A gift of hope for the future
Like many supporters of conservation, Kathy Leavenworth wants to help save the world, and do something today that builds toward that.
For Kathy Leavenworth, the Chagrin Valley in Ohio is where her heart is. The trees, rivers and creeks where she grew up did more than meander and shelter — they inspired.
“My brother and I were always playing outside behind our house along a ravine that wound through town,” Leavenworth recalled of her childhood in the 1950s and ‘60s. “Those were the days you could be gone all day and no one worried.”
Being outdoors, playing along the river and in the trees fostered Leavenworth’s love of nature. It was her mother, Miriam Hamilton Keare, who inspired Kathy to take action and stand up for what she believes in.
“Mother was always involved in our local arboretum,” Leavenworth said. “Even in her 80s she traveled around the country attending meetings.”
As an adult, Leavenworth decided she wanted not only to enjoy nature herself but help protect it for her children and grandchildren, her community and country. She joined the board of her local land trust, Chagrin River Land Conservancy, becoming board president in 2000. Under her leadership, the conservancy merged with seven other land trusts to become Western Reserve Land Conservancy in 2006.
That’s where she learned there is a network of land trusts across the country, connected by the Land Trust Alliance. Leavenworth understood the Alliance’s role quickly.
“I believe land trusts can do more together, combining resources,” she said. “Each land trust makes a difference locally, but we are much more effective when we come together under one big umbrella.”
The future of land conservation is also on her mind.
“We can’t take away young people’s future,” she added. “It’s up to us today, to preserve and protect it.”
Filled with hope for the next generation, Leavenworth designated a planned gift to the Alliance in her will. Like many compassionate supporters, she wants to help save the world and do something today that builds toward that.
“I want to continue saving land and helping people while I’m living, and I want to continue when I’m gone,” she said. “The gift in my will can continue to do good for the things I care about. I want to focus on what’s important, loving and caring for friends, family and neighbors and our planet. This is how I’m doing my part.”
Leavenworth's everlasting gift will help guarantee a future where the land, people and the planet can thrive.