With Carey Bornn from SOS Medical Foundation
Carey Bornn is executive director of the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation. He joined the team in Penticton about nine months ago coming from the University of Calgary where he specialized in wills and estate giving. In total he’s spent 26 years in professional fundraising.
Bornn is originally from Langley and has a Business Administration degree from Trinity Western University. He’s the father of three and grandfather of eight, all ages 5 and under.
He spoke with Herald editor James Miller on the present campaign as well as his love of outdoor sports.
HERALD: What was the first fundraiser you remember doing as a child or young person?
BORNN: I grew up attending church and so generosity has always been a part of my life. But thinking back to my elementary and high school days in small town Saskatchewan, I don’t remember teachers getting us involved with raising money. But by the time my kids were in public school in Langley, it was common to have classroom fundraising projects which I think is an awesome learning experience for young people. I know my boys must have learned something from those experiences because they are now all very generous themselves, something a parent loves to see.
HERALD: If someone is interested in professional fundraising, is it best to study in community college or university?
BORNN: In the past, fundraising professionals often fell into it from other occupations, but today young people who are interested in fundraising as a career usually complete an undergraduate degree in a variety of fields, including marketing, commerce, the arts and communication. Then to receive specialized training in fundraising in B.C., they can take courses at BCIT. Those courses not only teach a variety of fundraising concepts, but also introduce you to people in the industry who work as charitable fundraisers.
HERALD: As a donor, what kind of research needs to be done in advance if someone is interested in estate giving?
BORNN: I’ve worked with nearly 300 executors and many lawyers over the years and I wish more donors would do a bit more planning when making an estate gift. Often the extent of the estate planning is letting their lawyer or notary public know they want to make a bequest included in their will. Rather, I recommend people first talk to the charity you plan to leave a gift to. This accomplishes two important things: it allows a dialogue about the various opportunities of how the gift can be used, and secondly, provides assurance to the donor that the bequest will be used as intended. The charity will keep the discussion in confidence, but will ask if when the bequest comes in the future, whether recognition should be given at that time. I also suggest talking to your financial adviser if you have an investment portfolio. Most estates have taxes due because of RRIFs and other business investments. Charitable bequests can help reduce or eliminate all tax due at death which many people like to do if they can. Ask your advisor to explain the financial benefits of listing a charity as beneficiary of your RRIF.
HERALD: Has "crowdfunding" for individual causes made it more difficult for traditional organizations to reach their targets?
BORNN: Crowdfunding has helped people in a variety of causes and needs, but hasn’t made a significant impact on individual giving trends from what I’ve seen. KCI Ketchum Canada recently reported in their philanthropy Trends publication that the number of people claiming charitable donations in their income taxes continues to decline. When I started raising money in 1991, almost 30 per cent of Canadians reported donations on their taxes, but today it’s down to 21 per cent, says the KCI report. The good news however is that giving people are giving more. One big reason is our tax system, which encourages donating securities to a charity. The donor gets both a donation receipt and in addition is able to eliminate all the capital gains on the securities. This has resulted in people making bigger donations because of the bigger tax break.
HERALD: Having been here now for almost a year, what’s impressed you about Penticton?
BORNN: That’s easy — the friendliness of the people. Every day people come into our office to chat and share their stories. There is such a strong sense of community and I see it first hand because the new PRH patient care tower has created a lot of interest. The Medical Foundation is where people often come to talk about it and in doing so we often also hear a bit about their life story. I can’t help but feel I’ve made a new friend when I hear someone’s life story.
HERALD: How far along is the patient care tower from reaching its financial goal?
BORNN: We are two-thirds towards our goal and right on track to where we expected to be at this point of the campaign. This is the fifth significant capital fundraising campaign I’ve been a part of in my career. The smallest was $2 million at a small charity, and at the University of Calgary, we were in a nine-year $1.3 billion campaign. Every successful campaign takes years to get underway just as it did here in Penticton. Then once all the approvals and details are worked out the first 40 to 60 per cent is often pledged by community in the early part of fundraising campaign. Many of these pledges come from those who have been giving for many years. But the last half of every campaign requires finding new donors to help meet the campaign goal. That’s what I find myself currently working on and I’m confident the $6.5 million balance will be met in the next two years.
HERALD: Has the Patient Care Tower distracted in any way from the day-to-day operations of the Foundation?
BORNN: From a fundraising perspective, it is great to have such a wonderful project to raise money for so it certainly hasn’t been a distraction. If anything, it provides focus in our fundraising efforts and for the community a project which makes a lot of sense to support. From a logistics perspective with the construction happening every day, I think that too has been positive. Yes, parking on a different side of the hospital is an adjustment the first time you do so, but generally everyone at the hospital gets excited seeing how quickly the new structure is going up and that the impact on patient care is being well managed.
HERALD: Does the foundation use a local firm or agent for long-term investments?
BORNN: Our investment portfolio is managed locally at CIBC WoodGundy.
HERALD: Switching to some personal questions, how has becoming a grandfather changed your outlook on life?
BORNN: Well it is one of the reasons I moved from Calgary to Penticton, to get closer to them. My kids live in the Langley Cloverdale area and I can drive there in less than four hours and do so every few weeks. I love spending time with them whether it be as simple as playing kids games and Lego or taking them to the pool which they all seem to love.
HERALD: I’m told you have 17 marathons to your credit. What’s your personal best and where did you get it?
BORNN: Yes for about 15 years I did a lot of running. but now only get out two or three times a week. The California Marathon in Sacramento is a great race to get a PB and I’ve run it a couple times, with PB of three hours 21 minutes a month before my 50th birthday a few years ago. HERALD: Is Boston on your bucket list? BORNN: It was, but I checked that off in 2004. My bucket list for age 50 was playing Pebble Beach Golf course which I did and when I get to 60, it’s to play St. Andrews, so fingers crossed.
HERALD: Where do you enjoy cycling in the South Okanagan?
BORNN: I’m just beginning to learn the various places to ride. I’ve been out Saturday morning a few times with the cyclists who meet at the Prague Cafe and they usually head south along eastside road towards Oliver and then back passing the observatory or See Ya Later Ranch winery. It’s all just wonderful places to spend three hours or so on a Saturday morning with other cyclists.