Vivian M. Luce fondly remembers her first experience with the American Red Cross. During her summer vacation at age 15, she enrolled in a Red Cross water safety course in order to become a lifeguard at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From that point on she was bitten by the bug to teach others the skills that can save lives. For the next six years, she attended Red Cross Aquatics School, first as a student and later as an instructor. The schools were always a highlight of her summer.

After graduating from college, Vivian turned her passion for the Red Cross into a career. She took a job as a Red Cross Safety Specialist which entailed traveling extensively in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Northern Iowa.  After a series of career promotions, Vivian enrolled in graduate school and stayed connected with the Red Cross as an avid volunteer.  To date, she has never let her first aid, CPR and AED certifications expire and was recently recertified as a lifeguard. 

In 1989, Vivian relocated to St. Louis and immediately became involved with the Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter. She has served in numerous leadership capacities and in July of 2007, she became Chair of the Board of Directors, the highest volunteer position at the Chapter.

Over the years, Vivian has developed a deep commitment to the Red Cross and has become a regular financial donor. She is a member of the Clara Barton Society and the Legacy Society, two membership societies for individuals who support the St. Louis Area Chapter financially with annual and planned gifts.  

"What you donate and how much is a very personal decision," says Vivian. "I choose to give to the organization that has helped me become the person who I am today. Planned giving is a way for me to give back to an organization that has made a lasting impact in my life."

Vivian has included the American Red Cross in her estate plan. Estate planning is a simple and effective way to make sure that after one's family and loved ones are taken care of, funds from your estate can support the causes that you hold dear.