Celebrating a Life: Allan Jacobs
The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy lost a dear friend, dedicated volunteer, and conservation champion with the passing of Allan Jacobs on October 8. Allan led a life dedicated to helping others, including an extended tour with the Peace Corps in Bolivia, decades as an estate attorney, and his involvement with the Rotary Club of Ojai Education Foundation. He was a long-time volunteer at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy where he served 15 years as a board member and many more as a committee member and volunteer. Allan always promoted the community of Ojai and the OVLC. When he was outdoors, which was often, it was common to see him sporting his OVLC hats in their various states of wear. He probably wore out more OVLC hats than anyone in the valley.
Allan was a passionate hiker, always celebrating his birthday with a hike up to Norhoff Peak. These hikes always attracted a diverse group of hikers and new community connections would be made during these outings. Bringing people together to experience the land was something that was natural for Allan. When the OVLC was raising funds for the Valley View Preserve Allan led hike after hike to show prospective donors the magic of the property and its views of the valley. For Allan, it was always about the land and the community. He never sought the limelight. Instead, he worked behind the scenes offering sound guidance and advice, and instilled strong ethics in our work.
Most community organizations have a select few people that play out-sized roles in their growth and development—Allan was one of these people for the OVLC. The OVLC is working on plans to honor Allan’s contribution to local land conservation, and we look forward to sharing these with you in the near future.
We can confidently say it is because of Allan Jacobs that so many people who love Ojai have included the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy in their estate plans. He was a firm believer in including non-profits in your estate plans and the legacy you can leave after you pass on. Allan was part of the formation of the new Pushing Up Poppies Legacy Giving Club. He realized the importance of a legacy giving program to a non-profit. It offers a powerful means to enhance and diversify a charity’s fundraising efforts. Legacy gifts enable organizations to achieve long-term financial stability and sustainability.
Pushing Up Poppies honors, thanks, and recognizes those who have included the OVLC in their estate plans. If you have included the OVLC in your estate plans, please contact Tania Parker today. You can let us know if you would like your legacy giving to be anonymous or if you would like to be recognized and included in the Pushing Up Poppies Legacy Giving Club.