tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27544709755819661292024-03-12T16:04:52.520-07:00FINISHING TOUCHESCustomized Event Planning for Distinctive Proceedings Following DeathUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-39242429565392742242020-10-10T03:41:00.001-07:002020-10-10T11:09:50.639-07:00INTRODUCTION<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>SEASON FINALES... LEAVING LIFE IN THE STYLE OF AUTUMN LEAVES</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Beauteous As A Fallen Leaf</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">"Fare thee well" some day I'll say</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">When my moments on earth have withered away.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Let me depart in a blaze of glory,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Amid hallmark hues of my singular life story.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Forsake monotony and standardized drear,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Let variegation bring a measure of cheer.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I want not like a barren branch to be,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Weathered, yet unremarkable to see.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Rather, like a lovely leaf I shall fall,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Pronounced by vivid color as I drift from it all.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">May others my brilliance at the end behold,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">So remnants of my being will still unfold.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Though gone from roots and the family tree</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I'll be embedded forever in memory.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;"><i>(by Mary Ellen Markant, All Rights Reserved</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The word <span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>"leaves"</b> </span>relates to death in more than one relevant way:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Departures...</span> </b>the evolutionary absence engendered by relinquishing familiarity, discontinuing viability, and becoming part of history...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Pages of books...</span></b> revealing personal stories of moments lived while experiencing, learning, and growing, only to reach a stage of passing on to others remnants of substance for their own narratives of life...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Foliated masterpieces of creation</b>...</span> which, for a while, grace living trees and flora upon earth, but in predictable synchrony, according to natural cycles, surrender their attachments and fade away when their season of life ends... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nature dictates that, eventually, all living things must die and leave this earth. Some can only exit inconspicuously, while others have the potential to make a statement reflecting emblems of their existence. Like varied and vibrant leaves bursting with color when their life cycles are completed, human endings can be uniquely memorable.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">As diverse creations, lives and leaves are recognized by their distinguishing characteristics. Each is defined in some way that renders individuality. Both have features that separate them from one another within their species. But at life's end, it is the leaves that have been most apt to make an exquisite final impression. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Let us be more like leaves, capturing the attention of onlookers. Let us inspire our life companions through special experiences that will enrich them with indelible recollections of their associations with us. Let the concluding synopses of our life stories mirror our distinctions. Let them be bold and beautiful. Let us leave in splendor.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i style="color: #bf9000;">Content from ponderingleaves.com </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">__________________</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">______________________________________________</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-83257244497461429762020-10-09T16:56:00.001-07:002020-10-09T17:26:33.862-07:00<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <b style="color: #9f0025; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-align: center;">DIER DRILLS</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">People keep dying. Everyone knows that every body will inevitably cease to function. Yet a widespread phenomenon of inattention and unpreparedness for this eventuality often causes logistical chaos in the midst of acute grief.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Following a loved one’s death, when in a state of stunned disbelief, disorientation, and disarray, family members are also apt to feel dismayed. Suddenly matters needing to be addressed descend on them like wildfire. Decisions and arrangements must be made. Information is needed. An awareness of what they wish had been communicated to them by the deceased loved one ensues.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just as safety upon occurrence of a fire can be secured as a result of previously practiced tactical plans, this aspect of death upheaval can be averted by adopting certain prudent strategies in anticipation of unforeseen death. Everyone at any time can engage in short exercises to amass a collection of operant avenues to be followed by beloved family members who will be grieving. Providing data and details about wishes preemptively is so much easier in contrast to the scavenging that families must undertake when there has been no input and posthumous consultations are impossible.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, any period of time can be chosen for initiation of preparatory measures. But pinpointing a month affords structure for initiation of a timeline to encourage diligence and the likelihood of goal fulfillment.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">October has been earmarked as National Fire Prevention Month — a time when countrywide attention is directed toward raising fire safety awareness to </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">ensure families have a plan and are ready for the unexpected</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. In the same vein, since October 30th has been designated as “Create A Great Funeral Day,” maybe this is also an appropriate month to direct attention to “demise surprise” prevention. Taking proactive end-of-life steps will </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">ensure families have a plan and are ready for the unexpected</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Within the framework of a calendar, prescribed activities can be broken down into manageable objectives:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p5" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p6" style="color: #17676d; font-family: Futura; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s3" style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">DEMISE SURPRISE PREVENTION MONTH</span></b></span></p><p class="p7" style="font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Choose any day of the month to begin a process of intention leading to realization. Identify measured portions of desired actions for incremental fulfillment of goals. Begin with a loosely designated time frame of four weeks, but be prepared to alter it as circumstances dictate.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>DAY 1<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Inform family that you are participating in a community campaign to prevent demise surprise. That is, you have committed to doing whatever you can to prepare ahead of time for the end of your life so your family won’t need to tear their hair out figuring out what to do when the time comes. Ask for ongoing feedback as you compile material for them, consulting them as needed during the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>process.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8KVgd0DJ37hf-af-at5l8uI9XZYhQsK9RoBSFoglhB5goyKTkPlIlu-_YfDNE3xD-JyvsYxwcdBolEWbyFXCHLwvbJAfSP5uXuPDeQTO-UZr0sjskc0su717XV7rAzTjqvtlUvPzfIoW/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="117" data-original-width="118" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8KVgd0DJ37hf-af-at5l8uI9XZYhQsK9RoBSFoglhB5goyKTkPlIlu-_YfDNE3xD-JyvsYxwcdBolEWbyFXCHLwvbJAfSP5uXuPDeQTO-UZr0sjskc0su717XV7rAzTjqvtlUvPzfIoW/w125-h124/image.png" width="125" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>DAY 2</b></span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Set aside a few minutes to imagine today’s probable scenario if you had died yesterday. What would be going on among your family members and close companions? Presuming they would be engaged in all sorts of tasks and decision-making related to your death, identify actions you could take now to make it easier for them. With this in mind, compose your own customized “to do” list that reflects your circumstances and wishes; if you favor structure, format it as a checklist with lines preceding each entry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>DAY 3</b></span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Decide on a reasonable period of time to set as a goal for completion of the tasks you have identified… if not a month, then within what delineated time frame? Choose one easy mission to complete today. Then place a checkmark next to the entry on your list.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>DAYS 4 through the end of four weeks or pre-determined time span</b></span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Continue in the same manner… each day tackling another task and notating when it has been accomplished.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>DAY 30</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Assess your progress. If all of the activities have not yet been completed, calculate a structured extension of time and continue the process while staying moored to a regular schedule.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Add items to your list if there are more matters you want to tackle. There is no need to feel overwhelmed by the volume. But remember that every action you’ve already taken… every piece of preparation you’ve already provided… will become a welcome asset in the end. Just keep adding value to your contributions.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>DAY 31</b></span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">If all of your objectives have been met, revel in a satisfied feeling of achievement. Decide how you will inform your family members about the gift you have prepared for them. Contact them and ask for feedback about what you have done and the preferences you have determined. Be sure they know where the data you have collected can be accessed.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Once you are satisfied with the outcome of your initiatives, joyfully and thankfully bask in the realization that this exercise was just a drill and you are fully alive. But now you can live your life more at ease, knowing you are prepared for the day when it will end… knowing that you have provided your family with procedural guidelines and informational apparatus. You will have enabled them to douse the embers of potentially flammable end-of-life management, sparing them from a flaming emotional inferno stoked by neglect.