A long-time anonymous donor has continued to support the Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia by providing toys, clothes, and funding for the Facility Dog program since 2017. The program features dogs like Nugget, Casey, and Loretta Lynn who help comfort children during their hospital stays.
The donor, known only as “Santa’s helper,” explained his motivation: “I’ve always been inclined to give to charity, especially to children. Giving to the Children’s Hospital was a natural choice. When I noticed they needed (facility) dogs, I jumped in and said, ‘Let me create an endowment to have facility dogs.’ So, that was the first thing my wife and I did, and we just keep doing it.”
Preferring anonymity in all donations, he recently visited the hospital disguised with a Santa hat and festive mask while making his latest contribution on December 4. He shared: “If the Lord has given me any calling in life, it’s to give what I can to help others anonymously. My mentor once said, ‘It always has to be anonymous.’ According to the scriptures, too, so I’ve always kept it anonymous.”
After being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in 2025, he decided to make a significant legacy gift by donating from his personal collection of silver bullion and rare U.S. bills during the iHeartMedia Cares for Kids Radiothon at Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia. This donation established the “CHOG Legacy” endowment fund.
He described why such gifts are important: “Over my lifetime, I’ve collected American currency, including some of the rarest pieces in existence. Gold and silver bullion, in particular, increase in value dramatically over time — well beyond the average 3% annual inflation rate. People often have rare collections — whether it’s coins, currency, rare books, artwork or jewelry — that grow in value the longer they’re kept.”
Mary McCormack of Augusta University noted that donating appreciated property such as collectibles may offer tax advantages compared with selling them first: “When someone contributes appreciated property instead of selling it, they may also avoid the capital gains tax that would otherwise apply,” said Mary McCormack, associate vice president for Gift and Estate Planning in Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at Augusta University. “As a result, donating collectibles may avoid certain tax consequences.”
The donor emphasized his motivation remains helping children: “For me, giving has always been part of who I am. Kids deserve a fighting chance, especially with the high cost of treatment. At the end of the day, it all comes from the heart,” he said. “I hope people carefully contemplate their own legacy options and explore the advantages of giving their collections in addition to traditional gifts.”
Individuals interested in learning more about legacy giving or donating collections are encouraged to contact Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at Augusta University.
