Family's Interlochen Legacy Continues Through Estate Commitment

Deb Cohen's memories of Interlochen begin with her older brother, J.D., taking the train to the northern woods of Michigan, to spend his summer singing in the Intermediate Boys chorus and playing the clarinet. In 1957, Deb followed in his footsteps to spend her first summer in Junior Girls, singing in the chorus and taking introductory woodwinds class.

In all, Deb spent five summers at Interlochen Arts Camp (then the National Music Camp), where she learned to play the flute, briefly attempted the cello, and enjoyed the vast array of recreational options including ceramics, sailing, and archery. She remembers loving almost everything about Camp from classes to knickers to soft-serve Sundays at the Melody Freeze.

Deb and J.D.'s parents enjoyed visiting campus as well, and so appreciated Interlochen's impact on students that when J.D. died in an accident in 1958, they funded the construction of the Jonathan David Cohen Scholarship Lodge on campus in his memory.

Years later, Deb recalled the pleasure her parents got from receiving letters sent by scholarship recipients. She began to donate annually to the Jonathan David Cohen Memorial Scholarship, and later made additional gifts so the annual scholarship would be endowed in perpetuity.

Visiting campus and watching students explore their passion and find their purpose also inspired Deb to contribute to the new Music Center and Dow House, Interlochen's new convertible residence hall.

Now Deb has included a provision benefitting Interlochen in her estate plans. When
she passes away, a portion of her estate will augment the Jonathan David Cohen Memorial Scholarship. When asked if she had any advice to offer other donors considering an estate gift, Deb said, "I suspect we all worry at times about planning ahead, and our circumstances changing in unexpected ways. The beauty of a planned gift is that you can alter it if needed, by adjusting the size of the gift or the percentage of your estate. I am happy to know that the institution I love – and future generations of young people – will continue to benefit even when I'm gone. That's also why I wanted to put the money into an endowment, so the fund will always be there."

Deb adds with a smile, "But if your situation allows, don't just wait until you're dead! I'm also doing what I can now because it gives me such pleasure to connect to the people and purpose of Interlochen, and help keep it the wonderful place that it is."

Thanks to Deb and her planned gift, the Jonathan David Cohen Memorial Scholarship will always help talented students attend Interlochen Arts Camp.