Does your cemetery have an animal mascot?

By Patrick Lewis
Do you have a cemetery “pet?” Do you have an animal that utilizes your cemetery grounds as their permanent place of residence and acts as the ambassador or mascot? Many cemetery grounds are also the homes to a number of different types of animals, but a favorite of mine is the swan.

At Sunset Memorial Park in Danville, Illinois, two swans, by the names of Joe and Nellie, have taken up residency in our pond for many, many years. These beautiful birds and their home have become something of a community treasure, which attracts a large number of visitors throughout the year.

But, why would you want to have this type of animal living on your grounds? Why is it beneficial to have animals, such as swans, living on your cemetery grounds?

1. They bring attention to your cemetery. We are always looking for reasons for members of the community to visit our cemetery other than to honor a lost loved one. When you have animals living on your grounds, they attract people from all over.
2. They make it more like a park. Our cemetery is beautiful. Our horticulturists and ground crew do a really great job of landscaping, but the swans are the stars of the show. They create a different atmosphere and make our cemetery feel more like a park than a cemetery. 
3. They help begin the healing journey. All types of animals, including dogs, cats, horses and birds, are known for their healing capabilities. They provide a safe and neutral environment to process grief to those healing from a loss. 

If you would like to learn more about Sunset Memorial Parks’ swans, visit us at www.susnetfuneralhomes.com.


This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Do you remember?

Karen Darby-Ritz,
Advance Planning Manager,
Camino del Sol Funeral
Chapel & Cremation Center

Have you ever heard someone say, “all things in their own time?” We have a tendency to wait around for things to happen or for the "right time" to take action. Well, I am happy to tell you that right now is our time. The time has come for us to remind families to remember. Remember their loved ones, remember whose life they are celebrating and remember why we create permanent places of memorialization regardless of their choice of disposition.

In the past few years, I have seen many families try to find the easiest, fastest choices. It’s almost like they are trying to move quickly so they won’t feel the pain. If they pretend it didn’t happen, it won’t hurt as much. Is this really working?

It's our job as kindhearted, memorialization professionals to remind families why they need to slow down, celebrate a loved one’s life and honor them with a memorial. We need to bring back the passion for life celebrations. We need to give families the right information so they can make informed and educated decisions.

If you are struggling with what to say, email me at KarenR@caminodelsol.com. I am happy to point out any number of resources to help you learn about healthy healing, the newest products and industry trends. Increasing our own education will not only better serve families, but it will help encourage them to celebrate the life of their loved ones. That's how you make a difference and share your passion. 

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Educating families on scattering alternatives

Blake Swinford,
Project Manager

For a lot of us in the funeral profession, scattering can be a taboo subject. When we hear of families scattering their loved ones' cremated remains without creating a permanent place of memorialization, it breaks our hearts. It breaks my heart in particular because I know, first hand, the consequences of scattering.

When my mom passed away, we scattered her cremated remains. Years down the road, I came to the realization that I needed a place to bring my family to honor the life of my mother. It was too late to include her cremated remains with her memorial, but I could still create a place to visit and share memories. I placed a memorial bench at Sunset Memorial Park, and now my children have a place to go to talk about grandma.

As supporters of permanent memorialization, we need to educate the families we serve about scattering alternatives. We never know what will happen to the beautiful field their loved one is scattered in. It could be a shopping center a few years from now.

If you're struggling with cremation memorialization options, check out the products that we offer. You can also call our Customer Service team at 800.798.4900 for more ideas.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Have you noticed something different?

Ethan Darby,
Director of Business
Development

At Trigard, we care about the products that we sell and the families that we serve. We value your input and we look to you for “real-life results” on our products and enjoy the feedback you can provide us. That is why as a goal of continuous improvement, we recently changed the clear coat that we use on our bronze products.

Throughout history, bronze has always been a material that can withstand the test of time. And, the clear coat of a memorial is one of the most vital components of its durability and strength. At Trigard, we are always striving to give you the best in the industry and we worked hard searching for a clear coat formulation that will last. We found one that gracefully changes with your bronze memorial as it goes through the many seasons that bronze faces during its aging process.

Have you noticed your recent orders have been a bit “glossier” than you're used to? We are now using a new clear coat that is much stronger and thicker called “marine-grade” clear coat. It is used for many different applications, including equipment that is submerged into the ocean for days at a time. Doesn’t that sound durable? We believe this new clear coat will not only give our bronze memorials an extra shine, but also protect the beauty of a loved one’s permanent memorial.

If you have any feedback or questions about this new clear coat, please email us at orders@trigard.com or call us at 800.798.4900.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.