
Frank Mitchell’s Lasting Legacy

Frank was a generous but humble man.
His support for Guide Dogs WA began in the 1980’s, and over three decades his generosity progressed from giving regularly to our direct mail appeals to becoming a major donor for some of our significant campaigns. Frank was an “everyday man” who gave discreetly, and on the rare occasions he stopped in to make his donation he would leave before we had a chance to thank him for his generosity.
As fate would have it, on the occasions we arranged for Frank to tour the organisation, meet some of our staff and see first-hand how his generosity had helped improve the lives of our clients living with vision loss or blindness, life got in the way and he was unable to make it.
Unbeknownst to us, he had made the important decision to leave a lasting legacy to VisAbility and Guide Dogs WA when he made a gift in his will.
While you may know that services such as our Guide Dog program rely on the generosity of the community, you may not be aware that bequests are one of our most important sources of funding.
We are sure Frank’s empathy toward people – and in particular children – who are blind or vision impaired was genuine and heartfelt. This was reflected in his approach to life and his desire to support others in his community.
When Frank passed away, VisAbility CEO Dr Clare Allen invited his family to visit our organisation to enjoy a morning with the puppies at Puppy Class. Soon after, his family decided to further honour Frank’s memory and sponsored a Guide Dog puppy with the remainder of the funds from his estate. This gorgeous black pup ‘Mitchell’ recently entered the Guide Dog program and, like Frank, will one day change a life.
Frank’s generosity will have a lasting impact for many years to come.
Once loved ones are provided for, many people like to leave a gift to charity in their will. If you are considering leaving a bequest to VisAbility or Guide Dogs WA, we encourage you to talk to your family or friends and let them know of your future intentions.
If now is a good time for you to be thinking about a legacy gift, please let us know. If not, please remember that your generous support is truly valued.
For more information about leaving a gift in your will or to receive a copy of our brochure ‘Build a Brighter Future – Leave a Gift in your Will’ please contact our Gift in Will Co-ordinator on 9311 8241, or email giftsinwills@guidedogswa.com.au
Your legacy could be life-changing.