My dad taught his children not by words, but by example, through how he lived his own life. He worked hard, played by the rules, paid his bills, loved his family, went to church on Sunday, voted in every election, and quietly gave to charity. While he wasn’t wealthy by traditional standards, he generously gave to those causes he believed would help make our world a better place – particularly for his kids and grandkids. Every month he would sit down at the kitchen table to pay the bills, and inevitably there would always be a few envelopes in the mix for a good cause.
I find myself doing a lot of things that I learned by observing my dad. Every December, I sit down at our kitchen table and go through the envelopes from various charities received throughout the year; the season reminds me of the importance of giving thanks and giving back. In the last several years, one of those charities has been the Wisconsin Law Foundation.
No, I don’t give simply because I work for the State Bar. I give because I fundamentally believe that our Law Foundation succeeds in its unique mission of promoting public understanding of the law and improving the administration of justice. Spend a few moments reading the headlines each day, and you’ll know that the need has never been greater.
There is nothing that inspires me more than our state mock trial program. Thanks to the Law Foundation’s generous support, more than 1,300 students from 120 Wisconsin high schools participate annually. Since its inception in 1983, nearly 35,000 students have learned to think on their feet, work as a team, build self-confidence, and, most importantly, gain a strong understanding and appreciation for our legal system. Now that’s impact!
Remember the Foundation in Your End-of-the-year Giving
Support the work of the Wisconsin Law Foundation. To donate, click here or phone (608) 250-6171 or (800) 728-7788, ext.6171.
But the Law Foundation does so much more. By funding innovative and creative programs across Wisconsin, we are mentoring the next generation of leaders in the profession and in our communities, promoting and enhancing diversity and inclusion efforts, supporting teen courts, connecting lawyers seeking career opportunities with underserved areas and populations, educating adults about our courts and legal system, increasing access to justice, connecting the public with legal resources, and honoring the professional achievements and civic contributions of the best of the legal profession.
None of this is possible without your continued help and support. In the past five years the Law Foundation’s assets have grown nearly 75 percent, enabling us to grant nearly $47,000 this coming year to various worthy programs, services, and activities. Here’s the best part – our donations live forever, as the Law Foundation has been moving toward granting no more than 4 percent of its total assets in any given year. We are creating a legacy that will live for generations to come.
Whether you sit down with a checkbook at your kitchen table, go online with a laptop, or pay by phone, I hope the Wisconsin Law Foundation is in the mix as you consider your end-of-year charitable giving. Your contributions and their impact are deeply appreciated.
