Paul Kahn Leaves Gift in Estate Plan to Support Orbis and Share Blessings

The Rev. Paul S. Kahn is an Orbis Visionary Club member who has two careers. He’s an administrator in the New York City Department of Transportation, specializing in bridge maintenance. And he’s an ordained deacon in the Episcopal church, assisting with pastoral care and adult education. All this would have been much harder to do if he had lost his vision, he says.

“I’ve had a history of eye disease since elementary school,” Paul says. “As an adult I’ve had a cornea transplant as a result of the childhood diseases. I was diagnosed with glaucoma in my mid-40s. My ophthalmologist said it was totally manageable with medication, but off-handedly he added, ‘If you lived in the third world, you would go blind.’ ”

“That got me thinking. So I’m very alert to eye disease because of my personal experiences. I’ve had many bouts with things like conjunctivitis. I just go and get treated and, barring unforeseen circumstances, I will not go blind. That’s why supporting Orbis is important to me. Not everyone is as fortunate as I am.”

His gratitude has led him to support Orbis financially since 2005 and to name Orbis in his estate plan.

“Every day I think of how fortunate I’ve been. I got a solid education from childhood through graduate school. I have a job with good benefits. I don’t have to worry about where my next meal is coming from. I’m aware that not everybody has this. It’s so important to me to make use of the advantages I have by giving to service organizations. I’m thankful for the blessings in my life, and I want to share them with others.”

You, too, can become a Visionary Club member by naming Orbis in your estate plan. You’ll create a legacy of helping others who have no access to the eye care and medicines that prevent blindness. Contact us with any questions you may have.