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>FOLLOWUP MEASURES</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Review each item on the list to determine which ones warrant further exploration and action. This step may entail additional online perusal and on-site visits to providers. Filter the list and extract certain ones to establish a new list for broader investigation. Begin tackling the items in a more detailed manner on a regular basis, but according to your preferred schedule. You are apt to be pleasantly surprised by the expansive options and innovations in the funerary domain.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Once all the entries on your list have been addressed and completed to your satisfaction, contact family members to arrange a means for communication about your additional input.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p12" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 4px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 5px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></p><p class="p13" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>SAMPLE LIST of Possibilities for Daily (or Periodic) Tasks</b></span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Notate locations of important </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">documents and personal data</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">,</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>including vehicle registrations and insurance documentation.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Write </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">biographical summary</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> with details needed for death certificate.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Gather and notate all computer </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">passwords</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Record answers to common </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">security questions</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> for various accounts.</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Record </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">numeric combinations</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> for properties and belongings.</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Note locations of </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">keys, entry alarm codes, phone lock numbers</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">, etc.</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Determine place for </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">storage of numbers and keys</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> for</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>easy accessibility by family. Sign up for a </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">password manager service</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>if desired.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Make a list of </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">emails and phone numbers</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> of family, friends, and other<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>people from current and previous stages of your life who should be</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>notified of your death.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Find and print a list of </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">matters generally needed to be addressed after</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">someone dies</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> or notate a computer link as part of your</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>accessible resources for family members.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Record </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">instructions specific to household tasks</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> that would need to be</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>managed immediately after your death.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Decide which </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">means you prefer for documentation of your end-of-life</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">wishes</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Explore </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">digital services</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> for storage of personal data,</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>preferences, and arrangements; if one is chosen, sign up to begin<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>using it.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Learn about </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">options for bodily disposition</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> (burial, cremation,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>alkaline hydrolysis, recomposition, donation for medical education,</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>scientific research, forensic studies, polymer-modeling education, etc.),<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>note your choice, and contact the relevant organization if<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>arrangements must be made ahead of time. Note how you feel<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>about </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">organ and tissue donations</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">; register as a donor if desired.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Identify features important to you in </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">choosing a funeral home</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Explore funeral home websites and note preference/s. If arrangements</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or payments have already been made, note </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">location of paperwork and</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">receipts</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Explore </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">cemetery and memorial park websites</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Note preference/s.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">Choose photos</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> to use for obituary notices and commemorative<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>purposes.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Record any </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">main points you would like included in an obituary</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Explore possible </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">alternative means for obituary publications</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Fill out a </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">questionnaire about choices for funerary arrangements</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Fill out </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">forms for advance directives </span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">dictating preferences for<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>end-of-life care. Choose a </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">healthcare agent </span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">(and alternate) to act on</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>your behalf, in case circumstances pose a need.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Use an online resource or contact an attorney to </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">prepare a legal will</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Prepare a </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">power-of-attorney</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> document, appointing someone<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to manage your business and legal affairs if you are unable to do so.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Write an </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">ethical will</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> to convey your viewpoints and wisdom.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Explore creative </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">alternatives to standard recipients of memorial</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">contributions</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">, with an eye toward focusing on ones that would reflect</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>your personage.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Open a </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">POD (Totten Trust) bank account</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">, naming a beneficiary<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to assure immediate access to funds upon death.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Explore possible </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">sites for commemorative affairs</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Identify </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">elements you consider important for inclusion in funerary</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">observances</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> (religious, cultural, military, etc.).</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Review </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">bereavement literature and/or services</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Identify certain</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>resources for loved ones.</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Write </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">details pertaining to your life</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> about which you’d like family<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to know.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Write your thoughts and ideas for </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">dissolution of your dwelling</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">,</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>including donation suggestions, family dispersal strategies, and</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>contact info for downsizing and estate-sale businesses.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Meet with a </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">financial planning or estate planning advisor</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> to formulate<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>a wrap-up plan.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Explore </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">hospice options</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> in your community in case of need.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Compile a “</span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">helping hands” list of participatory contributions</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>would likely be appreciated by family, to be readily accessed following</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>your death when caring folks ask what they can do to help.</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Explore websites of providers in your community who offer</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">supplemental services</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">, such as end-of-life doulas and funerary</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>celebrants. Become familiar with their roles and notate preliminary<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>impressions.