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Legacy Society

“One generation plants the trees, the next enjoys the shade.”

Help preserve the beauty and unique history of McKee Botanical Garden for generations to come.

McKee Botanical Garden was rescued once before, by visionaries who saw its worth and acted boldly to save it. That spirit lives on in The Legacy Society, a group of committed supporters who have included McKee in their estate plans to ensure its future.

A planned gift to McKee is more than a gesture, it’s a generational investment. It protects rare plants, preserves a one-of-a-kind history, and nurtures tomorrow’s environmental stewards.

We invite you to join The Legacy Society and help shape McKee’s story for generations to come. Together, we can ensure this extraordinary garden continues to educate, enchant, and endure.

Make Mckee Part of your Estate Plans >

Explore how you can make McKee Botanical Garden part of your legacy and, in doing so, help this historic garden thrive for generations to come.

A bequest to McKee allows you full use of your assets during your lifetime while leaving a lasting legacy to the Garden. Include McKee in your will or trust for a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or another type of provision to make a thoughtful gift to the Garden and receive potential tax savings for your estate. An unrestricted bequest provides flexibility to use the gift for McKee’s greatest needs. If you prefer to restrict your gift to a particular program or area of the Garden, please let us know.

To establish a charitable gift annuity, a donor makes a gift of cash or appreciated securities to the Garden. In exchange, the donor is eligible to receive a charitable income tax deduction and receives annual (or quarterly, or semiannual) payments for life. Payment amounts may be made to the donor or to another person and are based on the age of the person receiving the payments.

A charitable remainder trust is made during your lifetime with benefits to you and a deferred benefit to McKee. When cash or securities or another asset are transferred to a trust, you receive payments from the trust for life or for a term of years (not exceeding 20). At the end of the lifetime or term of years, the trust terminates and the assets are passed to McKee.

Such trusts work just the opposite of Charitable Remainder Trusts. A charitable lead trust is established when cash or securities or another asset are transferred to a trust. You would arrange for McKee Botanical Garden to receive payments from the trust. At the end of the trust term, the remaining assets are distributed to the designated beneficiaries, usually children or other family members.

Name McKee Botanical Garden as beneficiary of all or a percentage of a fully paid life insurance policy you may no longer need and you may receive a charitable estate tax deduction for the portion you designate.

Designating McKee Botanical Garden as the beneficiary of some or all of your IRA can be one of the most efficient ways to make a tax-free gift after your death. Name the McKee Botanical Garden as a percentage beneficiary of your retirement plan assets and your estate will receive the appropriate charitable estate tax deduction.

Avoid capital gains tax and receive an income tax deduction for the market value when you make a gift. Gifts of savings bonds have tax consequences when transferred to individuals but may be bequeathed to charities with fewer tax ramifications. If you are thinking of making a bequest to charity and own savings bonds, considering funding your bequest with savings bonds.

Gifts of homes or real property offer benefits, too. Real property gifts may include gifts of a primary residence or a vacation home. You may deed your home or vacation home to McKee while residing in and maintaining it during your lifetime and still be eligible to receive tax savings. Real estate gifts are subject to review by the McKee Botanical Garden.

Make Mckee Part of your Estate Plans >

To learn more or begin the conversation, please contact Rochelle Wolberg, Executive Director, (772) 794-0601 Ext 105

We thank all those who have joined the McKee Legacy Society for their generosity, vision, and commitment to ensuring the Garden thrives for generations to come.

The McKee Legacy Society honors those individuals who have expressed their dedication to McKee by making the Garden part of their lasting personal philanthropy. These members, individually and collectively, have built a legacy for McKee by including the Garden in their estate plans.

  • Jessica P. Adams
  • Susan E. Aitken*
  • Rosamond Warren Allen
  • Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Candler
  • Karen Connors
  • Mr. and Mrs. C. William Curtis
  • Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Dengler*
  • Don Eckert*
  • Mr. Campbell C. Groel, Jr.*
  • Connie Harper*
  • Stephanie P. Hurtt
  • Robin Jones
  • Joanne* and Brian McClatchy
  • The Arthur McKee Latta Family
  • Suzanne LaPaugh Liggett
  • Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Lockhart
  • Gwenda Lee Loy*
  • Gail Lassiter Malin
  • Matt and Olivia McManus
  • Sheila Marshall
  • Linda Orr
  • Carol and Ted Price
  • Pendennis W. Reed* and Francine D. Reed*
  • Lee D. “Toni” Robinson
  • Mrs. Gavin Ruotolo*
  • John Schumann, Jr.
  • Susan Schuyler Smith
  • Sarah Knapp Sprole*
  • Dace B. Stubbs
  • Barbara Sutphen
  • Peter and Jeanne Tyson
  • Marion de Vogel
  • Mrs. Robert Wolcott, Jr.
  • Mr. and Mrs. B. Robert Wood*
*Deceased
I had the opportunity to observe McKee being reborn and grow, once again, into a valuable community asset. When my mother was alive our favorite time together was spent wondering the paths, watching the children discover the magic of McKee. I have decided to make a planned gift to McKee to help in preserving this treasure for generations to come.
Susan Schuyler SmithMcKee Botanical Board of Directors
We chose a planned gift because we love the Garden and we love Vero Beach. McKee is unique, a one-of-a-kind treasure that lights up children's faces and imparts a sense of history and culture to our community. We couldn't imagine a better legacy than one that combines spiritual solace with the ability to bring joy to younger generations.
Bill and Nancy CurtisFormer McKee Botanical Board of Directors
I am pleased to have made a commitment to McKee Garden in my will to further its mission to the families of Vero Beach and visitors from all over the world. And to honor the dedicated staff and volunteers I have been privileged to work with.
Jeffrey LockhartMcKee Legacy Society Committee Chair and Board of Directors

Sample Bequest Language:

Please feel free to adapt this language with your attorney to fit your individual situation.

“I (name) of (city, state, zip) give McKee Botanical Garden (the sum of) (all or __percent of my residual estate) to be used for its general purposes (or for the specific program of your choosing).”

Legal Name : McKee Botanical Garden

Address : 350 US Highway – 1, Vero Beach, FL, 32963

Federal Tax ID # : 65-1189895

All donors who include the McKee Botanical Garden in their estate plans or make a planned gift become members of the McKee Legacy Society. Members receive recognition on the McKee Legacy Society Donor Wall, The Garden bi-annual newsletter and Annual Report. The McKee Legacy Society is the Garden’s way of saying “thank you” for your vision and dedication to McKee.