From the Edmonton Community Foundation:

Edmonton Community Foundation presents Willpower Wills Week each October as a public service. A dedicated team of lawyers and financial planning professionals volunteer their time to present informative seminars about the importance of having a valid, up-to-date will.

The objective of Wills Week is to encourage individuals to either create or update their wills. The sessions are free of charge to the public and offer information about:

* creating and/or updating a will,
* what a will can and cannot do,
* how a will can help save taxes for both you and your estate, and
* why a properly prepared will, with the assistance and expertise of a lawyer, accountant and financial and estate planner, is so important.

Having a valid, up-to-date will ensures you determine who:

* gets what from your hard-earned assets after you are gone,
* will administer your estate, and
* will be guardians of your dependent children.

Wills Week also reminds individuals to consider charitable giving as part of their estate planning. Research tells us that 98% of Canadians make a donation in their life and planning for a legacy gift in their will ensures that their dreams and aspirations for the community can continue beyond their lifetime. Working with the Edmonton Community Foundation can help individuals and families build funds that reflect their interests for the non-profit and charitable sector.

Wills Week 2009 runs from October 5 to October 10.  A full schedule of seminar venues and times is available here: Willpower Wills Week Newsletter – The Late Edition(PDF).