The idea began with something very simple.

Gifting in real estate often means something tangible. A bottle of wine, some flowers, a box of chocolates, a pretty scented candle, some fluffy towels, a picture frame... you get the idea. Between Christmas and completions and thank you, and  other special days, that all can add of to a whole lot of...stuff.

And while the intention behind them is always sincere, these gestures, are not always the right ones. Chocolates can arrive when someone is watching what they eat. Wine can arrive when someone is taking a break from drinking. Flowers can set off an allergy or create an unintentional stress when a non-gardener ends up with a pot of lavender they have no idea how to keep alive! And even a beautiful object can feel like just one more thing to store, pack, donate or eventually decide what to do with.

The more I worked with down-sizers, and the more I experienced downsizing in my own life, the more uncomfortable I became with adding another “thing” simply because gifting is the typical way to express gratitude and congratulations.

Most of us already have plenty more than we want or need.

I still wanted the gesture to feel personal and meaningful. I just wanted it to carry something forward rather than take up more space and energy.

So in 2025, I established the Land & Sea Giving Fund through the Victoria Foundation and began making contributions in honour of my clients. 

I was a bit anxious at first, wondering if people would think I was taking the easy way out of gifting. Fortunately, there is a saying in real estate when you begin: "Your people will find you". Over time, I have come to realize this to be true...my clients ARE very much my people - we seem to share what I view as important common values, and have similar approaches to many things in life.  I have had so much support for this way of gifting from my clients, I am eternally grateful.

The need in our community is significant, and the range of organizations responding to it is remarkable. The Victoria Foundation supports hundreds of charities each year, across areas including housing, food security, health and wellness, education, the environment, Indigenous priorities, gender equity, arts and culture and much more.

That breadth is one of the reasons I chose the Victoria Foundation as the home for the fund.

The first disbursement will take place late in 2027. When that very exciting time comes, and every year that follows, my clients will collectively choose where our giving funds are allocated.

I love that the decision will belong to this growing community of amazing people who have trusted me with some very important moments in their lives.

What might once have been spent on another bottle of wine, box of chocolates or scented candle can instead become something shared, enormously appreciated, and lasting in more ways than we can imagine.

A gift can still mark the moment. It does not have to take up space.

Learn more: Victoria Foundation

There is something wonderfully straightforward about 100+ Women Who Care Victoria.

Four times a year, more than 100 women come together. Each contributes $100. Members nominate local charities, three are selected to present, and the group votes on where that collective gift will go.

No elaborate gala. No complicated fundraising campaign. Just women pooling their resources and directing them where they can have an immediate impact.

Together, the Victoria group has contributed more than $1 million to local charities.

I love the simplicity of it, and the reminder that an individual contribution does not have to be enormous to become something significant when people act together.

Learn more: 100+ Women Who Care Victoria

I am also proud to be a Shriner family, and also a member of Daughters of the Nile, an international women’s organization with one charitable focus: supporting Shriners Children’s Hospitals.

Founded in 1913, Daughters of the Nile members contribute financially, volunteer their time and create practical items for children and families receiving specialized medical care. In Canada, charitable funds are administered through the Daughters of the Nile Canadian Trust Foundation.

What I value is the constancy of it. For more than a century, generations of women have simply kept showing up for children and families who need extraordinary care.

Learn more: Daughters of the Nile

I’m proud to be a member of Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore, where the work is both local and very practical.

Here at home, the organization supports women, girls and families through education, mentorship, food security, community programs and opportunities designed to create greater independence and possibility.

Our local club is also part of Soroptimist International, connecting that work to a much larger global movement focused on improving the lives of women and girls through education, empowerment, service and advocacy.

I love that combination. The work can be deeply rooted in the needs of our own community while still being connected to women doing the same kind of work around the world.

Learn more: Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore