Meet Marilyn Gerhard, PT: Longtime Donor with a Unique Financial Asset

Marilyn devoted her career to pediatric physical therapy, spending over two decades working with young children in Sacramento, California. A dedicated supporter of the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research since its inception, Marilyn has been a longtime advocate for research. Her thoughtful approach to financial planning, including the recent sale of a long-held rental property, highlights her dedication to creating a lasting legacy.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your path to becoming a physical therapist?

Originally, I didn't set out to become a physical therapist. I majored in math when I first started college. I eventually switched to physical education and then spent a few years after college teaching high school PE.

During summers in college, I worked at a camp for children with disabilities, and that experience introduced me to physical therapy. I realized I was much more interested in the work I was doing with those children at camp than teaching PE. From there, I made the decision to become a physical therapist and graduated from Mayo Clinic in 1964.

You spent most of your career in pediatric physical therapy. Can you share more about your work in that field?

After graduating, I spent one year in general adult rehabilitation. However, the rest of my career was devoted to pediatrics. The last 22 years of my career were in Sacramento, California, where I worked for the Sacramento County Office of Education's Infant Program. This was a home-based program, and I worked mostly with children ages 0-3.

You have been a longtime donor to the Foundation. What inspired your initial giving?

I started donating to the Foundation when it was first established, and I felt it was a worthwhile cause to continue supporting. I was also an active member of APTA, especially within the pediatric section, where I served as Treasurer in the late 1980s.

I'm especially supportive of research that benefits pediatrics and I trust the Foundation to fund impactful work.

Can you tell us about your financial planning journey and your decision to sell your rental property to support the Foundation?

I've always been a money saver and focused on paying off my properties, so that when I retired, I wouldn't have to worry about any loans. Over the years, I diversified my investments. For instance, I had a rental property in Sparks, Nevada, which I held onto even after relocating to Sacramento. Initially, I didn't plan to sell it, but when good renters expressed interest in buying, I reconsidered.

My financial advisor encouraged me to go ahead and sell my property now, and I decided to allocate a portion of those funds to the Pediatric Fund within the Foundation. The Foundation was one of five nonprofit organizations I chose to support through this process, in addition to my nieces and nephews.

Do you have advice for others considering charitable giving?

• Save and watch your money grow: Start early and put some money away.
• Diversify your assets: This could be investments, properties, or other avenues.
• Live within your means: If you have money, you don't always need to use it right away.

If you're interested in learning more about the Foundation's Legacy Giving options, please visit legacyfpt.org or contact [email protected].