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Watch informative videos and read about </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">embalming</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> prior to notating</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>whether or not you would want your body embalmed.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ If your choice is for reduction of remains, launch online window</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>shopping to discover the vast array of </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">urns and other containment</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>options. Alternatively, if burial is planned, peruse traditional as well as</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>novel </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">casket/coffin merchandise</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Consider what type of </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">outer burial</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">receptacle</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> you prefer (basic concrete or more costly vault) if such a</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>purchase is likely to be necessary.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Notate preferences and include photos of any merchandise you</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>especially favor.</span></p><p class="p15" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ If you are opting for reduction of remains, scavenge through websites<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to discover multitudinous ways they can be incorporated into items</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or utilized in novel manners. Note any that might be possibilities for</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>you.</span></p><p class="p15" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Read about alternative funerary approaches, such as family</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>management at home (</span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">home funerals)</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> and </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">natural burials</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Note any aspects of them that appeal to you, even if you or your family</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>would be opposed to the physical care of your body.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Play with words to formulate possible </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">epitaphs</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> for a headstone or<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>grave marker.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Look online at pictures of </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">memorial stones</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Note your preferences and</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>include photos if any are especially desirable.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Walk through your home, identifying </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">belongings you’d like passed on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">to loved ones as keepsakes</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Make a list of them and take pictures,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>including names of potential recipients. Note any special significance</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or history of items.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Think about objects that relate to your associations with people in your</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>life. Peruse online businesses that sell </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">mementos</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Note any things</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>you might want given to guests at a commemorative event or to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>certain individuals because of their inherent significance.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ List </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">valuable items</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> you own and assign monetary values. Gather</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>purchase receipts. Take pictures of the items.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Check protocols for each of your </span><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration-line: underline;">social media accounts</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">. Identify your<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>wishes for memorial oversight or closure. Make a list of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>accounts, with instructions for a family member to manage the</span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>ones that can be perpetuated after death.</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Write your thoughts pertaining to how you would like to be<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>remembered. What would you like your legacy to be?</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">___ Make a list of other matters you would like to address that relate to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>your own circumstances</span></p><p class="p11" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p16" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p13" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">“Protective gear” is readily available. </span></p><p class="p13" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Abundant online resources can be easily accessed for information.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-30130307770064900112017-05-18T03:41:00.000-07:002017-05-18T09:29:27.896-07:00INTRODUCTION<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>SEASON FINALES... LEAVING LIFE IN THE STYLE OF AUTUMN LEAVES</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Beauteous As A Fallen Leaf</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">"Fare thee well" some day I'll say</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">When my moments on earth have withered away.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Let me depart in a blaze of glory,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Amid hallmark hues of my singular life story.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Forsake monotony and standardized drear,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Let variegation bring a measure of cheer.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I want not like a barren branch to be,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Weathered, yet unremarkable to see.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Rather, like a lovely leaf I shall fall,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Pronounced by vivid color as I drift from it all.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">May others my brilliance at the end behold,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">So remnants of my being will still unfold.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Though gone from roots and the family tree</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #de1117; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I'll be embedded forever in memory.</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;"><i>(by Mary Ellen Markant, All Rights Reserved</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The word <span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>"leaves"</b> </span>relates to death in more than one relevant way:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Departures...</span> </b>the evolutionary absence engendered by relinquishing familiarity, discontinuing viability, and becoming part of history...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Pages of books...</span></b> revealing personal stories of moments lived while experiencing, learning, and growing, only to reach a stage of passing on to others remnants of substance for their own narratives of life...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Foliated masterpieces of creation</b>...</span> which, for a while, grace living trees and flora upon earth, but in predictable synchrony, according to natural cycles, surrender their attachments and fade away when their season of life ends... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nature dictates that, eventually, all living things must die and leave this earth. Some can only exit inconspicuously, while others have the potential to make a statement reflecting emblems of their existence. Like varied and vibrant leaves bursting with color when their life cycles are completed, human endings can be uniquely memorable.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">As diverse creations, lives and leaves are recognized by their distinguishing characteristics. Each is defined in some way that renders individuality. Both have features that separate them from one another within their species. But at life's end, it is the leaves that have been most apt to make an exquisite final impression. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Let us be more like leaves, capturing the attention of onlookers. Let us inspire our life companions through special experiences that will enrich them with indelible recollections of their associations with us. Let the concluding synopses of our life stories mirror our distinctions. Let them be bold and beautiful. Let us leave in splendor.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i style="color: #bf9000;">Content from ponderingleaves.com </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #bf9000;"><i>Images from publicdomainpictures.net</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">__________________</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">______________________________________________</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-60214261313625023592017-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:002017-05-18T09:32:03.927-07:00FROGS AS ROLE MODELS FOR PREPLANNING<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>FROGS DO IT BETTER!</b></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is there anyone among the mortal masses who has never heard the term “croaking” flippantly used instead of “dying” in reference to the cessation of one’s existence? Probably not, at least in Western culture where the word is a common colloquialism that helps avert a full frontal view of life’s inescapable ending. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s a versatile word. As a noun, a “croak” is the low, hoarse sound made by a frog. As a verb, it relates to the utterance made by individuals with a sore throat. Somehow, the word “croak” made its way into an 1873 slang dictionary, in which its definition was: “To die – from the gurgling sound a person makes when the breath of life is departing.” A contemporary online dictionary cheerily clarifies the definition by noting, “When people croak, they need either a glass of water or an undertaker.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So the death rattle apparently led to adoption of this handy word as a breezily glib term for dying. When this fact of life must be mentioned, yet forthright terminology is too intimidating, the camouflaged representation does the trick and gets the message across. