News

12-5-00

Contacts:
Dr. Norman Cheville, Veterinary Medicine, (515) 294-1250
Dr. Chris Brown, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, (515) 294-2061
Tom Mitchell, ISU Foundation, (515) 294-4607
Phyllis Peters, Veterinary Medicine, (515) 294-4602

AMES COUPLE CREATES $1.5 MILLION TRUST FOR IOWA STATE'S VETERINARY HOSPITAL

AMES, Iowa -- An Ames couple has established a $1.5 million charitable trust fund with the ISU Foundation for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Iowa State University.

The gift from Kathleen and David Waggoner will create an endowed fund that will be used to enhance the quality of companion animal health care and enrich the training of future veterinarians.

A portion of the Waggoners’ gift will create a Good Samaritan fund to pay for the treatment of injured and sick animals whose caregivers are on limited incomes. The fund will be named in memory of Tippi, a Chihuahua who was the Waggoner family's companion for nearly 14 years. Tippi was cared for at the teaching hospital.

The Waggoners said they chose to create a charitable fund for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital to express appreciation for the quality care and service they and their companion animals receive from doctors, students and support staff at Iowa State.

"Through our gift, we hope to affirm the lasting impact companion animals have had in our lives. As a tribute to this impact, we chose to invest in the future of animal welfare in several ways that will make a difference to both veterinary students and companion animal caregivers," Kathleen Waggoner said.

The trust provision is a deferred gift, the fifth largest gift given to the College of Veterinary Medicine. When mature, proceeds from the Waggoner Trust will be directed to four specific uses, including Tippi’s Good Samaritan Fund. Proceeds also will be used to fund a scholarship for a senior veterinary student whose emphasis is small animal medicine to purchase new equipment for the hospital’s small animal clinic and to support a behaviorist position to assist pet owners with animal behavior issues.

"The Waggoners have made a remarkable gift to support companion animal care," said Dr. Norman Cheville, interim dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. "As devoted pet owners, they have relied on the care of our veterinary specialists for many years, and now they have chosen to make a generous contribution that will significantly enhance veterinary medical care and teaching."

Tom Mitchell, president of the ISU Foundation, added, "all of us at the ISU Foundation are pleased to be part of this heartwarming gift and this tremendous support that the Waggoners have directed to one of the nation’s premier veterinary programs."

Kathleen Waggoner is an adjunct faculty member in sociology and political science at Iowa State. David Waggoner is an emeritus faculty member in Iowa State's theater program.

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