The holidays are here, and 2017 is near. If you’re thinking about 2016 tax strategies, there’s still time. Should a tax-advantaged contribution be an option, please consider a non-profit close to home–the Clark Lake Spirit Foundation, a 501c3.
Over the years, donations to the Foundation from people like you have supported significant improvements at Clark Lake. Examples include repairing the dam at Ocean Beach when it was in peril, helping launch the Invasive Species Committee, building and improving the Spirit Trail, creating www.clarklakespirit.com and the DamCam, and participating in moving the Graziani cottage to become the Community Center in the County Park. Different from other deserving charities in the world, this Foundation is specific to Clark Lake, and its focus is to improve life right here.
For a more complete view of the Foundation’s work, please click here. The link takes you to Standing Up for Clark Lake–the Foundation’s mission statement that explains the goal to preserve the past, enhance the present, and look to the future.
You can easily donate via your credit card through this website by clicking here. A pull-down menu allows you to donate to any of the organizations under the Foundation’s umbrella–the Spirit Trail, Raft-O-Rama, Run Clark Lake, Garden Angels, Invasive Species Committee, Walleye Association, and Crab Races. The Clark Lake Community Center, also a 501c3, is included on the tab. Another choice available is to donate in someone’s memory, and you can also accomplish that on the donation page.
In the November 19th Wall Street Journal, Laura Saunders wrote “American taxpayers should take advantage of several big tax deductions, such as charitable giving, as they are likely to be far less valuable or even disappear next year.” She points out that three tax reform plans “take further aim at ‘itemized’ deductions…”.
A valuable tax strategy is to donate appreciated assets such as stock that has increased in value. In most cases, you can deduct the fair market value—an amount that could be significantly greater than the purchase price. For more information, please contact Ann Swain, treasurer, at 529-9485 or Rick Belcher, president, at 529-2121.
The Foundation consists solely of volunteers. No director or officer is compensated.
It’s been another wonderful year at the lake we love. And with your help and support, the Clark Spirit Foundation aims to keep up its efforts on your behalf. Please join us in Standing Up for Clark Lake!