ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

The Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation was created on December 21, 1990 as an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that operates with its own elected Board of Directors, subject to the ultimate control of the membership, for the sole purpose of supporting the Old Town – Orono YMCA. Over the past 35 years, the Old – Town – Orono YMCA Foundation has grown from a single $15,000 investment from Herbert E. Sargent to $7,452,079 total assets under management as of May 31, 2025.

The Foundation provides financial support for activities for all members of the Old Town – Orono YMCA, engages with the public, and works with donors who wish to support the Y by giving legacy donations for a variety of purposes such as general support, educational support, facility support, scholarships, and camperships.

At the end of each year, 5% of the total value of all the Foundation’s unrestricted assets is calculated and given to support the Y’s next fiscal year. Further financial support from the Foundation is provided to the Y from restricted assets in accordance with the terms applied to those assets and additional requests from the Y for funds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

When you give to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation, your dollars will make a lasting, community-wide impact for generations.

ROBERT & BETTY O'KEEFE FUND

HIGHLIGHTED FUND OF THE QUARTER

ABOUT THE FUND

FUND ESTABLISHED: 2015

HISTORY: Established in 2015 through a generous gift from the O’Keefe estate, the O’Keefe Fund reflects Bob and Betty O’Keefe’s deep commitment to the Old Town community and to helping young people thrive.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this fund is to support programs and facilities with a special consideration to be given to support youth scholarships, activities, and programs.

PROCESS: The fund is held and administered by the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation as a restricted asset. The principal amount of the gift will be maintained.

THE O'KEEFE FUND AT WORK

A NOTE FROM THE OLD TOWN - ORONO YMCA

Established in 2015 through a generous gift from the O’Keefe estate, the O’Keefe Fund reflects Bob and Betty O’Keefe’s deep commitment to the Old Town community and to helping young people thrive.

This fund strengthens our Y by supporting programs and facilities, with special consideration given to youth scholarships, activities, and programs. In recent years, the O’Keefe Fund has helped remove financial barriers for  children and teens by providing scholarships and ensuring programs are equipped with the supplies needed for safe, engaging, and high-quality experiences.

Because of the O’Keefe family’s generosity, more youth are able to learn, grow, and belong at the Y – building confidence, character, and connections that last a lifetime.

Thank you!
Macie Cote
Finance Director

WAYS TO GIVE

At the Foundation, we believe in providing a variety of options for our donors to make a lasting, community-wide impact. Funds can be designated or named to support your favorite programs or equipment and gifts can support individuals through scholarships, camperships, and memberships. You can choose to give now or plan to give later with a bequest; a donation of investments, securities, life insurance policies, or property; or the establishment of annuities and trusts.

GIVE NOW

HOW TO GIVE

Instruct your broker or investment firm to transfer the securities of your choice to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation

BENEFITS

If you give securities that have increased in value, you can transfer them directly to the Foundation to avoid federal and state capital gains tax.
If you give securities that have decreased in value, you can sell them first to produce a tax deduction and then transfer the cash to the Foundation.
In either case, you are entitled to a charitable income tax deduction equal to the value of the gift.

HOW TO GIVE

Transfer items to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation.

BENEFITS

Typically, these items will be sold by the Foundation for their fair market value.
You are entitled to a chartiable income tax deduction equal to the value of the item.

HOW TO GIVE

Donate the property to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation. Before acceptance, the Foundation’s Finance Committe must review gifts of real estate. Acceptance of such gifts will be based upon projected financial benefit to the Foundation.

BENEFITS

If your property has increased in value, you can transfer it directly to the Foundation to avoid federal and state capital gains tax.
If you give property that has decreased in value, you can sell it first to produce a tax deduction and then transfer the cash to the Foundation.
In either case, you are entitled to a chartiable income tax deduction equal to the appraised value of the gift.

HOW TO GIVE

Transfer the ownership of an existing policy to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation.

BENEFITS

If the policy has a cash value, you will be entitled to a charitable income tax deduction equal to the policy cash value. Additionally, upon your death the Foundation will receive your death benefits.

HOW TO GIVE

Instruct your bank or retirement plan administrator to transfer some or all of your account to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation.

BENEFITS

If you are age 71 or older, you can withdraw and give up to $100,000 to the Foundation without any income tax due.

HOW TO GIVE

Transfer the ownership of the property to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation while retaining the right to live there.

BENEFITS

Charitable income tax deduction and lifetime use of the property. The Foundation will assume full ownership and control of the property upon your death.

HOW TO GIVE

Sell the assets to charity for less than the appraised value.

BENEFITS

You receive cash plus an income tax deduction. The Foundation acquires the asset for a discount below its full value.

DEFERRED GIVING

HOW TO GIVE

Update your will/trust to include a gift to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation at the time of your death. You may also write a one page codicil to your will that describes your gift. Either way, a bequest can be a specific asset or a percentage of your estate. A residual bequest assigns the amount left in your estate after all other distributions have been made.

BENEFITS

You can make a significant gift to the Foundation that will cost you nothing today. If your estate is large, you may be entitled to an estate tax charitable deduction.

HOW TO GIVE

Designate the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation to receive a percentage of your life insurance benefit.

BENEFITS

Simple and no cost. Upon your death, the Foundation will receive some or all of the death benefits.

HOW TO GIVE

Designate the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation to receive a percentage of your retirement account assets following your death.

BENEFITS

Simple and no cost. Pass more assets to your heirs. The Foundation will receive some or all of the account upon your death.

GIFTS THAT PAY INCOME

HOW TO GIVE

Create a Trust that makes fixed income payments to one or more recipients of your choice and leaves assets to one or more charities of your choice.

