ignificant gift in his will to support Ruth’s Table, leaving a legacy to creative aging.

Charles “Chuck” Raymond’s passions in life included design, architecture and an extensive network of close friends. Mr. Raymond graduated on full scholarship with honors from the University of Michigan, School of Architecture. He established a well-respected architectural firm, Raymond Designs of Atlanta, Georgia, concentrating for 30 years on commercial airport retail.

Long-time friend Jerry Brown, Covia Senior Director of Affordable Communities, recalls meeting Chuck through a mutual friend who was on his staff as an interior designer. “Chuck was like Cary Grant,” Jerry recalls. “He was debonair, intelligent, and loved the arts, fashion and design.”

Chuck also loved to travel, visiting museums and enjoying the cuisine and culture from London to Paris, Barcelona, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, and Buenos Aires. Jerry remembers the New Year’s Eve dinner and fireworks he shared with Chuck in 2005 at Jules Verne atop the Eiffel Towers. “We also shared family Thanksgiving dinner in 2009 at Windows of the Worlds atop New York’s World Trade Center,” Jerry recalls.

Chuck retired to Palm Springs in 2017 and, through his friendship with Jerry, discovered the range of programs supporting creative expression at Ruth’s Table at Bethany Center. Chuck was an avid art collector with special interest in Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol. At Ruth’s Table, he purchased two pieces from the gallery showing of artist Jennifer Ewing’s “Spirit Boats,” meant to symbolize passage and metaphysically hold a person as they journey.

Ruth’s Table Director Jessica McCracken remembers fondly that Chuck participated in the Ruth’s Table community production of its 50th Anniversary artwork “Crochet Jam” by artist Ramekon Artwisters. The piece hangs in the lobby of Bethany Center.  “Through it we’ll always have a little bit of Chuck’s spirit with us,” she said.

Jerry noted that Chuck will be remembered by residents, participants, staff, and board members for his love of the arts, fashion, puns, cuisine and world travel that he connected with the diverse seniors of Bethany Center and Ruth’s Table.

Chuck’s estate gift to the Bethany Center Foundation will help support programs at Ruth’s Table that bring people together in creative expression, inspiring Bethany Center residents in creativity and wellness exercise to stimulate the brain, the body and the spirit.

If you have included Covia Foundation or the Bethany Center Foundation in your will or estate plan, please let us know so that we can say thank you. For information on how to include a program or community you care about in your will or estate plan, please contact Covia Foundation Executive Director Katharine Miller at 925.956.7414 or kmiller@covia.org. We’d love to help you make a difference, supporting something you care about.

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The Berkeley Country Club, located in the hills above the Bay with three bridge views, has a personal connection to Covia: Mike Westall, the President of the Board, resides with his wife at St. Paul’s Towers, a Covia Life Plan Community in Oakland, California.

The golf course, designed by famed architect Robert Hunter in 1920, was fully restored in 2011, receiving the first ever Award for Excellence from the prestigious American Golf Architects Association.

This year’s Gala Dinner and Live Auction will be hosted by Liam Mayclem, Emmy Award-winning Co-Host of CBS Eye on the Bay and the KCBS Foodie Chap. He and his partner recently opened Noe’s Cantina in San Francisco.

Liam recently visited Oak Center Towers, a Covia Affordable Community, to see Covia’s services in action. “In a short time, Liam was able to meet several residents, some of whom recognized him from his media work. I can tell he’s going to bring a really personal touch to the event,” says Julie Hoerl, Covia Foundation Development Manager.

Mayclem is also contributing personally to the live auction. “He told us that he loves to do auction items that bring donors together with the mission,” Hoerl says. “In addition to providing a private event at his restaurant, he offered to host a dinner at a Covia Affordable Community for auction winners and seniors who live at the community. He’s even going to provide the recipe for his family’s Shepherd’s Pie.”

Other Live Auction items include a Hawaii getaway, Wine Country weekends, and hard-to-come-by sporting event tickets.

The gala dinner and auction will take place in the Berkeley Country Club’s English Tudor-style clubhouse, a historic building fully restored in 2002, with panoramic views of the Bay.

Funds raised from the event support Covia’s Affordable Housing and Community Services programs, offering housing and services for low-income or isolated seniors. In the past, funds raised from the Celtic Cup have helped open new Market Day locations, supported needed life-safety improvements in Affordable Senior Housing, and provided emergency funding for low income seniors.

