A love story and a legacy for nature

Written by Maya Ahmad, Senior Development Officer, Planned Giving
In January, I celebrated my 10-year “panda-versary” at WWF-Canada. Over the years, I have learned so much—about the environmental challenges we are facing, about smart conservation solutions and about our most at-risk species, from massive North Atlantic right whales to tiny freshwater mussels.
But one of the best parts of my job is learning about the people who support our work—what they care about and what they are inspired by. Last year, I had the opportunity to meet Nancy Cafik, the niece of Harold MacDonald, who generously included a gift in his Will for nature.

“In a word, Uncle Harold was a gentleman,” Nancy remembered fondly. “The one thing you could always tell for sure was his deep love for Rita. He just wanted to make her happy.” Their hobby for 45 years together was bird-watching. They spent winters in Costa Rica, in search of unspoiled nature and beautiful birds. They were devoted to each other and to nature, and chose to include a gift for WWF and the Nature Conservancy Canada in their Will.
“One of Harold and Rita’s favourite photographs was taken at a WWF event,” Nancy told us. “It was a very big deal for them to meet Prince Philip in 1993 at WWF’s 25th anniversary luncheon. They believed strongly in the work the organization was doing and enjoyed these opportunities greatly.”
Nancy, now the executor of Harold’s Will, says, “I believe that a person’s Estate reflects what they’ve worked for their whole life. I’m just happy to be the one to fulfill their final wishes.”
To learn more about how your passion for nature can live on into the future, please visit wwf.ca/legacy or contact Maya Ahmad 1-800-267-2632 or [email protected]. Including a gift in your Will for WWF-Canada is a thoughtful way to extend your support for conservation, and it’s easier than you might think.