Bequest Giving
Anyone who has booked entertainment or played in a band in Hampton Roads knows the name Kathie Moore. Since 1976, Kathie has been a key player in the region's entertainment industry, first as a partner in the booking agency Cellar Door, and now as co-owner of More Music Group, which she founded in 1996.
Based in Virginia Beach, More Music is well known for handling everything from major concerts and festivals to corporate events and weddings. Less widely known is that its founder is an avid art collector who recently added the role of philanthropist to her resume.
"In 2006 I had to have a major operation," Kathie explains, "so I felt that I had to put my ducks in a row." One of those "ducks" she lined up was creating a trust that includes several local organizations as beneficiaries, among them CHKD.
"What I love about that," she says, "is knowing that when I'm gone from here, there will be future situations in which I'll still be able to contribute. That's a wonderful feeling. But if you don't have it written down, it won't happen."
A Norfolk native, Kathie attended Granby High School and ODU. Although she has no personal or family connection to CHKD, she has been aware of the hospital for as long as she can remember. "It's such a wonderful institution," she adds. "We're so lucky to have it here."
CHKD's executive director of development, Karen Gershman, has known Kathie for more than 15 years. "I'm grateful that she told us about her designation," Karen says. Many people who include charities in their wills or trusts don't let the charities know of their planned gifts, Karen explains. "Communicating that is another wonderful gift she gave us. Not only does it help us prepare for the future, it gives us the opportunity to honor Kathie's gift by recognizing her in our legacy society."
As a single woman without children, Kathie confesses that the process of creating a trust was easy to put off. "Then I finally realized that if anything should happen to me, I wanted to be sure my assets would go where I want them to go. And one of those places is CHKD."