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Home » Alumni

Lasting Legacies

Linda Flachsland Balducci '71

"For all the wonderful memories and terrific educational opportunities I experienced at Northwest, including the University as part of my trust is the least I can give back for all that I received."

Linda Flachsland Balducci '71

Living in La Jolla, Calif., Linda Flachsland Balducci '71 may be 1,600 miles away from Northwest, but her alma mater is never far from her heart. "Flash," as she is called by many of her friends, graduated from Northwest with a degree in physical education. Today, she is CEO of her own company, B.FITT, and is a trainer to the senior population and an arthritis aquatics instructor.

Northwest was not the original college destination for Balducci, who grew up in Syracuse, N.Y. She began her college education at Midwestern College in Dennison, Iowa, but after her freshman year the school closed, leaving her with no choice but to transfer. After she and several friends looked at a few schools, many of them chose Northwest.

"The campus was beautiful, the town had a wonderful feel to it, and our credits would transfer," Balducci said. "We sent positive news to friends about how great the school was, and they followed!"

As a former president of the Northwest Alumni Association's Southern California Chapter, Balducci's devotion to Northwest has continued to grow through the years. In fact, "Flash" has made a provision in her trust to include Northwest's Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance as a beneficiary of her estate.

One of the easiest planned gifts to create and implement is the will bequest. It allows you to give any percentage of your estate as a charitable gift when a current gift of real estate or cash might not otherwise be feasible.

Consider these advantages:

• You’re able to maintain control of your assets
• It provides a gift to Northwest in an amount you feel is appropriate, and you can still provide for your loved ones
• Estate tax deduction
• It’s simple to set up
• It provides for a cause you deem worthy at Northwest
• Includes membership in the James H. Lemon Heritage Society
• You leave a lasting legacy at Northwest

Contact the Northwest Foundation at advance@nwmissouri.edu or (660) 562-1248 to find out about the many advantages of providing an estate provision.