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This offhanded vernacular definition of “croaking” invites its relevant application as a figurative concept. When frogs emit their distinctive sounds, they are heard far and wide. These creatures of audible distinction can serve as vociferous role models for human beings when it comes to end-of-life planning. “Croaking” can be an expression of foresighted benefaction for family members, rendered by making one’s voice heard through some form of declaration. A proclamation of preferences or intentions for one’s death management can be a resonant form of expression and communication… modeled after the announcements of croaking creatures who are utterly adept at vocalized transmission. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So maybe the term, “funeral preplanning” should be changed to “frog emulation,” with effective croaking as the goal. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For our local “Exiter University” programs addressing death education, frogs are on hand as visual reminders of this objective. They represent an opportunity for action and articulation. Upon beginning the process of funerary advance planning, a learner’s outlook might be suggestive of a tadpole – unremarkable and much like others, perhaps assuming that one’s end-of-life affairs will be repeats of standard versions, without acknowledging and celebrating individual features. As a result of coming together and sharing information, maybe one’s mortality mindset morphs into some version of a noisy frog – eventually broadcasting one’s unique defining characteristics and a strong voice projected for beloved familial companions to observe. The primary thrust of this educational venture entreats transformation of personal attitudes toward preparing for death coupled with activation of communication about its management. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, to all who are ready to hop into this field of endeavor… hear ye, hear ye! First, explore the invigorating funerary territory marked by color, novelty, and energizing stimulation… then let your voice be heard so you can:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Definition: http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2012/01/croak.html</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Quotation: <a href="https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/croak">https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/croak</a></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-34019342791282093592016-11-05T18:07:00.000-07:002016-11-06T18:20:23.484-08:00"EXITER UNIVERSITY" End-of-Life Planning<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>ANNOUNCING: "EXITER UNIVERSITY"</b></span><br />
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<i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Prepare To Learn… Learn To Prepare</b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s1"><b>Are you one of those?…</b> those people resolutely in </span><span class="s2">denial about the inevitability of eventual death</span><span class="s1">… who harness their energies to avoid perceived threatening thoughts about it… whose timid eyes turn in a different direction when a hearse passes by? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s1">Well, if this attitude rings a bell, you are not alone! American society is </span><span class="s2">crippled by a</span><span class="s1"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2">death-phobic contagion</span><span class="s1">. From one generation to the next, infected psyches have been conditioned to ignore and sometimes abhor the reality of physical passage from the earth. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s1">Even generally open-minded individuals often have closed their minds to the </span><span class="s2">pleasant event planning opportunities</span><span class="s1"> the prospect of life’s final milestone presents. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s1">Long before resting in peace, a wise planner can attain the </span><span class="s2">peace of preparation</span><span class="s1">, contentedly aware that a record of one’s final wishes will likely become a most treasured </span><span class="s2">gift for loved ones</span><span class="s1">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s1">Courageous pioneers who have waded tentatively into this domain have been surprised to discover </span><span class="s2">enjoyment of planning processes</span><span class="s1">. The funeral industry has changed dramatically, nowadays rendering new approaches coupled with innovative products. Whether browsing or buying, a customer under relaxed circumstances is apt to feel invigorated by the enlivening offerings. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2">"Exiter University" is dedicated to informing</span><span class="s1"> folks about the vast array of possibilities from which they can choose elements for management of their final proceedings. A broad and colorful spectrum of classes, workshops, discussion groups, and online substance is designed to enlighten and entertain participants.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Experience this educational opportunity to learn about matters rarely discussed in everyday life. Expect to become intrigued, engaged, and enlightened by awareness of modern-day funerary revitalization. Materials are designed to be fun and entertaining.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You won’t encounter anything morbid within this context… no bone-chilling skulls and crossbones or Grim Reaper facsimiles. Instead, you may catch a glimpse of warm and fuzzy associates in the likeness of frogs to remind us that conspicuous croaking… making one’s voice heard (by declaring preferences for death management) is a wise course of action before finally “croaking.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Whether your goal for gaining insights is based on planning for your own end of life or that of family members, you are apt to be captivated by the innovations and variations that have emerged within recent years. Merchandise, services, commemorations, and memorialization have been imbued with multi-faceted diversity. Colorful novelty has awakened a domain that had seemed dismal and deadly. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cultural attitudes toward death are changing, prompting a growing willingness to bring this previously unmentionable aspect of life out of the closet. People are realizing the importance of making arrangements or at least stating preferences ahead of time. An intent to spare grieving family members from the onerous task of decision making underlies motivation; it is a step toward facilitating their emotional health when confronted by challenges of bereavement. The mortality rate of one hundred percent renders a mission of advance preparation all the more relevant, regardless of one’s age. Even young people can enjoy the event planning process, while maintaining receptivity to alterations through the years. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Community presentations of this nature are supplemented with online materials to encourage absorption of information coupled with personal engagement. Become acquainted with Signature Sunsets, via Twitter or LinkedIn connections. Join its “Exiter University” Facebook group where information is shared, participation is welcomed, and learning is paramount</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(</span></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set%3Da.1824389547837277.1073741830.1392754611000775%26type%3D1%26l%3D8ce9597e42&source=gmail&ust=1478568285057000&usg=AFQjCNGjS99Jo34fVsvMKC1efVfOtw3KbQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1824389547837277.1073741830.1392754611000775&type=1&l=8ce9597e42" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>media/set/?set=a.<wbr></wbr>1824389547837277.1073741830.<wbr></wbr>1392754611000775&type=1&l=<wbr></wbr>8ce9597e42</a>).</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-68127774650561423552016-10-05T08:07:00.000-07:002016-10-23T09:29:44.422-07:00GREENSPRINGS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION<i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Journey Journal... Newfield, New York</b></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>A DECIMAL FESTIVAL... From Square One To Compound Interest</b></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On a sun-drenched and auspicious September day, conviviality was particularly apparent at the Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve. Human spirits were flourishing here amid pastures of bodily extinction. Living souls were fully engaged in activities, fueled by the horsepower of concerted efforts. Evidence of collegial harmony uniting a bevy of workers and participants prevailed. One of the original founders of the cemetery was first spotted in an orange safety vest, helping a cohort direct newcomers to parking spaces. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A celebration was underway to mark the tenth anniversary of the burial property’s founding. The occasion brought together the visionaries who had launched this ecological initiative along with supporters and community folks interesting in learning more about a green, yet golden, opportunity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under its canopy were a microphone delineating a presentation corner, tables bearing light refreshments, and a beverage bar where an attendant served wine, beer, cider, and soda. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guests could park themselves either on folding chairs or atop ancillary bales of hay. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Amid platters of fruits, veggies, cheese, and cupcakes, flickering candles lent ambience to the already naturally tranquil milieu. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An a cappella group launched the program and set the tempo for a sequence of performances that followed, which included juggling, magic, and music. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Key players in the cemetery’s development delivered information, updates, and grateful acknowledgment of particular contributors. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">People learned that two hundred and forty bodies have been buried there, with about one thousand more plots having been purchased and reserved for occupancy. Thirty additional acres of land had recently been acquired, thereby enlarging the parcel of one hundred acres. Use of a portion of the new territory for a pet cemetery is under consideration. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Donations are solicited for projects and expenses of all sorts.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many opportunities for volunteer engagement, either as a one-time contribution or on a regular basis. Assisting with burial ceremonies or greeting mourners are among the possibilities, in addition to serving as a representative at events such as tours and fundraisers. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rolling up one’s sleeves to tackle physical tasks is another option. An old farmhouse alongside the access road has been pegged as a potential facility where visitors would be able to gather. But for that to happen, it must be spruced up and adapted for that purpose. Cleaning efforts could also be undertaken in the small building that serves as office headquarters. Help with maintaining buildings and grounds might entail painting, gardening, or mowing. And a parking lot is sorely needed, particularly at certain times of the year when navigating over grassland becomes a weather-induced challenge. