Charitible Gift Annuity - Joe and Billye Elmore

That nervous feeling in the pit of the stomach is familiar to almost everyone on the first day of a new job — the uncertainty, the unfamiliarity, not to mention all of the new names and faces. But, the experience can be a bit different at Earlham, as many things here often are. Back in 1957, Joe Elmore was one of those fresh faces, new to Earlham and the Midwest, and having recently obtained his graduate degree, new to the workforce as well. He began his Earlham experience as a part-time counselor and part-time religion instructor.

"There was and is a sense of being part of a community and a great practice of helping newcomers," Joe said. "We came to Earlham right out of grad school, and while I liked the job, I never thought we'd stay in the Midwest."

Joe and his wife Billye soon realized that they felt at home in Richmond. They felt so at home, in fact, that they remained for the next 24 years, with Joe teaching and also taking on the role of Provost/Academic Dean from 1960-81. Billye taught in the Richmond public schools and also taught a course in Public School Music at Earlham for a few years.

"We came to love Earlham very much. I don't know that I'd enjoy being an administrator at any other school, but I enjoyed being a part of this place. I'm not Quaker, but I became convinced of the wisdom of the ways it affected governance — the practice of wide consultation, the search for consensus, the struggle against arbitrary distinctions and the wall often separating faculty and administration — all within a realistic context that recognizes the inevitability and importance of evaluation and accountability."

"My main job was recruiting faculty, but it was a very college-wide, community-based process. While I was here, under the leadership of Landrum Bolling and Frank Wallin and through association with my colleagues, we were able to develop many programs, some of which have lasted and some which have not. The faculty development process was particularly important to me — because of the emphasis placed upon good teaching and intellectual vitality. I mean, here I am, a non-Quaker teaching religion, but it worked."

Joe has seen Earlham grow in many ways. When he arrived on campus, the endowment was $2 million but the College was still competing well beyond what many in the academic world expected. He credits that to the boldness and creativity of Earlham's innovative faculty. Today, the faculty members remain bold and creative, but the financial stability of the College has grown to allow it to take its rightful place among some of the top institutions in the nation.

Joe and Billye Elmore decided to contribute to that financial stability, seeing their gift as a way to continue the sense of community they treasured during their time here. After the sale of their home in San Diego, they relocated to Minnesota and used the money from the home sale to give $100,000 to Earlham in a gift annuity. They gave a similar gift to Billye's alma mater of Southwest University in Texas.

"A charitable gift annuity is a contract between a donor and a charity, in which the charity promises to pay the donor a fixed rate of return for both of their lives," explained Kim Tanner, associate vice president for lnstitutional Advancement and director of Earlham's planned giving program. "For the Elmores, this means that the College promises and guarantees to pay Joe and Billye a set figure every year, regardless of changes in interest rates, for the rest of their lives.

"In addition to making a wonderful investment in Earlham and receiving fixed income in quarterly installments for life, a portion of each year's payment is treated as tax-free income and the Elmore's qualify for a federal income tax deduction with the deduction varying modestly depending on the timing of the gift."

Kim goes on to state that gift annuities can be a wonderful way to make a meaningful gift while also enjoying income and tax benefits that can help enhance ones financial well-being.

When the opportunity to give such a generous gift became available, Joe and Billye did not hesitate to support the College they love. Joe says he hopes more Earlhamites will consider a charitable gift annuity, whether they can afford ten thousand or one million.

"It is a good thing for Earlham and for the giver!"

"We have tried to support Earlham for a while, based on what we could afford," he explained. "This is something we both dreamed about doing, but it wasn't possible before we sold our home."

"Earlham College, more than most, has an impact that is good for human society and deserves to be supported. It's a special place, one that I've found hard to describe. I've gotten to know a lot of institutions, and Earlham has its distinctions. It continues to form and teach in ways that are as difficult as they are rare."

Back in 1957, when Joe first stepped onto the campus to start his new job, he knew this place was unlike any he had experienced thus far. That nervous, "new job" feeling was eased by the welcome he experienced as he was received into the Earlham community. That sense of community continues for him today.

"We had a wonderful time at Earlham, and only left because I felt I was dean long enough. Even 26 years later, I still feel that Earlham College is a place where we belong."

For more information on gift annuities or other planned giving options, contact Kim Tanner at 765-983-1631 or by e-mail.