A strong endowment is the financial foundation of any organization. This is particularly true at YMCA Camp Sea Gull and YMCA Camp Seafarer where our endowment provides a stream of income to the operating budget each year and gives us the ability to plan and make strategic decisions with financial security.
Camp's unrestricted endowment income is combined with earnings from restricted named endowments and works in tandem with the Camp Annual Campaign to ensure funds are available to:
- Provide financial assistance to a wide economic spectrum of families to make Camp possible for those who would not otherwise be able to attend
- Update program equipment that enhances the Camp experience
- Support staff and leadership development to make sure our leaders are the best trained and most effective in the camping industry
- Address ongoing maintenance and upkeep of facilities
- Provide camp opportunities for our neighbors in Pamlico County and surrounding communities
By helping to grow Camp's endowment, you aren’t just helping Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer this year or next; you are helping to ensure that the traditions, purpose and commitment to excellence will influence and enhance the lives of campers for generations to come.
A Case for Giving
Doug McMillan
In 1983, after four summers at Camp Seafarer, Jo Anna Lilley began working at the YMCA as a part-time employee in the Youth Department. She was creative and innovative and she encouraged all in the Youth Department to do more. She watched a program serving boys from Southeast Raleigh who came to the YMCA through Financial Assistance and wondered why there was no such program for girls. Soon she was driving a bus every Sunday night to pick up girls to come back to the Y for gym, swim and club activities. She saw those same boys got to attend a week at Camp Sea Gull and she asked why girls didn’t get that same experience. The next summer, girls went to Sea Gull’s Post Week too. The values she taught in those programs were the same as she had experienced at Seafarer and in YMCA after school programs. Jo Anna loved those kids. Any who knew her then will remember Retha, Twilie, and Lola. They were among her favorites and those kids felt her love!
Today 35 years later the programs that Jo Anna began have been modified, strengthened and grown to serve 2,000 kids in Y Learning, and another 2,000 kids in a summer day camp we call YMCA Camp High Hopes. And today nearly 500 kids go to Camp each spring and fall during outreach weekends.
Jo Anna and Doug were married several years later, and together, when the YMCA established the Annual We Build People Campaign to support Outreach, Doug and Jo Anna supported the effort to send kids to camp and to help kids participate in Y programs.
Jo Anna died last spring at 57. To honor Jo Anna and her work, and to support the ongoing efforts of the YMCA to support children in need who want to attend the YMCA and Camps Sea Gull and Seafarer, the McMillan family established The Jo Anna Lilley McMillan YMCA Endowment.
They made an initial cash gift, are committed to adding to that each year, and Doug will make an additional contribution through his estate planning. As he shared recently, “There is no better way for me to honor Jo Anna, her love of kids and her love of camps and the YMCA - and it ensures that the YMCA can always prioritize service to those in need.”
How Can I Support Camp?
- Designate Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer, through the YMCA of the Triangle, Inc. in your estate plans
- Set up a trust that benefits Camp
- Provide “unrestricted” gifts to the Endowment
- Make periodic contributions
- Designate your gift for a specific purpose
What Are the Options for a Planned Gift?
- A Bequest, conveyed through your Will or a Living Trust
- Identify the YMCA as the beneficiary in a new or existing Life Insurance policy, a Retirement account, an IRA or a 401(k)
- Charitable Gift Annuity
- Charitable Remainder Trust
- A gift of Real Estate or other tangible assets
- Charitable Lead Trust
- Donor Advised Funds
- Named Endowment
All gifts must comply with the YMCA of the Triangle gift acceptance policy
How Do I Establish a Named Endowment for Camp?
Donors may set up individually named funds in honor or memory of a loved one and the funds may be either unrestricted or designated for a specific purpose
A commitment of at least $50,000 is required in order to establish a new named fund
How are the assets managed and invested?
The Finance and Investment Committees of the YMCA of the Triangle’s Board of Directors oversee the management of the assets. The committee members are YMCA volunteers with strong backgrounds in finance and fiscal management. The overall Endowment Fund is managed by Raymond James.
For more information see the Planned Giving site of the YMCA of the Triangle.
You may also send an email to Lynn Moss or call (919) 582-9309.