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Manpower is sought also to remove invasive species from the newly procured thirty-acre property. Such an initiative is an ongoing mission throughout the entire cemetery terrain. Non-native Norway spruce trees have been cut down in one of the meadows, consonant with a recommendation by an ecological advisory committee. An annual December event, dubbed “Greenery Day,” draws a substantial number of people. Last year two hundred individuals were on hand to topple the overgrown, non-native trees. Folks who participate in this venture take home the tree tops to display as Charlie Brown Christmas trees. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So Greensprings continues to be a work in progress… progress that has been remarkable during the past ten years, energized by the commitment of core leaders as well as the volunteers who have provided impressive donations of time, effort, and monetary support. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the program ebbed, in a bow to Buddhist tradition for wishing people well, a leader sang phrases as part of a “Loving Kindness Meditation,” invoking communal responses and contemplation of sentient words: “May I be a source of healing, may I bring peace, may my heart be open, may I be awakened to my true nature, may you be a source of true healing, be at peace, may all beings awaken to the light of true nature…” </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before a rendition of the well-known song, “Simple Gifts,” was sung, the burial coordinator referenced the emotional ramifications of burials at Greensprings. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having participated in many interments there while believing that “nature is nurturing,” she has observed that being in a beautiful place helps to absorb mourners’ sadness.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But Greensprings is for everyone, not just the mourners and the bodies of their deceased loved ones. All seekers of outdoor resuscitation are welcome to connect with the land there by taking walks and using the grounds. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Following the agenda of activities, guests were offered an opportunity to choose from a menu of “field trip” opportunities. An ornithologist would lead a group through the territory to scout for bird sightings and sounds, where migratory bobolinks thrive along with meadowlarks, Henslow’s sparrows, northern harriers, and other winged flutterers. The wife of one of the founders, Carl Leopold (whose body was buried on the grounds), is now a trustee who would give folks an overview of the cemetery’s plants. The most colorful option entailed accompanying a gourde puppet bedecked in autumnal orange through the meadows to distribute milkweed seeds for propagation of butterfly habitats.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dauntless guests may have opted to be led to the old, uninhabited farmhouse where the leader offered to descend into the basement for a peek at its potential. But a number of people chose what was perhaps a less formidable and more illuminating option: an abbreviated tour of the grounds with visits to a few gravesites. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first stop was for a look at demonstration arenas. Two rock-delineated gardens contained examples of native plants that families can choose to plant over graves; one has plants and the other has a small assortment of grasses. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nearby, the ground is dotted with examples of flat stones that would be appropriate grave markers. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Burrowed within adjacent territory is the grave warmer (fueled by propane) that can be used if necessary to thaw the ground prior to a winter burial. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Upon observing gravesites, individuals were given answers to their inquiries.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Plot dimensions are fifteen feet square, assuring low-density layouts and ease of maneuvering around graves with a backhoe.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the most part, bodies are not embalmed unless there is an extenuating circumstance. One such situation relates to transport of a body from a state where embalming is required by law for transport to a different state. It was noted, though, that bodies have been transferred to Greensprings by plane from California, Texas, and Georgia, but were not embalmed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In accordance with a New York state regulation, a funeral director must certify that a body has been brought to the site of disposition. One time a family transported their loved one’s body in a truck and the funeral director came in his own car. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Currently, the cost for a plot to accommodate a body is $1,000., with an additional $1,000. fee for opening and closing the grave. Small plots (290” X 90”) can be purchased for burial of cremated remains, located in a small section of the cemetery; the cost is $350. for the space and an additional $350. to cover the fee for the burial process. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greensprings is characterized by heterogeneity of plot offerings. That is, except for a field designated for Jewish burials where only Jewish people can be interred (according to the same natural principles that define green burials), there are no sections specifically for ethnic, religious, or fraternal groups. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Across the road from the Jewish area, an expansive field labeled, “Bobolink Meadow” is where winter burials can be accommodated. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though New York City cemeteries are bursting at the seams, at this cemetery in the western realm of the state there's plenty of room to grow.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was estimated that there is at least sixty percent availability of plots on land that has been surveyed, with lots of additional space in territory where surveys have not yet been conducted. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was palpable excitement among the worker bees who had organized this afternoon affair. It had been a success, judged by the responses and effusive affect of those who had attended the proceedings. As a performer steered his car toward the road, he opened the window and called out to one of the organizers, acknowledging that he had enjoyed himself and he’d like to be invited back sometime.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, it’s possible to enjoy oneself in a cemetery! At this particular one, in contrast to visiting conventional burial grounds, it doesn’t entail reinforcing familiarity through observation of redundant hallmarks. There are no headstones bearing entertaining epitaphs or paved walkways for daily strolls. Here, unblemished by manifestations of mankind as a different type of invasive species, there’s a chance for immersion in an atmosphere that’s essentially free of human intervention. Here, it’s possible to enjoy sensorial absorption, enabling one to get in touch with a primordial essence of beginnings and endings – the nature of natural cycles. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here, the presence of both the living and the dead represents a celebration of this elysian estate and all that is over, under, and around it. On this re-appropriated parcel of land, one can’t help but feel appreciation for the impassioned spirits of those who seek to sustain nature’s bounty. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/greenspringsnaturalburial/">Greensprings Facebook Page</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.naturalburial.org/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greensprings Website </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.naturalburial.org/photo-gallery/">Greensprings Photo Gallery</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://signaturesunsets.blogspot.com/2016/10/greensprings-natural-cemetery-preserve.html">Finishing Touches Blog: Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://tompkinsweekly.com/news/2016/09/12/greensprings-celebrating-decade-natural-burials/">Tompkins Weekly</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2016/09/15/greensprings-set-celebrate-10-years/90417498/">The Ithaca Journal</a></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-88500932172104844042016-10-04T08:38:00.000-07:002016-10-23T09:22:49.194-07:00GREENSPRINGS NATURAL CEMETERY PRESERVE<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Journey Journal... Newfield, New York</b></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>A SANCTUARY OF LEAVES FOR LEAVING</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine having this dream while buried in the depths of restful sleep:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>You are ambling through exhilarating hilltop meadows </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>under a breathtakingly alluring blue sky </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">that’s crisply peppered with cumulus puffs. </span><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Tall wildflowers decorate the domain, boldly bespeaking patch-like formations suggestive of islands in a sea of grass… </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">perpetually waving in response </span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">to the excitement of air. </span><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>You observe the fluttering presence of winged aviators </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>as they waft through the atmosphere and chirp melodically </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>within enfolding branches of established trees rooted in history. </b></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Might these buoyant cherubs be angels? </b></span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>It is beautiful here. </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Borne of quiescence, calm prevails. </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>You conclude that you are in heaven.</b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then you wake up. Suddenly, you realize your mind had transported you to a place in the real world that is Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve... the first green burial property in New York State and one of the first in the country. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your refreshing nocturnal interlude had put you in touch with a destination opportunity that can, indeed, be grasped when heaven calls. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This parcel of land encompassing one hundred and thirty acres that welcomes the dead is situated between forested territory south of Ithaca, in Newfield, New York.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here, the unpretentious fusion of conservation initiatives with unadulterated surroundings poses a refreshing diversion from granite-studded grounds of conventional cemeteries.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Formerly farmland, the expanse of primarily grasslands is bordered by both Arnot Forest, a 4,000-acre bird mecca owned by Cornell University, and the Newfield State Forest that encompasses 4,000 acres of protected woodlands. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here, where wildlife thrives in a habitat preserved for them, humans merge with beings living and dead in this creature compound. Reverence for nature prevails. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Seeded In Collaboration</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aware of the burgeoning concept of green burials, two women in Corning, Jennifer Johnson and Susan Thomas, had been nurturing an aspiration for the establishment of a natural burial site. They even conceived the name, “Greensprings,” for a property that was not yet a reality. