Leaving a Park City Legacy – Carol and Scott Loomis

If you’re concerned about affordable housing in Park City, chances are you’re familiar with the good work Scott Loomis has done as head of Mountainlands Community Housing Trust. And it’s likely that you have read an article about PC Tots, Park City’s new, affordable, high-quality childcare center, led by Carol Loomis, their Board Chair.

With such demonstrated commitment to Park City, you might think that Carol and Scott have lived here forever – but it’s not true. Both lived in Tucson, Arizona for more than thirty years, attended the University of Arizona, and continue to visit friends and family when they go back to their home there.

But Park City, after 18 years of their living here, has truly stolen their hearts.

“This is our community,” explains Carol, “By making a legacy bequest now, that comes to fruition in the future, we know we’ll have an impact on this place that we love.”

Carol and Scott have committed a percentage of their estate in a gift to Park City Community Foundation. Says Scott, “We give to a number of organizations in town, but we don’t know what their needs – or the community needs – will be in the future. Whenever this gift comes to be, Park City Community Foundation will know what our community’s needs are – and put our gift to work.”

Scott continues, “Even 15 years ago, the Christian Center was just an idea and the People’s Health Clinic was in a van. Many organizations had good leadership but no staff and no funding. Now they have outstanding leadership and important programs that the community needs.”  Carol added, “the Community Foundation pulls all the nonprofits together, and encourages and supports them to grow stronger.  The nonprofits feel like a community – it’s cohesive, we work together.  It makes our culture of philanthropy grow and be more visible.”

Carol said that making a gift like this isn’t easy, from an emotional standpoint: “You have to think about mortality and about your family relationships. But Park City is our home, and I want to honor the people I’ve met and loved here – their generosity, their giving, their commitment.” From a technical standpoint, it was easy – they simply added an amendment to the revocable trust they established when they were married, so that if things change, their plans can evolve too.

Carol and Scott noted that a legacy gift also allows them to give in a way that isn’t possible now. “Our giving now is spread out – we support the social services, arts, environment, all sorts of causes including some in Tuscon. But this gift is more planned, focused, and reflects what we want for the long term. It reflects our love of our new hometown.”