Golf registration is available for individuals and foursomes and includes the evening reception, dinner and live auction. Evening-only tickets are also available. Individuals or foursomes can register online. Space is limited. For more information, visit CelticCup.org or contact the Covia Foundation at 925.956.7448.

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While the primary motivation for most charitable gifts is a desire to make a difference, not simply tax breaks, good financial planning leaves more for charitable gifts. Donors are paying attention to the impact of the new tax law – and making plans to maximize the difference their gifts can make.  The Covia Foundation offered several workshops this year on maximizing your charitable contribution and offers the following strategies you can use for your own planning purposes.

The new tax law that went into effect for 2018 nearly doubles the standard deduction to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. That means fewer Americans will itemize deductions on their tax returns – including charitable gifts.

Using tax-smart giving strategies can allow some donors to give more and enable others to grow their initial contributions tax-free until funds are disbursed to designated organizations:

APPRECIATED STOCK:

One strategy is to donate appreciated assets such as stocks or real estate directly to a charity. Donors receive the fair-market value of the asset at the time of the gift as a charitable deduction – without incurring the capital gains tax they would face if selling an appreciated asset outright. The charity then liquidates the asset and puts the funds to work to make a difference.

IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER:

Taxpayers over the age of 70 ½ can plan a Qualified Charitable Distribution from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA). Diverting some or all of the required minimum distribution from an IRA can provide financial benefits. While the distribution doesn’t count as a charitable deduction, it also doesn’t add to the donor’s adjusted gross income – which can reduce income taxes (and possibly Medicare premiums). Up to $100,000 annually may be requested as a Qualified Charitable Distribution.

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS:

Donors can make several years’ worth of charitable gifts in cash or appreciated assets to a donor-advised fund. This strategy can provide an immediate tax deduction on the amount contributed and allows the donor to direct gifts from the fund each year to the charities he or she supports.

Charities are able to continue their work in good part because of the support of people who care about making a difference. Planning ahead gives you the opportunity to make an even bigger impact with your charitable dollars. Generosity combined with knowledge can make all the difference in the world.

If you would like to attend a future charitable giving forum, please contact Michelle Haines, Covia Foundation Development Associate, at mhaines@covia.org. And to join our effort to provide life-changing support for seniors, please visit our secure online donation page.

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All of us want to share our deepest gratitude to all of our supporters. Your support will help seniors living in Covia’s Affordable Housing communities as well as those living in their own homes throughout the Bay Area. The funds from the Celtic Cup provide vital services such as nutrition, emergency assistance and a community of support for thousands of low-income and isolated seniors.

Fore! Golfers Out In Force

It was a beautiful day on the picturesque Orinda Country Club course. More than 120 golfers brought their best game on a picture perfect day. Congratulations to this year’s tournament winners!

1st place: Dennis Colvin, Al Climent, Jeff Hyer, Michael Ofstedahl.
2nd Place: David Chin, Terry Gilmore, John Fradelizion, Ken Keeney.
3rd Place: Matt Baldwin, Wally Baldwin, Bill Gilmartin, Steve Spina.

Kudos to the course contest winners!

• Closest to the Pin – Men: Dave Ring
• Closest to the Pin – Women: Ginni Henri
• Most Accurate Drive – Men: Dave Costello
• Most Accurate Drive – Women: Dee Ann Campbell

Celtic Cup Presented to Long-time Supporters

Special thanks to the recipients of the 2018 Celtic Cup, Bill and Connie Ring. The Celtic Cup honors those who have provided dedicated support to the Covia Foundation in its service to seniors. Bill and his wife Connie helped kick off the inaugural Celtic Cup in 2012 and Bill has served as emcee of the evening gala and live auction for seven years running. President and CEO Kevin Gerber presented the Rings with the Celtic Cup to conclude the gala dinner. Congratulations, Bill & Connie!

Click here to find more photos from this year’s Golf Tournament and Gala Dinner.

Thank you, Sponsors, Staff, and Friends

Many thanks to our 2018 Gold Sponsors:

And to our generous Silver Sponsors:
City Building, Inc.
Morrison Community Living
Nelson T. Lewis Construction Co., Inc.
PharMerica
T.C. Castle Construction, Inc.
Ziegler

Join Us Next Year!

We hope you’ll join us for the 8th Annual Celtic Cup in 2019. If you have any questions about this year’s event, please contact Michelle Haines at 925.956.7448 or visit our website at celticcup.org. Find out more about the Covia Foundation, what we support, and how to give here.

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