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, in Ithaca, other individuals subsequently began thinking along similar lines. Tom Eisner, an environmentalist and Cornell University professor, was contemplating a measure to memorialize people by placing a plaque at an entrance to a nature preserve. Mary Woodsen, an Ithaca environmentalist and science writer, had been harboring thoughts about prospecting for a natural preserve specifically designated for scattering of cremated remains. To this end, Mary collaborated with a like-minded preservationist and founder of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, Carl Leopold. This man had won national acclaim as a plant physiologist and conservationist and had settled in Ithaca as a Cornell faculty member. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2000, these three Ithaca locals joined forces when Tom Eisner inspired Mary and Carl to help establish a site for scattering of cremated remains. At that time, thoughts had not turned to the prospect of using a preserve for burials. But the focus changed in 2001, after Mary took a trip to visit South Carolina’s Ramsey Creek Preserve, the first natural cemetery established in the United States. Having witnessed a lovely green burial, she returned energized and motivated to take action. Her cohorts, however, initially felt disinclined due to the monumental complexities of such a project, thinking it would be too difficult.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the time, they were not aware of the two Corning trailblazers who shared such an aspiration. But, as Mary has said, these women were “way ahead of the game.” In 2002 someone told Mary about Jennifer and Susan, prompting a phone call and subsequent joint meeting with Tom, Carl, and a few other like-minded folks. Everyone was eager to work together, thereby setting the wheels in motion. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Acquisition of property for this purpose was facilitated by the largess of the town supervisor, Herb Engman, who, as an ardent ecologist, was anxious to preserve the area’s beautiful terrain. Originally, he had intended to sell his one hundred acres of undeveloped holdings. After initially adopting a strategy for Greensprings to make payments over time, he eventually donated the land in a spirit of commitment to the project. He is now president of the cemetery’s Board of Trustees. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another member of the Land Trust, Joel Rabinowitz, became involved in 2004, joining the Board as the first non-founder. He was immersed in the development and process while also participating in burials, eventually filling the role of director a year after the cemetery opened in 2006. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The elected Board of Trustees, currently numbering nine individuals, is complemented by a bevy of volunteers who function in many different ways. One of the founders, Jen Johnson, is the burial coordinator – a job that entails communication with providers as well as families and sometimes participation as the ceremonial officiant. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The project has evolved over time into a successful enterprise, attracting attention through national publications and garnering approval for certification by the Green Burial Council. </span></span></div>
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<b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Bedding Down With Mother Nature</i></b></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In accordance with green burial principles, bodies are buried under conditions that promote decomposition and a return of organic elements to the earth. Their intimacy with the soil is facilitated by forbiddance of obstacles, particularly, metal caskets and concrete or steel vaults as well as plastic or other synthetic items. Only biodegradable materials are permissible. Preservation that stunts decay is contrary to such “composting” objectives, so embalming is prohibited, except under extenuating circumstances. In spite of the low-density, fifteen-foot-square plots, little or nothing besides a body goes in the ground. Bodies are wrapped in cotton, silk, wool, or other natural fiber fabric within simple cardboard coffins, natural caskets, or clothed in shrouds.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though it is difficult for a backhoe to dig a shallow grave, the question of depth for interment is an ongoing one.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The old model of “six feet under” thwarts participation by biologically active, aerobic microbes living beneath the surface where oxygen is readily available. In an effort to capture potential for their engagement, burials at Greensprings are at a depth of four and a half feet. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Bird's Eye View</i></b></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At first glance, there is little to suggest the presence of bodies underground. Conventional headstones and markers or alternative statuary are nowhere to be seen. Instead, there may be a natural fieldstone flush to the ground over a site, sometimes nestled in tall grasses or brush. It can be engraved at a family’s expense. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An assorted collection of stones is situated alongside the cemetery office. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes family members dig up rocks from the soil here that is full of them, placing them around the perimeter of a gravesite for additional delineation.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the month of June, the idiom, “pushing up daisies” may come to mind among astute observers who realize the tall islands of daisies amid the otherwise green landscape are actually covering graves. The oxeye daisy is apt to be the first flora to bloom over a disturbed site, representing an unintended invasive species while announcing colorful significance. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gravesite locations are designated and recorded in accordance with a grid system. Simple markers </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">serve as directional guides to sites. </span></div>
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<b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Phlox Marks The Spot</i></b></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Families are permitted to plant certain native perennials, grasses, and ferns over graves. An inclusive list of allowable varieties is given to them with guidelines, and samples are grown in small demonstration gardens. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gravesite planting can be a therapeutic form of expression for bereaved family members who reside in the vicinity of the cemetery. Tending to living flora above the surface affords an opportunity to render ongoing ministrations in the name of the one whose body lies below, to whom tender loving care can no longer be directly administered.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A large area of colorful blossoms exemplifies a mother’s committed nurturance in response to the loss of her son who had died in his early twenties. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trees and shrubs can be selected by families and planted by staff, but only in a memorial grove by an area designated for sequential burials, that is, where more than one plot is allocated for additional family members</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Generally, graves are situated amid wild and untamed meadows, except for intervention of ongoing efforts to remove invasive species. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mowing is minimal, thereby averting substantial carbon emissions from equipment.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trails are maintained through routine cutting, but around grave sites the mowing is done only once a year, in October and November. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Home On The Range</i></b></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Attending a burial here is apt to endow mourners with an experience unlike any they’ve witnessed at conventional cemeteries. Significantly removed from a main thoroughfare, the drive along a rural road to access Greensprings sets the stage for that which is to follow. A sense of retreat from the frenzy of familiar sights and sounds greets them upon stepping out of their cars. Here on a hilltop surrounded by and exposed to everything natural, one becomes keenly conscious of a peaceful balm… unless the wind is having a say in the matter. All senses are activated, instilling the essence of life in this neighborhood of the dead. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Final proceedings are conducted in a manner more homespun than commercial. The contained or shrouded body is placed on a rudimentary cart for the journey to its final resting place. Dubbed, “the pallbearer’s friend” or the “spirit barge,” students in a BOCES welding class were commissioned to construct this all-terrain means of conveyance featuring durable tires. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A commonplace farm utility vehicle, often called a mule, is utilized as a mechanical mode for transporting people through the fields. It helps individuals for whom walking in this terrain is difficult. Most mourners, however, walk to the burial sites. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Upon arriving at the gravesite, the pallbearers (who are often family members) lift the casket or body and lay it on cross pieces straddling the open grave.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Ethnic, religious, or military practices may be part of variable observances that transpire. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A meaningful service of committal usually precedes the lowering of the casket by hand (rather than mechanically) using lowering straps.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A ceremonial shoveling of dirt may follow, or the entire grave can be filled in by mourners, if desired.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The grave is covered with a mound of dirt that recedes over time as the body decomposes underneath it and eventually</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">becomes flush with the ground.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Evergreen boughs are placed over and around the grave.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Individuals in attendance</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> become absorbed in the proceedings and the aura of it all.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> "We've seen people come to a burial in pain and leave with joy," says Mary Woodsen. "It can be transformative for people to lower their beloved dead into the grave themselves. It's so different than the conventional approach, where you walk away after a committal service and a mechanical lowering device does the committal instead." </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anyone who attends a natural burial may experience attitudinal remodeling. Witnessing the basal return of a body to earthly elements can prompt a mutation of one’s death perception… that, in this context, the end of life begets new beginnings. A green burial awakens the senses, causing people to take note of its logic while tapping into their internal reservoirs of feelings and spurring pervasive absorption that won’t be forgotten.