Legacy Initiative Honors
Speight Jenkins’25th Anniversary
“For the last 25 years at Seattle Opera, my enduring image is of Speight Jenkins, our General Director, standing at the entrance--now at the top of the stairs--to welcome patrons with the promise that it will be a great show. Speight has truly delivered that promise and made Seattle Opera synonymous with excellence: excellent in opera production, financial management and outreach to patrons of all ages,” said Susan Detweiler, Opera trustee and chair of the Planned Giving Committee.
To honor Speight and his living legacy--the marvelous opera enjoyed by thousands of opera lovers over the years--the Encore Society has created the Speight Jenkins 25th Anniversary Encore Society Initiative. The goal is to add at least 25 new members to the Opera’s deferred giving society. “Speight has also thought about the legacy he wants to leave when he is gone, having arranged for a bequest gift to the Seattle Opera. We felt no celebration of his 25 years at Seattle Opera would be complete without an Encore Society tribute to help secure the future of the Opera,” remarked Susan.
Legacy gifts can be can be accomplished in many ways—through bequests in wills, charitable gift annuities or trusts, or beneficiary designation with retirement plans or insurance policies. Most legacy gifts are directed to the Seattle Opera Foundation, an entity created to hold the Opera’s endowment funds.
“A strong and vibrant Seattle Opera will be a legacy from all of us to the future of Seattle and generations to come,” Susan concluded, “and will guarantee that it will always be a great show. We invite you to include Seattle Opera in your legacy plans and take part in this initiative.”
To read more about the Speight 25th Anniversary Encore Society Initiative, download the brochure.
Have you already included Seattle Opera in your legacy plans? If so, we’ve included a Legacy Gift Notification Form, at right for you to complete and return to Seattle Opera (Attn: Lisa Bury, Seattle Opera, P.O. Box 2948, Seattle, WA 98109-0218). We would very much like to thank you and recognize you for your part in so honoring Speight.
If you have any questions, or would like more information, about the Legacy Initiative, the Encore Society, or planned giving at Seattle Opera, you can also complete the Gift Notification Form (checking the box asking for more information) or contact Lisa Bury directly at (206) 676-5530 or Lisa.Bury@seattleopera.org.