DECEMBER 2021
Greetings!

As we prepare to depart campus for winter break, I'd like to wish all of you a relaxing holiday season and much happiness as we begin the new year.

While we may not be in the office, the Advancement Office will be answering phones and emails during the break, should you like to make a year-end gift.

Thank you, as always, for your kindness and for keeping in touch with us back here in Lake Forest. Hope to see you through Zoom or in-person in 2022. Wishing you a healthy and joy-filled new year.


Ruth Keyso
Director of Alumni Engagement
847.615.3268 (office)
847.224.6072 (cell)
Update: Head of School Search Process
Read the latest information about the Head of School Search process at LFA. This announcement was emailed to our community members on Dec. 14, 2021 by Trustee Jessica Douglas '96, who chairs the search committee.
LFA Partnering with PCI on Alumni Directory
LFA is partnering with a company called Publishing Concepts (PCI, formerly Harris Connect) to gather alumni contact information for a printed (and electronic) alumni directory. We did a similar project back in 2011. It's time to refresh our data, much of which is out of date.

You will receive a postcard and email (and possibly a phone call) from PCI about this project and are encouraged to call the number provided on the card/email to update your info.

Please note that while you will be offered to purchase the directory and even LFA-branded apparel, you ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PURCHASE ANYTHING. Simply by confirming your data and filling in information gaps, you are helping us ensure that our data is accurate. And this will make the directory all the more useful. (You can confirm your info with PCI and ask not to be in the directory. That's perfectly ok.)

Thank you in advance for helping us collect the most accurate and up-to-date data about our alumni, which we will use in maintaining connections with all of you, planning for events, and assisting alumni with career networking. We appreciate your help and participation. 

Questions about the project can be directed to Ruth Keyso (847.615.3268) or Kristine Petroshius (847.615.3243)
Thank you, Colorado Alumni/ae!
Thank you to our Front Range alumni who joined LFA for a reception at the Crawford Hotel, Denver Union Station on Dec. 8. Alumni from the 1950s through the 2010s participated. View more photos here. Many thanks to everyone for their enthusiasm and support of LFA and Ferry Hall!

caption above: clockwise from bottom left: Jim Kling '59, Will Hunter '10, Mike Kurfess '11, Matt Payne '11, and Gail Patterson.
Just Days Left to Make Your Academy Fund Gift in 2021
It is unsurprising that this season of generosity and gratitude is the most popular time for alumni to make a gift to the Academy. Every single day, students and faculty benefit from your thoughtful support in the form of professional development, opportunities for hands-on learning across disciplines, and enriched experiences from the arts to athletics.

As we approach December 31, be sure to join other alumni by making your gift online today

Also to consider: If you have appreciated securities that have been held for at least one year, you can gift the securities instead of cash and save on your taxes. By gifting appreciated securities, you avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciated value. 

Questions? Contact a member of the Advancement staff.
Claim A Charitable Deduction For 2021 – Regardless Of Your Filing Status
You may have heard about the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed in 2020. The bill provided $2.2 trillion in stimulus to aid the US economy during the pandemic.

A tax provision in the bill created an opportunity for individuals to deduct up to $300 in cash donations (up to $600 for married couples filing jointly) regardless of whether you itemize your taxes or claim the standard deduction. This provision has been extended through 2021.

Ordinarily, people who claim the standard deduction – around 90 percent of U.S. tax filers – are ineligible to claim additional deductions for charitable contributions. This temporary special provision allows every U.S. tax filer to claim a limited deduction on their 2021 federal income tax return.

To take advantage of this temporary provision, your gift by check, credit or debit card (gifts of physical cash should only be made in person; never send cash by mail) must be made to a qualified charity – like Lake Forest Academy – on or before December 31, 2021. Please note that credit card gifts by mail must be received by December 30 to allow for processing in the 2021 tax year.

For the most current information on ways to support LFA by the end of the year, please visit https://www.lfanet.org/give/ways-to-give-end-of-calendar-year
Announcing the $200K Caxy Legacy Challenge
LFA is proud to announce the Caxy Legacy Challenge (CLC) as part of the $20 million Inspire & Invest Initiative. The CLC allows you to see an immediate LFA impact by unlocking funds from a challenge pool when you designate the Academy a beneficiary of your will, living trust or charitable trust.

Fueled by a Ferry Hall alumna and a Lake Forest Academy alumnus, this exciting opportunity empowers LFA alumni, parents, alumni parents, grandparents, and friends of the school to further strengthen the school's future. To learn more and how you can be a part of this initiative, visit the CLC webpage on the LFA website.
Start Your New Year with the YA Lunch!
LFA alumni in the classes of 2017-2021, join us on campus for the popular YA Lunch on Wed., Jan. 5, 2022! See your teachers and former classmates and enjoy a fantastic lunch in the Garden Room of Reid Hall. Free registration HERE. We can't wait to see you!