Butch Johnson

Written by Kristin Johnson

Butch Johnson and his wife Billee Kraut understand the importance of education. The couple met years ago while teaching and education has always been a huge part of their lives. When Butch's sister, a nurse, passed away at a young age from diabetes, they knew they wanted to do something special to honor her. They also wanted to help out students pursuing their college education. For them, the perfect option was committing to a CGA through the MSUM Foundation.

A CGA is an agreement between a donor and a non-profit organization, where the donor makes a gift, becomes eligible to take a partial tax deduction, and also receives a fixed stream of income for life. "A CGA is a win-win situation," Billee said. "Not only will MSUM get dollars for scholarships, but we'll get dollars back as well. If you have money available, I believe a CGA really is an excellent option."

In their case, Butch and Billee's donation went to support nursing students at MSUM. It was important that Butch's sister's legacy live on while helping out a much-needed field. "There is so much going on in the world of nursing right now, and we really think it's important that students continue to become nurses," Butch said. They hope others will see the impact of their gift and be inspired to give as well. "I would encourage others to do the same in whatever capacity they can," Billee added. "We realize just how important it is."