The official start of the autumn season has brought with it a hint of changing colors, a few dropping leaves and considerably more orange in the retail landscape.  Accepting these changes is just something we do naturally at this time of year.  Some of us actually welcome the crispness of the air, the start of a new school year, and the return of football.
 
Frank Minton's quote in this E-newsletter (Quote of the Month) is about change; but he reminds us that even with changes in technology (and I would add other changes we experience in our fields:  organizational structure, leadership, budgets), the relationships we build provide the constant that fuels us.  We are the articulators of the vision for our organizations and help provide our prospects, donors and colleagues with the inspiration to support that vision.  Part of the challenge in doing this is creating trusting, enduring relationships that allow our "clients" to see the inevitable changes not as negative and paralyzing but as positive and energizing. 
 
At the gathering of Council members and guests on September 2 in Greensboro, we heard from John Brown about changes to the language we use and to the emphasis in our work.  Some of us with significant technical expertise in planned giving may have found his comments a little unsettling-perhaps even paralyzing.  But we can take comfort in returning to the Minton message (and who is more technically proficient than he is?) and remembering the relationships we strive to enhance each day.  Aren't they what keeps us in this business anyway?
 
At our November 5 meeting we will have another chance to learn from the experience of others.  Our morning speaker, Neill McBryde, and our afternoon panel will address the multiple relationships with professional advisors that are enjoyed by our donors and clients. Honoring those relationships and sharing a common dialog can result in stronger partnerships and more beneficial results for everyone.  Please plan to join us for this meeting.
 
Happy Fall!
 
Annette 
 
Annette Lynch
Vice-President Philanthropic Services
The Winston-Salem Foundation

 

P.S.  Congratulations to Mindy Bloom for winning the drawing for a complimentary registration for the National Partnership for Philanthropic Planning Conference!  Mindy has generously donated the registration to her colleague in Pittsburgh, Judy Palkovitz, who works in planned giving and estates with Hadassah.