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Betty and Sid Garvais met in 1950 while singing in a community chorus, The Collegiate Chorale, in New York City. A love of music brought them together. Betty and Sid were the 8th couple from this singing group of 180 voices to be wed. They were married in June 1961.
Both were established in their careers for a number of years before they met. Friends called them "late blooming lotus flowers". Sid was in the insurance business and Betty worked for the American Federation for the Blind. They moved to Connecticut in 1971.
During this time Sid and Betty escaped from the hustle and bustle with weekend trips to Block Island, Rhode Island. They had a prefab home shipped over from the "mainland", which reminds one of a cottage, and set it up on four acres overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. For 36 years, this was their haven.
In 1992, a few years into their retirement, Sid and Betty decided to scale down a bit so, they moved into a continuing care community near their Connecticut home. They continued their visits to Block Island whenever possible.
Over time, however, several factors influenced their decision to finally sell their Block Island home. Now in their 80's, maintaining their summer home had become a burden. They wanted to increase their retirement income by selling it, but were shocked at the potential capital gains tax. They had no children who might inherit the home and all its memories.
Sid read about a Charitable Gift Annuity in exchange for real estate gifted to the AARP Foundation. He was familiar with how AARP Foundation charitable dollars worked in his community and had several friends who were tax-aide volunteers. Plus, he viewed AARP as the "action wing" for aging issues. But Sid and Betty also had a long affiliation with their church and wanted their church to benefit from some of their charitable dollars as well.
The AARP Foundation Planned Giving office helped Sid and Betty reach their financial and charitable goals. The Foundation uniquely arranged to auction their home because of its esthetic private location and value. It sold in four minutes at a price that was substantially higher than the appraised value! The church and the AARP Foundation are shared beneficiaries of the gift. And, Sid and Betty have a guaranteed monthly payment which will sustain them for the remainder of their lifetimes.
These "late blooming lotus flowers" have always been active volunteers in their church and in their musical community. And now that Sid and Betty are not traveling back and forth to Block Island, they continue to stay busy. Even today, Sid, an accomplished pianist, conducts sing-a-longs to entertain residents in independent living and the skilled nursing facility at their retirement community. He also stays somewhat active in the state office of Common Cause, a national citizens' lobby that works to hold political power accountable on campaign finance reform and other government process issues. As a matter of fact, he was roasted by them for 35 years of volunteerism!
Shortly after moving into the continuing care facility, Betty noticed so many newcomers throwing away good furniture and appliances because they had brought more than their new homes could accommodate. So she introduced a thrift store, the Encore Thrift Shop. The money provides for community conveniences, such as a new grand piano and outdoor benches for the residents.
This unique couple have given their time, talents, and treasures for many, many years. Reflecting on that, Sid commented: "We are thankful for the privilege of giving."
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