the Founder’s Legacy Fund will be available to the general operating fund to sustain the organization now.

In 1996, our Founders, Judi Window, a passionate NH resident and our first managing director; Peter Morgan, a longtime hotelier; and Bill Petersen, former dean of the hospitality school at New Hampshire College worked tirelessly to launch our great organization. Granite State Ambassadors was based on the simple premise that guests should be greeted by a knowledgeable, friendly “information specialist” when they arrived at the airport in Manchester or our statewide welcome centers. Over 27 years later, Granite State Ambassadors has certified over 2000 residents and maintains a trained and engaged volunteer force of over 350 who serve over 20,000 hours annually at more than 60 welcome centers and events statewide. In addition, Granite State Ambassadors offers industry customer service training and accelerated learning opportunities through programs like our Explore NH Passport and NH Travel Counselors Certification.

Why leave part of your estate to Granite State Ambassadors?

Does being a Granite State Ambassador:

  • Enrich your life
  • Give your days meaning after the death of a spouse
  • Keep you active and exploring New Hampshire
  • Foster social engagement and meaningful friendships
  • Give you a mechanism to continue to learn and for personal growth
  • Provide you with engaging experiences through our volunteer opportunities, tours, lunches, perks…

Do you want to leave money to Granite State Ambassadors in your will but also want the flexibility to make changes?

All it takes is adding a codicil (addendum to a Last Will and Testament) of a couple sentences to your will or trust to help ensure our mission continues for others. You can use language that includes a percentage donation instead of a specific amount, which allows accommodation for life changes. We’ve provided several codicil examples on our website.

As you are aware, Granite State Ambassadors operates using Yankee frugality and creative partnerships, along with the support of our passionate and engaged volunteers. Because of this, donations of any size are leveraged and can make a big difference to Granite State Ambassador’s sustainability.

Naming Granite State Ambassadors as a Beneficiary of Your Will or Trust.

A common and simple way of supporting Granite State Ambassadors is by making a provision in your will or trust.

Your will designates your beneficiaries and spells out your final wishes. The beneficiaries would include your heirs, of course, but many people include provisions for charitable organizations as well. It is our hope that you will consider including Granite State Ambassadors in your plans.

The following suggested forms of bequests are examples that can be adapted by you and your attorney to meet your specific intentions.

Specific BequestA specific bequest names a particular dollar amount to be left to Granite State Ambassadors.

“I give and bequeath to Granite State Ambassadors, a New Hampshire non-profit corporation, Tax ID number 02-0505492, with offices at 470 Mast Road, Goffstown NH 03045, the sum of $______ to be used for the general purposes of the organization (or  to be used for the specific purpose of building the Granite State Ambassador endowment).”

Percentage Bequest
A percentage bequest names a percentage of your estate to be left to Granite State Ambassadors.

“I give and bequeath to Granite State Ambassadors, a New Hampshire non-profit corporation, Tax ID number 02-0505492, with offices at 470 Mast Road, Goffstown NH 03045, all (or stated percentage of) the rest residue and remainder of my estate to be used for the general purposes of the organization (or to be used for the specific purpose of building the Granite State Ambassador endowment).”

Residuary Bequest
A residuary bequest first leaves specific amounts to family members, friends, or other charities, and then designates that all or part of what remains should go to Granite State Ambassadors.

“I give and bequeath to Granite State Ambassadors, a New Hampshire non-profit corporation, Tax ID number 02-0505492, with offices at 470 Mast Road, Goffstown NH 03045, all (or stated percentage of) the rest residue and remainder of my estate to be used for general purposes of the organization (or to be used for the specific purpose of building the Granite State Ambassador endowment).”

Contingent Bequest
A contingent bequest names Granite State Ambassadors to receive part or all of your estate in the event your designated beneficiary(s) predecease you.

You might insert in your will language such as the following:

“If any beneficiary named in this will is not living at my decease, then I give and bequeath to Granite State Ambassadors,  a New Hampshire non-profit corporation, Tax ID number 02-0505492, with offices at 470 Mast Road, Goffstown NH 03045, any bequest which said beneficiary would have received if he or she had survived me.”

Founder’s Legacy Fund
c/o Granite State Ambassadors
470 Mast Road • Goffstown NH 03045
603-851-8624 Kelly@NHGSA.com
www.NHGraniteStateAmbassadors.org/FoundersLegacyFund