Dear Friends,
As you flip through the next few pages, you will see that this newsletter will look a little different than others you may have received from us. You will read about one of the most brilliant people I have ever been blessed to know—Vitae Foundation’s founder, Carl Landwehr. He has gifted us all with so many things, but my absolute favorite is the way he shares his vision, heart and talents through his stories that he has encountered along the way.
You see—storytelling is a beautiful art, much like the architecture of old churches—timeless, intricate and built to stir the soul. In the same way that ancient cathedrals were crafted with painstaking detail to inspire awe, stories are woven with words to move hearts, ignite imagination and preserve memories. Each stained-glass window in a church tells a tale through light and color and every moment in a story does the same with emotion and imagery.
And then there are the storytellers . . . They are the keepers of memory, imagination and truth. With nothing more than words, they can transport us to distant lands, forgotten times or deep within ourselves. They have the power to shape how we see the world and each other, giving voice to emotions we sometimes struggle to even name. Like bridges between generations, storytellers pass down wisdom, laughter and legacy through tales both simple and profound. Storytellers have the incredible opportunity to shape the future by preserving powerful information about history.
My friend and mentor, Carl Landwehr, is the most gifted and authentic storyteller I know. Perhaps that is the reason why so many of you have joined Carl in his endeavor to protect life for the last three decades. His love and dedication to protecting men, women and babies from abortion is woven into every conversation possible and impacts us all deeply.
Carl will soon be officially retiring at the end of 2025. (Writing those words for this letter seems so surreal.) He and I have been traveling the country, saying hellos and goodbyes to old friends for him and new ones for me. This time has been so incredibly special for me, probably more than he could ever realize. At each visit, I get to hear some amazing stories—some miraculous . . . some simple . . . some funny—but all are beautiful treasures that reflect a legacy of lasting impact.
As our time working together draws to a close, I am reflecting on how grateful I am to have the opportunity to honor someone’s legacy while they are still sitting right beside me continuing to do the work. It seems like we so often wait until someone passes from this earth before we slow down to honor their impact on our lives. I do challenge you today to reach out to those who have made a positive impact on your own life and thank them. Please don’t wait one more day. Make the call, mail the card or send the message.
And if that person who has impacted you through his work, his storytelling or both . . . is Carl Landwehr, I encourage you to please drop a line of encouragement in the mail today or you can email him at carl.landwehr@vitaefoundation.org,
or call him at the office at 573.634.4316. I know he would love to visit with you!
While we are wrapping up this year, he and I are working on one final project together—legacy giving. For those of you who may be interested in discussing how you can help us continue Carl’s legacy of saving lives with your own planned giving, please reach out to Adrianne at adrianne@vitaefoundation.org to set up a visit with Carl and me. We would love to come visit with you.
Thank you for all you do to build a culture of life with us.
Brandy Meeks
President & CEO