I started hiking the Bruce Trail in the 1970s around the time the government implemented a policy to help protect land on the Niagara Escarpment.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t received well by everyone and resulted in some parts of the Trail being redirected from private land to roads. As much of the Trail was connected by handshake agreements, there was a real sense that we might lose the Trail forever. I remember feeling helpless and thinking how great it would be if the Bruce Trail Conservancy could secure 100% of the Trail. Being a student at the time, I decided that when I was in a position to do more, I would.

Over the years, the BTC has done an incredible job of communicating the mission with people, and making progress in securing the Trail permanently. In fact, when I started donating to the land appeals, significant progress had already been made. Because the Bruce Trail Conservancy is good at sharing how funds are used, I carry a level of trust that my donations are used effectively.

When it came time for my wife and I to do our wills, we sat down together, wrote out our list of preferred charities, and then decided on the percentages for each. Land securement remains important to me, and so I have included the Bruce Trail Conservancy in my will. We don’t have children, but we do have family we wanted to include in our estate plans. Through thoughtful planning we were able to do both. With this gift, it is my hope the BTC will one day permanently secure the Trail.

Fun fact: Bob met his wife Anita while on a bus hike in the Caledon Hills section! They are another great example of how the Trail can bring people together.