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One woman documented her experience with these words: “I went to a burial at Greensprings in the winter, with snow on the ground. There was a horse there to pull the body on a sleigh. The horse had black and silver livery, and it was so cold you could see the breath from the horse. The person who had died was in a shroud—you could see the shape of her body and there was greenery on the body for simple, natural decoration. People participated in filling the grave. There were a lot of tears, and there was something about that environment that seemed to welcome their heartbreak; the earth welcomed the body. They weren't putting the body in a lead-lined box and keeping the body from the earth. It was raw, painful, and beautiful. I wonder if the stark simplicity of such burials allows us to more deeply take in what has happened — and thus provides for some measure of healing.” </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="s2"> </span><span class="s3">(Saoirse McClory, “Greensprings Completes a Natural Life, by Jayalalita for Green Leaf, GreenStar Natural Foods Market, originally published May 5, 2013)</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps the green burial movement in this country has ignited a newfound appreciation for the utility of human substance within an amazing sphere of creation.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Perhaps people are progressively welcoming opportunities for riveting connections impelled by expressive proceedings of death. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Increasingly, interest is being stoked by efforts like those of the </span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greensprings trailblazers who broke ground and unearthed an opportunity for ecologically conscientious bodily disposition. Long live their spirit of devotion </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to the natural life cycle and organic renewal! </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><a href="http://naturalburial.org/">Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.naturalburial.org/photo-gallery/">Greensprings Photo Gallery</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.naturalburial.org/media/2013/may/greenstar">GreenStar Natural Foods Market Article</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://tompkinsweekly.com/news/2016/09/12/greensprings-celebrating-decade-natural-burials/">Tompkins Weekly</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2016/09/15/greensprings-set-celebrate-10-years/90417498/">The Ithaca Journal</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://signaturesunsets.blogspot.com/2016/10/greensprings-natural-cemetery-preserve.html"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finishing Touches Blog: Anniversary Celebration</span></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-81383752491801716992016-04-16T08:14:00.000-07:002016-04-18T17:47:38.510-07:00CEMETERY CAFES <span style="color: #990000; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Journey Journal... Berlin, Germany</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>BEAN STEAM UNDERTAKING</b></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: publicdomainpictures.net</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine having arrived at a cemetery to begin exploring the territory when a sign planted along its pastoral trail distracts you from your intended course. Suddenly, your salivary glands shift into overdrive upon reading that there’s a popular name-brand source of coffee available for purchase in the funeral home back at the entrance to the property. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Any discerning proprietor of such an establishment must realize the symbolism associated with this accustomed stimulant of human propulsion. Coffee <i>screams </i>hospitality! Pots of scintillating java have been reposing ubiquitously in funeral homes for many years, readily available to boost the spirits and strength of heavyhearted clients.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In one instance, at least, the lure of this familiar drink awakened a marketing strategy to whet the appetites of community members, arousing them to be introduced to a funeral home that otherwise could have remained foreign to their consciousness. A few years ago a drip of hot news appeared on the My <span class="s2">Wonderful Life</span> website. The Bowman Funeral Home in Chatham, England had brewed up a secondary, full-bodied attraction at its drive-thru window, which seemed to be percolating quite robustly. In hopes that people would come to a grinding halt and take advantage of their cordiality, they provided free coffee for two hours early on a Wednesday morning every week. The idea was intended to jolt awareness and stimulate familiarity with their business so that community members would be left with a strong aftertaste of rich flavors that would linger with them until “time of need.” More recently, under new ownership as the Dennings of Chatham Funeral Home, tidings of goodwill have been conveyed by offering free coffee for a month to draw attention to a local hospice. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though coffee is simmering in funeral establishments around the world, nowadays in Western society, at least, a simple cup of store-bought joe doesn’t necessarily measure up to standards that sophisticated palates have come to expect. It’s not just a cup of coffee… it’s an experience. People crave the paper cupfuls of diversified liquid refreshment poured under the watchful eyes of the double-tailed mermaid bearing a star-topped crown… or the likes of one of her brand-name-logo cohorts. Perhaps in an environment of companion loss, availability of a customary drink may be a comforting way of connecting a grieving individual to something familiar.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2012 a construction project at the Robinson Funeral Home in Easley, South Carolina marked the advent of a Starbucks “Coffee Corner” attached to the main building for guest use, but also open for public access via a separate entrance by the parking lot. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo Source: WYFF News 4</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New employees on the Robinson staff were trained by Starbucks for their barista roles. The coffee chain’s official menu dictates a selection of beverage and food items. Their contract with the funeral home is one of many food service accounts the company has with wide-ranging institutions and businesses, such as hospitals, auto dealerships, health clubs, etc.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: easleycoffee.com</span></i> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preceding Robinson’s project by about a year, a similar enterprise owned and operated by a funeral home, but licensed by Starbucks to sell its products and use its equipment, was launched in Texas. The Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home in McKinney may have the distinction of being the first in the nation to institute this type of undertaking. Here, the speciality hub is adjacent to a floral and gift shop, within sight of stone monuments for sale and down the hall from a room housing an assortment of caskets. </span></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Louis DeLuca, The Dallas Morning News</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The need for new revenue streams in funerary establishments could possibly have inspired this trademark retail initiative that prompted widespread publicity. Though primarily serving beleaguered client families, these sites also have been open to the public as a convivial meeting place and a convenient spot to pop in for a diversional break and a stiff sip. Maybe they help dilute the usual intimidation that typically weakens people’s resolve when confronted by the prospect of stepping into a funeral home. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps American cemeteries will take a cue from certain European counterparts where their burial grounds are complemented by cafes, possibly suggestive of a finishing touch. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Berlin's inaugural one, the Finovo Cafe that was established in 2006 by Bernd Bossman, is immediately beyond the entrance gates of the St Matthaus Cemetery in the district of Schoneberg.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Passage toward the decorative entrance of the cottage confers colorful stimulation.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The building’s homey interior exudes eclectic charm, featuring a mishmash of tables and chairs in varied styles. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Window sills, hallways, and other spots are festooned with knickknacks and wall hangings of different sorts that bespeak an Old World aura effectuated by donations of personal possessions. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo Source: Spiegel Online International </i></span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cups and saucers with a history from lifelong collections are likely to be used instead of garden variety versions (or paper cups more commonly employed in the United States). </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Surfaces are covered randomly by books and brochures, including an announcement of a forthcoming Death Cafe to be held there. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Except for a refrigerated unit showcasing desserts, a visitor could easily need a moment to convince oneself that this is a retail shop rather than a private home. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A small room across from the cafe serves as quarters for a rudimentary flower shop.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The flower shop’s inventory extends outdoors, cozily defining parameters for a terraced enclave with tables and chairs.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Following a pause for restorative sustenance and revitalization in the cafe, a wide pathway affords easy access for a jaunt through the cemetery. </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="s2">The experience of wandering through burial grounds can be enhanced, likewise, by stopping in at another cemetery hotspot in Berlin – in the Kreuzberg district. This one, the Cafe Strauss, which opened in 2013, is a Viennese Kaffeehaus situated just past an entrance to the </span><span class="s1">Friedrichswerderscher Kirchhof on Bergmannstrasse (the Friedrichwerderscher Friedhof cemetery). </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The cafe represents a metamorphosis of a bygone funeral home. Its name derivation relates to the Viennese waltz composers, the German word for ostrich, and the name of the owners. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Immediately beyond the gate upon stepping foot on cemetery property, a sheltered patio with tables and chairs beckons. Here, one can drink in the sunshine of life while overlooking vestiges of the dead for whom the bells have tolled since the 19th and 20th centuries. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Inside, the atmosphere oozes rejuvenation. With its sizable arched windows inviting daylight and tall ceilings affording plenty of air to breathe in this storied former den of the dead, the ambience summons an urge to relax amid the neatly arranged tables punctuated by vases sprouting bright floral blossoms.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">History compounds the intrigue of this endeavor, conceived by a husband and wife team and operating in a section of this 19th-century funeral home where bodies were stationed prior to burial. During that era and based on a rampant myth, a waiting period of three days was required to assure that no one would be buried alive. Bells were attached to the bodies, which were supervised by a watchman who, while listening for the sound of ringing, sat in the space that has been repurposed as the cafe’s toilet room.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nowadays, within this restored (thankfully) room the aroma of freshly brewed coffee blends with the sounds of spirited conversations among a mixture of patrons who are there for different reasons. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For some, a quest to discover graves of the Brothers Grimm along with other notables buried here may include a coffee break.