For decades, leaping between the Balanced Rocks boulders has been a moment that connects students and campers across the years. The photographs capturing the leap represent how one generation of campers and students reaches toward the next—and how a small leap can have a lasting impact. It is in that spirit that we have named our planning giving society the Balanced Rocks Circle, honoring those who have chosen to sustain this place and ensure its future.
North Country School & Camp Treetops established the Balanced Rocks Circle to honor alumni, parents, and friends who have chosen to include School and Camp in their estate plans, at any level of giving.
If you have any questions or want more information about making a planned gift, please contact Reed Curry, Director of Strategic Donor Engagement, at . We recommend working with your financial or estate planning advisor to find the structure that best fits your needs.
Why We Left a Legacy
We are grateful to the following members of the Balanced Rocks Circle who have shared, in their own words, what moved them to take the leap.
Nick (Trustee 14—26, CTT 64, NCS 65—70) & Ruth Hewitt
“We have made a gift to NCS and Treetops because we think the best way to change the world is to change one child’s life at a time—and Camp and School do that better than any other community we know. At community functions, we are always moved by parents’ accounts of how this place changes children’s lives, and that is why we have dug deep to make this commitment.”
“After my husband, Sam, and I moved from Los Angeles back to the East Coast, we met with an estate lawyer to ensure we had the proper plans in place for our young daughter, June. Our lawyer suggested we consider including a nonprofit in our wills, and I immediately chose Camp Treetops, an organization that has been very meaningful to me for so much of my life.”
Lauren McCarty (CTT staff 00—07, 12, 14—16, 19)
“My family taught me how important end-of-life and retirement planning is. When I learned about the Balanced Rocks Circle, it was a no-brainer. My first priority is ensuring my loved ones have what they need, but I also want Camp Treetops to be part of my future planning.”
Planned gifts allow you to support the areas of North Country School & Camp Treetops that matter most to you—while often providing meaningful tax advantages.
Click below to learn about the most common planned giving options:
Name North Country School & Camp Treetops (NCS/CTT) as a beneficiary of your will or revocable living trust. You can designate any type of asset—cash, securities, real estate, or personal property—and direct your gift to the area that is most meaningful to you.
You can add your bequest to your existing will as an amendment or codicil, so you don’t have to revise the entire document.
I hereby give to North Country School, Incorporated, a not-for-profit organization located in Lake Placid, NY that includes both North Country School and Camp Treetops (both having a Tax ID number of 14-1430542):
The sum of $__________ (amount)
AND/OR __________% of the reside of my estate
AND/OR the following described property __________ (description).
Name NCS/CTT as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), or 403(b). You and your designated heirs avoid income and estate taxes on those funds, and you continue making withdrawals during your lifetime.
Starting at age 70 1/2, you can make a qualified charitable distribution directly from your IRA to NCS/CTT. A QCD can also help satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) and reduce your taxable income. For giving purposes, our legal name is North Country School and Camp Treetops (both having a Tax ID number of 14-1430542).
Designate NCS/CTT as a beneficiary of an existing policy. Alternatively, establish a new policy and name NCS/CTT as the owner.
Endowment
Our endowment is an investment in the future. It gives us the confidence to plan and make strategic, long-term decisions that will allow us to provide future generations with the unique programming that affords every child the opportunity for success.
To promote economic diversity, strong scholarship funding supports nearly 30 percent of campers and students in any given year. In recent years, scholarship assistance to students and campers has amounted to approximately 20 percent of our operating budget.
The generosity of donors makes this commitment possible. But as the demand for financial aid increases, endowment growth to support expanded scholarship funding will help ensure accessibility to the most promising students and campers, regardless of family income.
If our institution is to flourish, so must our children and the exceptional adults who guide them. Please consider donating to the general endowment or to any of the established named funds below.
If you have any questions or want more information about our endowment or any endowment fund, please contact Emily Eisman, Director of Strategic Initiatives at .
