A Gift That Keeps Giving

Since 1981, Lona Farr and her husband, David Voellinger, have faithfully supported Good Shepherd, a cause dear to their hearts. The couple recently decided to expand their impact by creating the Long M. Farr, PhD and David Vincent Voellinger, MA, Therapy Fund to support continuing education for rehabilitation therapists. Lon and David signed a bequest to establish this fund and plan to direct their annual support of Good Shepherd to this fund each year forward.

Lona first learned of Good Shepherd as a student at Muhlenberg College when one of her classmates lived at the Good Shepherd Home. Lona joined the staff and spent more than a decade there in a leadership position.

In 1992, Lona experienced Good Shepherd from a patient’s perspective when she was seriously injured from a fall and needed intense therapy to recover and re-learn how to walk. Lona says this incident reinforced her love and admiration for Good Shepherd and its staff.

“I had been telling people about the good work [Good Shepherd was] doing, and this was an opportunity for me to experience it firsthand—and it was all true!” says Lona.

Her appreciation for Good Shepherd grew stronger after another round of therapy beginning in 2016. During sessions, she learned from her therapist that continuing education courses had helped expand their knowledge and experience.

“In my therapy, they’ve applied things they learned in their continued education courses, which I believe have both relieved my pain and helped me live with it,” she says. “Continuing education gives Good Shepherd staff the skills needed to help me and others. That’s what it’s all about—helping people live active and dignified lives.”

A similar philanthropic gift for nursing scholarships sparked Lona’s idea to show gratitude for the excellent therapy she is receiving. After reading about endowments in Sweet Charity, David and Lona knew this was how they wanted to give back. Good Shepherd will decide who receives the scholarship.

Two years ago, Lona could not walk. Today, she walks and even dances with her regained sense of mobility. Experiencing two rounds of life-changing therapy has made Lona extremely grateful to Good Shepherd, and she is confident in making Good Shepherd part of her giving plans.

As Lona says, “A planned gift is a gift that keeps giving-even when you are no longer able to make an annual gift, a planned gift allows you to keep giving in perpetuity.”