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We envision a vibrant, healthy and connected Benzie community
where everyone can thrive.
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To make your tax-deductible gift online click on the DONATE buttton below.
Or you may mail a check payable to "Benzie Wellness and Aquatic Center" to PO Box 2204, Frankfort, MI 49635.
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Please scroll down to find information about donating securities, making a gift from a retirement account or making a planned gift.
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As you consider your year-end philanthropy, it's an especially important time to review your giving strategy. With upcoming tax changes taking effect in 2026, accelerating charitable contributions into 2025 may offer greater tax advantages for individuals who itemize deductions. A gift made in 2025 mayenable you to maximize the full tax benefit of your charitable giving under today’s rules—making this year a smart time to invest in the causes you care about.
Under IRS regulations, the deadline to make a tax-deductible philanthropic gift in the 2025 tax year is December 31, 2025. Here's the scoop:
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Checks being mailed must be postmarked by no later than Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
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Online credit card gifts must be made before midnight ET on December 31, 2025.
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Stock gifts must be transferred and received into the BWAC’s account from a brokerage firm by 5 p.m. ET on Friday, December 19, 2025.
Thank you for diving in with us!
We've Acquired our site!
Now we're moving on to the Design Phase.​
On February 28, 2025 we officially purchased the Crystal Lake Elementary School parcel at the corner of US31 and M115 (the county's only stoplight). This site will be the home to our proposed facility.
​Your support is more critical than ever as we work to secure the resources needed to begin building. Each gift brings us that much closer to our audacious aspiration of a vibrant, healthy and connected Benzie community where everyone can thrive.
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Thank you for your interest in our project and the promise it holds for all of us! ​​
Gifts of Securities
​Gifts of non-cash assets—such as stocks, mutual funds, or other investments held for more than a year—can be highly tax efficient. By contributing appreciated assets directly to a qualified charity like Benzie Wellness & Aquatic Center, you may avoid capital gains tax while still receiving a charitable deduction for the full fair market value.
Following are the instructions to transfer stock:
Rockefeller Capital Management
DTC# 0226
F/B/O NFS A/C #RJL-073140
F/B/O BENZIE WELLNESS & AQUATIC CENTER
From:____________________________________________
Share Amount: ____________________________________
Estimated Value: __________________________________
Security Name/Ticker: ______________________________
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Please send your notification to: Heather Jensen
Rockefeller Capital Management
45 Ottawa Ave SW #700
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-305-2958
In addition to working with your financial advisor, please notify the BWAC’s Vice President, Diane Robertson Tracy, at 734-277-4994 or DianeRTracy@gmail.com before your transfer is made (so we can monitor our account for your expected transfer) with:
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the name of the stock
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the number of shares being gifted
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any special instructions (like a designation for the gift or making it in honor of or in memory of someone dear to you)
​GIFTS FROM RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
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If you're an IRA owner and don't need the money from the Required Minimum Distribtuion (RMD), you might consider making a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). If you’re at least 70½ years old, you can donate up to $108,000 in 2025 (up from $105,000 in 2024) directly from your IRA to a qualified charity like the BWAC and you won't owe income tax on the distribution. Plus, if you’re 73 or older, the donation counts toward your RMD for the year.
For those considering a gift from acoounts like an IRA or 401K, please contact your financial manager about your intent to disburse funds to the BWAC and provide the BWAC information below, along with any information about timing and/or designation for your gift.
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BWAC’s Legal Name: Benzie Aquatic Center
BWAC's Mailing Address: PO Box 2204, Frankfort, MI 49635
BWAC's EIN: 84-2581436
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