Every fall, Dimitri takes some time to disconnect from his devices and head out to the Bruce Peninsula to surround himself with the serenity of the Niagara Escarpment.

This annual event began 12 years ago when a planned camping trip to Cypress Lake with friends turned into a solo adventure due to a rainy weather forecast.

“I was still in college then, spending a lot of time on my computer and in classrooms,” said Dimitri. “My decision to head up to the Peninsula despite my friends’ change of heart turned into one of the most relaxing experiences I’d had in a long time. It’s a trip I look forward to now every year.”

During his childhood, Dimitri lived in a couple of urban cities before moving with his family to Vaughan, and eventually Oak Ridges. His experience living in a quieter neighbourhood near the Jefferson Forest and around the corner from a lake, left an indelible appreciation for the outdoors. Being able to access the natural world and escape that busy city feeling only a short distance away inspired his desire to ensure others could experience that too.

“The Bruce Trail is so huge, that at least one section is easily accessible from anywhere in south central Ontario,” noted Dimitri. “The added benefit of spending time outdoors and surrounded by nature is that it’s made me more inclined to take care of it. I’m aware, for instance, that I’m able to enjoy the Niagara Escarpment today because others before me supported the effort to secure the Bruce Trail permanently and make it available for everyone. I want this to continue, and I want to contribute.”

While considered young at 32, Dimitri has known for a long time that he wanted to include charities in his will. He likens the act of gifting his lifetime assets to charities with the idea of dreaming about all the good you could do if you won the lottery. The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of many charities he has included as a beneficiary of his estate.

The deciding factors for including a charity in a will are unique to everyone. For Dimitri, choosing charities that impacted his life; are servicing causes important to him; are fiscally responsible; and are within Canada, helped him to narrow down his list. From there, he decided to assign a percentage of his estate to each charity.

“Particularly because of my age, I felt it made sense to take the percentage approach,” said Dimitri. “I can’t predict what my estate will look like in the future, other than I expect it to grow. This way, the gifts will grow with me over time. I’m young, but I’m hoping in the future it will be a good amount.

“Leaving a gift in my will to the Bruce Trail Conservancy feels good. It means I’ve officially locked into a promise I made to myself years ago. My family and friends are aware of my charitable intentions, and it’s my hope that they might consider it, too.”

Like Dimitri, you can create a forever gift that makes an impact on future generations. To learn how creating a Will is now easier than ever, visit brucetrail.org/will-power. Ready to write your Will? Visit brucetrail.org/epilogue-wills.
For any questions, contact Gloria Vidovich at gloria.vidovich@brucetrail.org.