Asbury Methodist Village Donor Story: Paul and Ruth Anne Thran

While living in Gaithersburg, Md., the Thrans watched the building of the Villas at Asbury Methodist Village and thought that would be a good place to live once they were old enough.

In 2010, Ruth Anne and Paul became enthusiastic new residents, ready to simplify their lives and focus on what they enjoy. Ruth Anne served on the Communications PAC and sang with Asbury choruses and Paul joined a ROMEO lunch group. Together they joined fitness classes, planted vegetables in their community garden space and made travel plans. Travel is a special pleasure they have shared ever since they met in 1988 while traveling in Egypt.

However, a second home in Prince George’s County, Md., that was proving hard to sell was a source of worry.

Then last summer in the FOCUS newsletter, they read about a resident who had donated her rental home to Asbury Foundation to support benevolent care.

“We called Development Director J.D. Shuman and he took care of everything, including ensuring our renters could live there throughout the terms of their lease,” says Ruth Anne. “J.D. saved us a lot of worry.”

Through the donation of their real estate, the Thrans have funded a deferred charitable gift annuity, which will provide regular, fixed-rate payments to them for the rest of their lives and support the AMV Benevolent Care Fund.

The Thrans hadn’t been aware of Asbury’s benevolent care philosophy when they chose the Villas, but as they learned about it and came to know their new neighbors, they wanted to support the program. This was a way to benefit both the Thrans and the AMV Benevolent Care Fund.

Paul notes, “ This was the perfect solution to relieve ourselves of our concerns for the house and to do good for others at the same time. We’re happy to share our story if it will make others aware of this creative way to support something so important!”