Planned Giving

About the Silver Stirrup Legacy Society

The Silver Stirrup Legacy Society was created to recognize the special people – like you – who understand that GMHA is a unique and precious resource.

Donors become Silver Stirrup Legacy Society members by pledging their long-term support via a planned gift.

New members are welcomed into the Society at a yearly social gathering, where they are presented with a lasting token of our gratitude. With permission, their names are published in our Annual Report and added to the plaque in the Members Room, which often motivates others to make a planned gift in support of GMHA’s future.

GMHA trail ride, trail maintenance

A planned gift, sometimes referred to as deferred gift or a legacy gift, is a present decision to make a future gift, evidenced in writing.

Your planned gift is different than a donation to an annual fund, for example, because it is part of your overall financial and estate planning.

Planned gifts allow you to leave a legacy and get more from your assets without affecting your cash flow or lifestyle.

Planned gifts can be made at any time during your life or upon your death.

Planned Giving is for Everyone

Everyone is able to make a planned gift. No gift is too small, and all gifts make a difference.

Take a moment to consider the impact that your planned gift to GMHA will have. It is a special way to show you believe in GMHA and want to contribute to its future in a way that reflects your values and beliefs.

Everyone is able to make a planned gift. No gift is too small, and all gifts make a difference.

Take a moment to consider the impact that your planned gift to GMHA will have. It is a special way to show you believe in GMHA and want to contribute to its future in a way that reflects your values and beliefs.

There are many ways to leave a planned gift:

Bequests: Specify a dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or specific items (cash, shares, jewelry, silver or paintings are just a few examples) to give in your Will – no gift is too small.

Life Insurance: Name GMHA as the primary or contingent beneficiary of an existing or new life insurance policy.

Trusts: Options such as Charitable Remainder Trusts and Wealth Replacement Trusts have long term benefits to both givers and recipients.

Planned gifts can also be powerful estate planning tools. Your personal financial advisor and/or estate planner can help you choose gift options that are right for you.

Target your gift: Give with no-strings-attached, or specify that your gift must be used to support activities dear to your heart, for example, youth education.

Your pledged gift remains confidential: When you join the Silver Stirrup Legacy Society you do not need to tell GMHA or anyone else what or how much you are pledging.

You can pledge publicly or anonymously: The choice of preserving your privacy by remaining anonymous or enjoying the feeling of belonging by being acknowledged is yours.

Bequests can be increased, decreased, or withdrawn at any time: Should your circumstances change, you can change the size and/or nature of your gift.

Ensuring GMHA’s Future

GMHA provides recreational, educational, and competitive opportunities for a diverse equestrian community. To advance our mission, we:

  • Actively support local land conservation, as well as development and maintenance of trail networks;
  • Embrace our role in the larger community;
  • Provide a welcoming venue suited to diverse program needs,
  • Host equestrian activities, competitions and educational opportunities in multiple disciplines for all ages and abilities; and
  • Emphasize overall youth development in the cultivation of the next generation of equestrians.

Though true, this mission statement only reflects a small part of what GMHA offers. Days filled with fun and laughter and camaraderie, lifelong friendships, the joy of bonding and interacting with horses, skills to deal with life’s ups and downs, the chance to be who you really are, and a sense of belonging – these are the hidden treasures that time spent at GMHA brings.

You understand that GMHA is a unique and vital part of the equestrian and larger communities. And you realize that this precious resource must be preserved for future generations.

GMHA exists today due to the planned gifts of forward-thinking members. Through their gifts GMHA’s endowment was established. Through your gift, the endowment will grow.

GMHA’s endowment is structured such that the principal amount remains prudently invested and untouched. A percentage of the endowment’s income is used each year to pay GMHA’s property taxes and insurance.

Using your planned gift to grow the endowment will allow us to continue to pay the property taxes and insurance as well as position GMHA for the future ensuring:

  • Excellent educational programs
  • Funded youth scholarships
  • Top quality equestrian events
  • Trail preservation and maintenance
  • Preservation of the grounds & maintenance of the barns and buildings
  • Maintenance of and upgrades to machinery and equipment
  • Less dependency on the Annual Fund and emergency fundraising

From Our Members:

A Silver Stirrup gift is all about making the GMHA experience possible for future generations the way it was for us. I’ve competed at GMHA since I was a kid, and Sophie Sudduth has been coming here since she was a three year old playing in the stream. It’s a place where you can push yourself and grow, get really dirty, make great friends, try, fail, succeed and try again. What more could you hope for everyone to experience? It’s so great that GMHA embraces all the disciplines: I’ve competed in trail, hunter/jumpers, dressage and eventing, so driving must be next! GMHA is everyone’s treasure: a beautiful, welcoming place. ”

– Ruth K. Sudduth, GMHA Director, Longtime Member & Competitor

I don’t have much, but what I do have, I would like people who enjoy the outdoors, horses and the beauties of Vermont to share. We live in a society where holding tight to our possessions is encouraged, and as a result, lots of land is being closed off. I want to give what I can to GMHA because I believe that the organization is heading toward a time where land management and trail easements will be required in order to keep the spirit and joys of riding in Vermont alive. The more people that are willing to give to GMHA, the more likely future generations of riders will be able to enjoy the riding I grew up doing and was lucky to be able to take for granted.

– Sue Achenbach, GMHA Longtime Member & Supporter

“Our many great experiences at GMHA led to our living at Stormybrook (in nearby Reading, VT). We feel a personal attachment to GMHA for its part in our wonderful life here. This influenced us to join the Silver Stirrup Legacy Society since it provides a convenient method for a planned charitable giving opportunity to support this fine organization. We ask you to please consider doing the same thing as a means for continuing your personal legacy. It is such a great way to support GMHA and an easy way to plan for the future”.

– Fred Weremey & Kathy Hall, Longtime Members, Trail Riders & Supporters

How to Join

To find out more with no obligation call or email Bruce Perry to ask questions or set up a private meeting. Since we cannot offer legal or tax advice, we encourage you to consult with your personal legal and financial advisors. They can help you explore all gift options and their associated benefits. They can also help you memorialize your wishes in writing.

Your advisors need the following information:

Green Mountain Horse Association, Inc. is an IRS Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The legal name and address is:
Green Mountain Horse Association, Inc.
5491 South Road
P.O. Box 8
South Woodstock, Vermont 05071

Once you have planned your gift, just complete the Charitable Gift Intent Form below.

Knowing that you have pledged a gift helps us to know where we are with our efforts to assure GMHA’s long-term sustainability. We do not ask for details such as the amount of the gift, and your information will be handled with utmost sensitivity. On receipt of the form by GMHA you become a Silver Stirrup Legacy Society member.

Charitable Gift Intent Form

Complete the form below or download a pdf and return by mail.

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Name*
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In the event of unforeseen circumstances, which might require changes in the above, I/we agree to notify Green Mountain Horse Association, Inc of such changes:*
Silver Stirrup Legacy Society*

In recognition of your intention, it is our great pleasure to induct you as a member of the GMHA Silver Stirrup Legacy Society. This group is comprised of all those having made a planned gift investment to GMHA.

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