We celebrate the commitment and impact of individuals who have chosen to include Big Life Foundation in their estate plans or have made a lasting legacy gift. Here are stories that both inspire and explain why these remarkable people have made the decision to support our mission.
Nancy Melin
“One of the main reasons that I support Big Life is that your work is very targeted and localized, and I feel that you are very successful. You are having an impact in all of the areas that you are involved.”
Barry Turkus
“Big Life's vision is based on an elegantly simple circular concept. By supporting the local Maasai communities with jobs that support Big Life's conservation effort, providing educational scholarships for the Maasai children and offering health care services to the Maasai communities, the communities in turn will support conservation. As a result of Big Life's work the Maasai people realize that if the poaching and killing of wildlife continues, they will be the ones to suffer; their jobs and all of the services that Big Life provides as well as all of the tourists who visit this vast Amboseli-Kilimanjaro ecosystem will completely disappear. This model deserves to be replicated throughout Africa. It has been extremely successful—it works. And that's why my wife and I support Big Life's operation in a big way with annual gifts in addition to the Legacy Gift that I have made to ensure that Big Life's work continues far into the future.”
Barbara Moritsch and Tom Nichols
“We've supported Big Life Foundation for many years--they are simply one of the best organizations working to protect African wildlife. We have included Big Life in our trust so we can continue to support their critical mission as long as possible into the future.”
Celebrating Antoinette "Toni" Rapone's Legacy
Antoinette “Toni” Rapone followed a diverse life path, journeying from studies in psychology and philosophy to a pioneering role in retail. But it was her later transition into wildlife biology that truly ignited her passion. Her dedication was evident in her summers spent in Africa, studying the vocal communication patterns of Patas monkeys.
Drawn to Big Life Foundation, she became interested in our Predator Compensation Fund and the unwavering dedication of our Maasai rangers. Today, her gracious bequest ensures her legacy lives on. Her contribution robustly supports the programs she so deeply believed in, reinforcing the coexistence between communities and predators and bolstering our rangers in their mission to protect East Africa's cherished elephant populations.
We celebrate Toni not just for her generosity but as a shining example of the impact one individual's passion and commitment can have on our shared world. Thank you, Toni.
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