A Legacy of Love from Armand and Diane Ouellette

Thanks to the foresight and generosity of Armand Ouellette, Tierra del Sol was the recent recipient of a bequest made possible through a Special Needs Charitable Remainder Trust.

Armand, a devoted and loving single father, always wanted the best for his only child, Diane, who was born with a developmental disability. When she entered adulthood, Armand realized that Diane needed a place where she could make friends and create a life of her own. Upon learning of Tierra del Sol, he knew that’s where Diane was meant to be. Over the next two decades, Diane thrived at Tierra, making friends, learning to sew, and interacting daily with the caring and committed staff.

“Being here gave her a sense of purpose and belonging,” recall’s longtime Tierra staffer, Julie Snyder. “And, the camaraderie among the parents was good for her father too.” “As an active member of the Tierra Parents group, Armand was often the head chef, who prepared the sauce for our annual spaghetti dinner fundraisers,” remembers Shirley Sydow, President of the parent group for 15 years. “He also helped hang signs up and down Sunland Blvd. to advertise the monthly fundraisers and enjoyed doing whatever he could for his daughter and Tierra.”

When Armand passed in 1994, Diane’s needs were taken care of through a Special Needs Trust established by her father. Many years later, Diane passed, and the remaining funds in the Trust were left to the sole beneficiary, Tierra del Sol. Armand’s foresight and planning ensured that both his daughter was taken of during her lifetime, and an organization that he believed in, Tierra del Sol, could continue its mission, years beyond his lifetime.

Thank you Armand. Your legacy of love will continue to help others, like Diane, lead a life of dignity, purpose and value.