Sisters Deedee Blane and Dottie Habel spent their first full summer in Boothbay Harbor in 1960. It was the year after their parents made the very careful decision to purchase a rustic seasonal cottage in the Appalachee community. The cottage, which they still lovingly refer to as Birch Lodge, seemed huge to the young girls at the time. As they grew and continued to spend all or part of their summers there for the next six decades, the dwelling took on a smaller feel, but the cottage and the neighborhood remained much the same.
Very early on, Deedee, Dottie and their parents were welcomed into the community with open arms. Their mother was a member of the Boothbay Region Garden Club, their father friends with the renowned painter, Lonnie Sisson. Deedee and Dottie learned to sail at the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club and worked as counselors at the Boothbay Region YMCA Day Camp. Deedee worked at the Spruce Point Inn, and Dottie was a waitress on The Argo’s supper sails. They were friends with the summer crowd, but their long-standing friendships have been with their local peers. In a word, the Boothbay region had offered them a place of belonging for many years.
Maine summers gave Deedee and Dottie a lifetime of memories that cannot be matched. But there comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to say goodbye to something you love so much. How do you plan for such a moment? For Dottie and Deedee, it was an easy decision. They co-owned the family cottage, but knew that the property did not hold the same importance for their extended family as it did to them. They saw the need to divest of some of their physical assets, but also wanted to do some good. They immediately thought of Boothbay Region Land Trust.
Through a Retained Life Estate, the sisters were able to plan for their future while also making a significant contribution to Boothbay Region Land Trust. Deedee and Dottie worked with their attorney to sign over the deed to their beloved Birch Lodge to BRLT. The land trust is now the deeded owner of the cottage, but Deedee and Dottie still retain the right to live in and maintain the property for the remainder of their lives, or until they choose to relinquish those rights to BRLT. When the time comes, Boothbay Region Land Trust may sell the property, with no restrictions, and use those funds to further land conservation goals in the region.
Not only do Deedee and Dottie get to feel good knowing that the value of their property will benefit the land trust while still keeping the keys, but they were able to realize a tax-deduction for the property transfer at the time of the planned gift. It’s a win for all involved parties, and Deedee and Dottie get to give back to the community that gave them so much over the years.
When describing why they made the decision, the sisters expressed their appreciation for the history and the character of the area. Dottie shared, “When we first moved here, we were summer people but we were greeted warmly. We never felt like intruders, or that we didn’t belong. It always seemed like a welcoming community and there is still a very welcoming feel.” Deedee added, “Both of our parents would be so proud of our choice.”
Entering into a Life Estate Agreement with Boothbay Region Land Trust means you have the legal right to stay in your property for the remainder of your life, you get an immediate deduction for Federal Income Taxes, and BRLT only has the right to sell your home after your death. To learn more about planned giving opportunities, please contact Development Director Skye Wood at vwood@bbrlt.org, or visit: bbrlt.org/support/ways-of-giving
Cover photo: Appalachee by E. Frank Johnson