BENEFITS

The Trust can be designated to address complex family and charitable plans. You are entitled to a charitable income tax deduction. Income recipients get a fixed lifetime income. The Foundation receives some or all of the assets when the Trust terminates.

HOW TO GIVE

Create a Trust that makes variable income payments to one or more recipients of your choice and leaves assets to one or more charities of your choice.

BENEFITS

The Trust can be designated to address complex family and charitable plans. You are entitled to a charitable income tax deduction. Income recipients get a variable lifetime income. The Foundation receives some or all of the assets when the Trust terminates.

HOW TO GIVE

Create a Trust that pays income to the Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation for a set period of time then passes to heirs.

BENEFITS

The Trust can be designated to address complex family and charitable plans. You are entitled to a charitable income tax deduction. The Foundation receives income for the term of the Trust. You receive a current income tax deduction and a reduction in future estate tax. Your heirs receive the asset when the Trust terminates.

$100 A MONTH CLUB

The Old Town – Orono YMCA Foundation was created to provide a perpetual financial resource to assist the Old Town – Orono YMCA in sustaining and strengthening current and future programs and facilities to serve Old Town, Orono, and the surrounding communities.

To address this need and honor Herbert Sargent’s exemplary 100 years of life and his long-standing support of the Old Town – Orono YMCA and the Foundation, the Foundation has established the $100 A Month Club in his memory. Becoming a member of the Club is easy:

  1. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to pledge $100/month in their name or in memory of others. Contributions may be made monthly, quarterly, biannually, or annually by check, bank draft, or other payment method. Amounts contributed to the Club in excess of $100/month are always welcome and appreciated.
  2. Contributions are deposited and invested in a designated Fund. Once an accumulation of $10,000 is reached, the donor is considered a Herbert Sargent Fellow.
  3. As with all Foundation gifts, the interest earned will be used in the annual allocation of support to the Old Town – Orono YMCA. The Foundation currently distributes 5% of the unrestricted Foundation assets as of December 31 to the Y for use in its next fiscal year.

PLEASE NOTE: The $100 A Month Club dollars will be invested to enable future growth of the Foundation to adequately meet the financial needs of the Y’s programs and facilities for generations to come. $100 A Month Club members should not confuse this program with the purpose and need of Annual Campaign donations made to the Old Town – Orono YMCA. 100% of Annual Campaign dollars go directly to the Y’s operations on an annual basis to support individual scholarships and program subsidies for children and families currently participating in all our Y has to offer. It is our hope that members of the $100 A Month Club would consider this donation to the Foundation in addition to their participation in current and future Annual Campaigns.

THE HERBERT E. SARGENT FELLOWSHIP

Herbert E. Sargent, for the better part of sixty years, was a friend and benefactor to the Old Town – Orono YMCA where, beginning in the 1940s, he served for many years as a distinguished and valuable member of the Board of Directors. When the concept of developing a Foundation to help sustain the health and viability of the Y now and into the future was discussed, Herb was there providing leadership and initial funding. As part of his estate, Herb also established a substantial gift to the Foundation designed to provide long term support for the maintenance and care of the Herb Sargent Family Therapeutic Pool. His leadership and foresight, once again, has encouraged others to join in solidifying the important efforts of the Foundation.

Due to the enormous respect for Herb and the legacy that he has left us all, the Herbert E. Sargent Fellowship has been established in his memory, welcoming all who wish to ensure that our Y shall continue to serve and prosper now and into the future.

Your accumulated gifts of $10,000 or more will make you a Herbert E. Sargent Fellow. Funds you give can be designated, or named, to support your favorite programs or equipment. Gifts can support individuals through scholarships, camperships, and memberships. You can choose to give now or plan for giving later with a bequest. Additionally, you can donate investments, securities, life insurance policies, or property. You can even establish annuities and trusts or select to have a set amount deducted from your checking account every month.

SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION TODAY

When it comes to our donors, we want to make it easy! We are at hand to meet with you and discuss the options available to you at your convenience.

If you are interested in hearing more about the Foundation or would like to meet to discuss your intention to give, please reach out to Brent Folster, Foundation President, at BrentFolster265@gmail.com or complete and return this Letter of Intent to the Old Town – Orono YMCA.

OUR FUNDS

The Foundation’s Unrestricted Support Fund

$100 A Month Club Fund

Robert & Angelyn Coe Campership Fund

Joe & Sue Cyr
Aquatic Fund

Dorothy M. Griffin Education Fund

MacMillan Fund

William & Helen Munsey Scholarship Fund

Robert & Betty O’Keefe Fund

Herb Sargent Family Therapeutic Pool Fund

Evelyn Supple Scholarship Fund

HERBERT SARGENT FELLOWS

Marcia Bailey

Joe & Sue Cyr

Robert L. & Angelyn S. Coe

Ruth Gray

Calista & Earle Hannigan

Ralph & Anita Leonard

Stanley MacMillan

Howard & Edith Merrill

William & Helen Munsey

Robert & Betty O’Keefe

Herbert E. Sargent

Family Members in Honor of H.E. Sargent

Joe Sewall

Earland Sleight

Peg & Ben Smith

Beverly & Florence Spencer

Evelyn Supple

PLANNED DEFERRED GIFT COMMITTMENTS

Joseph Cyr

Robert L. Read

OUR BOARD

OFFICERS
President
Brent Folster
Vice President
John Gaetani
Clerk
Becky Whitmore
Treasurer
Jeff Wheelden

DIRECTORS
Joe Cyr
Calista Hannigan
Damien LaBree
Ralph Leonard
Stan Peterson
Jay Shorette
Shawn Small
Ben Smith
Don Sturgeon
David Wight

CUMULATIVE FOUNDATION SUPPORT

DECEMER 21, 1990 - JUNE 30, 2025

$3,350,485.91