The NorthBay Alzheimer program recently learned it was named the beneficiary of a life insurance policy issued by Oretta Cortland of Vacaville, a long-time volunteer for the NorthBay Guild.
Cortland passed away in December 2009 and her estate was settled in 2010. For many years, Cortland had volunteered her time to the NorthBay Guild, working in the gift shop, on the hospital floor and in the NorthBay Alzheimers Resource Center. She also served as president and vice president of the NorthBay Guild.
The gift of over $20,000 came as an "extremely welcome and unexpected surprise," according to Brett Johnson, president of NorthBay Healthcare Foundation. "Although we knew Oretta felt very deeply about the NorthBay Alzheimer Resource Center, she kept her bequeath a secret from all who knew her."
The Foundation Board determined it would be a fitting tribute to her memory to establish a permanent endowment fund of $10,000, Johnson says. "The Oretta Cortland Endowment will provide funds to help NorthBay Alzheimer's services in perpetuity."
The balance of the donation was then allocated to the NorthBay Adult Day Center, and the arrival of these much-needed funds came as welcome news to Sandy Perez, program manager. The Adult Day Center's budget has been hit with cuts in state funding and staff has been scrambling for ways to help their financially impacted families, she says.
For more information about the NorthBay Adult Day Center, call (707) 624-7970. For more information about charitable planned giving, contact Brett Johnson, president of the NorthBay Healthcare Foundation at (707) 646-3130.
