Leaving a Living Musical Legacy for Future Generations

Without Vision A People Perish was the credo of Grace Stewart Mullen, founder of the Redlands Community Music Association (RCMA) and the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival. Mrs. Mullen dreamed of presenting professional quality, classically-based performing arts programs to the whole community free of admission charge. Her dream came to fruition in 1924 when the RMCA presented its first professional concert. Over the years, outreach programs were added to the programming mission including the Children’s Festival Workshops, Music in the Schools Program, and the Young Artists Auditions Scholarships. Since the RCMA’s founding, over 8 million people have enjoyed a broad array of programs including symphonies, ballets, operas and culturally diverse music and dance performances.

Ensuring that the Dream Lives On

To ensure that the cultural legacy of Grace Stewart Mullen lives on, the Redlands Community Music Association is very pleased to announce the formation of the Grace Stewart Mullen Society. Members of The Grace Stewart Mullen Society are individuals, families and companies who, by including the Redlands Community Music Association in their estate planning, ensure that world class performing arts programming continues, without admission charge, from this generation to the next. These gifts are added to the RCMA endowment fund, and the earnings from the endowment fund support the programs and performances in perpetuity.

What is an Endowment Fund?

An endowment is a perpetual fund, put in place to benefit a specific purpose. RCMA’s Endowment Fund grows through generous gifts from its supporters, often via contributions from their wills or trusts. The RCMA Endowment Fund allows you to give a gift that will support the Festival programs in perpetuity. Endowment funds are invested prudently and conservatively, allowing for a portion of the income or growth to support RCMA’s operational and programming budget, thereby strengthening the organization, encouraging future sustainability, and providing for continual increases to the quality of programming which is the heart of the RCMA’s mission.

What if my estate is small?

All donations count! It is the combined efforts of all who believe in the mission of the RMCA that will ensure that it continues. Large or small, all donations have a positive impact.

What types of gifts are acceptable?

Gifts now: If your financial situation is such that you do not need all of your assets, you can make a gift of principal or income. You can do this by giving the principal and retain the right to receive the income or you may make an outright gift of cash or other assets.

Bequests: In addition to receiving current gifts such as cash or securities, the RCMA can be named in your will to receive a specific bequest such as cash, securities, real estate, or other assets. You can also designate that the RCMA receive a percentage of the remainder of your estate.

Retirement Accounts Beneficiary Designation: The RCMA can be named as the full, partial, or contingent beneficiary of your IRA, 401 (K), or other retirement account. This can be done by filling out the appropriate Change of Beneficiary forms and sending a copy to the RCMA for our records.

Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation: The RCMA can be named as the beneficiary or partial beneficiary of your current life insurance policy. You can also purchase a life insurance policy and name the RCMA as the owner and beneficiary and receive a tax deduction for the premium payment.

Some of the kinds of gifts described have positive tax consequences for you during your lifetime. You may wish to discuss this with your tax or estate planning consultant.

How do I become a member?

Membership is easy – simply fill out the attached form and return it to the RCMA. If you desire assistance with your estate planning, the RCMA is happy to provide you with referrals to legal counsel in the local area.

Donation Form

Benefits of Membership

New members to the Grace Stewart Mullen Society will receive a distinctive pin that they can wear to identify their personal commitment to the RCMA. All members are invited to attend a special members-only backstage reception during the Festival. Most of all, members will experience the personal satisfaction of knowing that their financial gift has enabled the RCMA to present the joy of the performing arts to future generations.

Remember

No contribution to the RCMA is too small. The organization has been a success for 85 years because of the vision and support of the community. Thank you!