Donor Stories
Hear the stories of friends who have made an impact through their acts of giving to our organization.
Ohio Couple is Leading a Legacy for Great Lakes Waterfowl
John Cleek's lifelong passion for waterfowl began on the marshes of Lake Erie and continues today on neighboring Lake St. Clair. These experiences inspired John and his wife, Jackie, to lead a legacy for Great Lakes waterfowl as Platinum Feather Society members.
A Life of Giving Back: Daniel Monen III
Daniel Monen III was born in Houston, Texas, but spent most of his 72 years in Omaha, Nebraska. He is described as a person whose uniqueness was matched only by the breadth of his kindness. Daniel was known for...
Barb Sizer - Where There's a Will, There's a Way
Barb Sizer has grown "up and older" in southern Minnesota. "My involvement with DU began in the early 1990's...
A Different Way to Give
Brian Rees and his wife Julie are active volunteers with Ducks Unlimited and have been supporting wetlands conservation for more than 30 years.
A Lifetime of Volunteering
Major Sponsors Dale and Linda Doubler have dedicated their lives to volunteering and conservation.
Hunting is a Way of Life
For Dr. Gary and Janis Grover, hunting has been a way of life. In Gary's family, the tradition goes back several generations with...
Dream Job Banding Ducks
In May 1974, John Tautin's dream job of working as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in migratory bird...
Dee Bailey's Retained Life Estate with Charitable Gift Annuity
Adjacent to the Tuckahoe River in southern New Jersey, Dian 'Dee' Bailey's 160-acre property is a mix of wetlands, woods and...
David Schwarzmeier, An Investment in Future Generations
Feather Society member David Schwarzmeier thought long and hard about making Ducks Unlimited a part of his estate...
A Lifetime of Giving
Peter Jackson has been hunting for as long as he can remember and still has his original Ducks Unlimited membership card from...
Make a Major Gift with Minimal Effort
Longtime volunteers and major sponsors Jerry and Bobbi Harris are using charitable contributions from their IRA to support the ducks.
Best Bang for the Buck for the Ducks
John Calder of Loveland, Ohio, is a great supporter of the ducks. Since 1990 he has been a member...
Life Insurance Policy for the Ducks
A familiar face to many at Ducks Unlimited, Chip Heaps has contributed to the organization as a volunteer and staff member for decades.
Flexible Deferred Gift Annuity
Luis is a 54-year-old executive at a large healthcare company. He purchased company stock during years when the stock price was low, and now the stock has grown substantially in value.
Peace of Mind Gift Annuity
Many years ago, Clara bought a home. Since she was very pleased with her home, she bought stock in the company that built the home. Over the years, Clara's stock has increased in value.
Sale and Unitrust
Gene and Carol purchased stock in a small medical service company several years ago. The company has done well. A larger company is now discussing the possibility of buying the smaller company. This sale would require that Gene and Carol sell their stock, subjecting them to capital gains. Gene and Carol are looking for a way to save taxes.
The Retirement Unitrust
Mary grew up on a farm. When her parents passed away, she and her husband Bill inherited the farm. When Mary was a child, the farm was out in the country. Now that the city has grown, the farm is within the city limits. Several developers would like to build homes on the farmland.
Part Gift and Part Sale
Susan and Kevin bought a vacant lot along Lake Michigan many years ago. They had planned to build a second home so that their family could spend their summers along the lake. However, as time went on, Kevin's job kept him in town and the children grew up before Susan and Kevin had the financial resources to build on the land.
Deferred Gift Annuity
Several years ago, Larry and Allison invested $30,000 in what they believed to be an attractive stock. It turned out to be a very wise decision, as the stock increased in value to $100,000 within three years. Though they were not in need of additional income at the time, the couple decided to cash in on this growth.
