Patricia A. Jones — IRA Beneficiary Gift

Patricia has enjoyed combining her professional life with a love for the performing arts for close to thirty years since New West Symphony started in 1995. As the owner of Home Helpers and lover of symphonic music, her husband George was among the original board members she first met in her role as CEO for the Alliance for the Arts. Ever since, they have shared a lifelong commitment to the arts.

Patricia's enthusiasm and respect for New West Symphony grew during her time with the Alliance from 1996-2010 when she often collaborated to ensure community support was spread among local performing arts organizations. She had a great respect for the Symphony's role in lifting an entire community up by offering access to a local professional orchestra. As a result, not long after retirement and the sale of Home Helpers, Patricia, looking to fill her time with something meaningful, joined New West Symphony as the Director of Special Initiatives. She feels like this opportunity was "meant to be" finding it incredibly rewarding to work closely with the CEO and Artistic and Music Director she greatly admires.

Patricia wants everyone to know what a gem New West Symphony is and how important it is to support the symphony financially to secure its future. She would like everyone to consider back to an organization that brings them so much joy. "The continuation of life affirming experiences that are made possible by New West Symphony season after season relies on a deeper understanding of what it takes to produce impactful moments and inspire future generations of artists who can remain in their own community." To emphasize her point, Patricia recalls a deeply moving experience where tears welled up in her eyes during the finale of a recent performance - "the entire audience jumped up from their seats erupting in applause in unison and shouting "bravo" like I have never seen before." She hopes others will join her to keep this going, honor their experiences with a gift when it will mean so much.

She and George continue to this day to find great joy supporting NWS as subscribers, annually sponsoring musicians through the "Adopt a Musician" giving program and providing in-kind donations and financial support for fundraising events and festivals. She is heartened to know long after she is gone that she will be a part of NWS future as a member of the new legacy society. Patricia has included NWS as a beneficiary of her personal IRA and encourages others to consider it as an easy option. In sharing her vision for the legacy society, Patricia envisions "a robust membership to lead New West Symphony to new heights, comparable to the Los Angeles Philharmonic."

"With increased awareness and support from caring community members and the creativity and innovation coming from current leadership, why not lift New West Symphony up to this level as they have done for us?"

For more information regarding the New West Symphony Legacy Society and contemplating a living legacy, click here.