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other folks seek refuge in the cafe, nestling in a quiet harbor of rest. <span style="color: #351c75;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>“ ‘We are here in the cemetery,’ cries a guest in his phone. Before him is a plate of sandwiches and an organic beer. Although it's early evening and a little cold, several guests are sitting on the wooden café terrace under the brick pillars of the former mortuary. Two people have unpacked their tablet computers and work. ‘We enjoy the peace,’ said one visitor.”</i> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mourners seek the solace of familiarity within the walls of this orderly shop so characteristic of German culture. Casual locals appreciate availability that’s off the beaten track. Tourists are curious. The cemetery’s custodial workers probably can’t resist an urge to partake of the beverages, sandwiches, and cakes that are out of this world, yet so close at hand to their job site. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assorted teas and coffee varieties are specialties of the house. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Purportedly, a guardian fox sometimes makes an appearance when in need of a change of scenery; typically, he observes funeral activities while perched on mausoleum roofs, but at other times he tends graves by terrorizing rabbits that would devour flowers on grave sites if he weren’t there to protect them. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a space that's visible from both the adjacent cafe and outdoors, an artistic creation serves as a backdrop for the appreciation of living bodies proceeding past it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A purposeful funeral director briskly emerges along a pathway after inspecting a grave site prepared for imminent interment. Awaiting guests gather together en masse, some bearing bunches of flowers to deposit over the grave. Soon the bells will ring, not inside the vestigial funeral home arena that is so alive with customers these days, but from the serene burial terrain rendering an aura of sorrowful quiescence. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">European cafe fare may be a far cry from the commercial precision of Starbucks-prepared concoctions, yet an aura of hospitality in an intimate setting affords a welcoming retreat. Prospective plans were germinating for additional shops at two other cemetery sites in Berlin, as well as Munich. Beyond their intrinsic reason for being, integrated activities render such havens all the more attractive. For instance, the Cafe Fritz in Hamburg and the Atrium Cafe in Bristol, England host musical performances and art exhibitions. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will cemetery cafe or coffee shop ventures become a trend? It may not happen overnight, but as death is resolutely dragged out of the closet and increasingly tolerated as a fact of life, incubating entrepreneurs may think “outside the box” and recognize an opportunity to “roast in peace.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those who have already laid the groundwork for coffee shops in funeral milieus generated interest and publicity. The concept was even reason enough to set creative minds in gear. In 2012 when news of the forthcoming Robinson venture was stirred up by media, <i>The Week </i>introduced a contest via an online article, soliciting submissions of ideas for the cafe's name. Entries included: “Time to Meet Your Mocha” (Rabkin), “Latte for Your Own Funeral” (Wolf), “You Can Take It With You” (Frisch), “The Grim Roaster” (Fichtl), “De-Coffinated!” (O’Reilly), “Rigor Mochas” (Quilici), “The Last Cup” (Brandt), “Coffee to Go” (Horowitz), “Mourning Java” (Phillips), “Perkatory” (Lees), “Bean Nice Knowing You” (Weiner), and “A Better Place” (Blasko).</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At least the unconventional marketing and service strategies such as these enterprises in the funeral industry bring the ordinarily freeze-dried topic of death to the surface, possibly filtering out unsavory perceptions. Every little drip of inspiration that connects familiar and acceptable experiences with typically hard-to-swallow elements of mortality may help percolate positive altitudes and possibly even a strong aftertaste of pleasure. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">So what will it be?</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">Espresso, a latte, cappuccino, or mochaccino? </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">Sometime if you find yourself </span><i style="text-align: center;">dying</i><span style="text-align: center;"> for a cup of coffee, you know where to go.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">Enjoy it… <i>to the last drop!</i></span><i> </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;">*****</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><i>References </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/neueroeffnung-in-kreuzberg-wiener-cafe-auf-dem-friedhof/8162974.html">Quotation</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://theweek.com/articles/473549/week-contest--funeral-home-cafes">The Week Contest</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.mywonderfullife.com/funeral_planning_resources/articles/drive-thru_funeral_home/">Bowman Drive-Thru</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/steve-blow/20110316-mckinney-funeral-home-adds-little-sip-of-heaven-starbucks-coffee.ece">The Dallas Morning News</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2012/07/starbucks-to-open-inside-funeral-home/">ABC News - Robinson</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.wyff4.com/news/local-news/oconee-pickens-news/Starbucks-featured-inside-Upstate-funeral-home/15475846"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">WYFF4 News</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/dead-good-coffee-cemetery-cafs-gain-popularity/story?id=21042111"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ABC News International</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/cemetery-cafes-becoming-more-popular-a-935553.html"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiegel Online International</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://janeyager.com/2013/08/02/cafe-in-the-cemetery/">Jane Yager Blog: Strauss Cafe</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://signaturesunsets.blogspot.com/2013/02/funeral-home-coffee-bars.html"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Funeral Home Coffee Shops - Finishing Touches Blog </span></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-50687426552334231962016-03-25T10:39:00.000-07:002016-03-29T11:10:22.341-07:00CATHEDRAL MAUSOLEUM<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Journey Journal... Los Angeles, California</b></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>ELYGIAN GLITZ and GLAMOUR </b></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>let not the several quality of a thing nor its worth escape thee.” </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">~ <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Marcus Aurelius, Meditations</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the heart of the bustling Los Angeles metropolis there’s a brick and mortar necropolis. Unlike mausoleum edifices that rise heavenward as structures above the earth’s surface, this version of a graveyard is sequestered in lower level territory that diverts magnificently from the usual subterranean sphere of burial spaces. Rather, its arena of bygone earthly inhabitants lies within the basement bowels of an extraordinary cathedral. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The massive and elaborate Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels that made its debut in 2002 is a testament to human collaboration and achievement. Its building is uniquely configured with acute and obtuse angles, rather than right angles. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo Source: www.Panache.Voyage... Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A team of construction and design experts spent a year researching strategies to ensure integrity and durability, addressing concrete formulas, configurations, placements, and curing processes. Mock-up testing with attention to potential environmental stressors was a part of their investigations. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The fact that the site for this monumental undertaking was atop the Elysian Park Fault posed an immediate challenge. In the event of an earthquake, the threat of severe ground motion, predicted to be up to 7.0 magnitude, had to be countered. Because of the application of technically advanced methodology rendering exceptional durability, the entire building can move about twenty-seven inches in either direction during earthquakes, thereby conferring potential to serve as an emergency shelter. A freestanding bell tower that’s one hundred and sixty feet high also is seismically secured. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Such meticulous preventative diligence was motivated by historical trauma. The building project was undertaken to replace the smaller Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, which had been compromised by a series of earthquakes through the years and then severely damaged as a result of the 1994 Northridge quake. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The 195,000 square-foot showpiece of more recent origin is the third largest cathedral in the world and the first Catholic cathedral built in the United States in over thirty years. It is the flagship church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, encompassing two hundred and seventy-five parishes, and is the seat of its archbishop. Imbued with diversity of its constituents, Sunday Mass purportedly is conducted in forty-two languages. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alabaster surfaces and effusive rays from a large window above the altar contrast ethereally with the dark appointments characteristic of older churches. Pendant lighting bespeaks modern design. Yet many of the relics from the original Saint Vibiana Cathedral were melded into interior spaces, including a refurbished organ. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo Source: Wikipedia - Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beneath the altar of the luminous sanctuary that seats three thousand parishioners are the gleaming quarters for those who are no longer active congregants. Stairs lead down to the resplendent mausoleum – one of the largest cathedral burial vaults in the world, with close to thirteen hundred crypts and nearly five thousand niches. Ordinarily, one would not blink an eye upon encountering a church crypt, so common through the ages, but this one commands rapt attention. It is a showpiece of palpable beauty. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Besides being dazzled by the shiny essence of the limestone crypt and niche facades, visitors are apt to be enraptured by the colors and designs of stained glass windows, etchings, sculptures, and their inscriptions. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Catholic Cemeteries... Our Lady of Angels Mausoleum</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small; font-style: italic;">Photo Source: Wikipedia Commons... LA Cathedral Mausoleum Annunciation.jpg</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOD2DoRtqLTsB2wIT_DjcTPJ4hgP41n-zy_IuPW3DRnhK4CoWJXLXcETuVppmms593f9JBEDcNQkdR14layWgV8EhbwoUPCYCZoCzuoulm0y9z4DC0h7EbXThpElFjhza2cVM8qlzMhr58/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-27+at+2.39.08+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOD2DoRtqLTsB2wIT_DjcTPJ4hgP41n-zy_IuPW3DRnhK4CoWJXLXcETuVppmms593f9JBEDcNQkdR14layWgV8EhbwoUPCYCZoCzuoulm0y9z4DC0h7EbXThpElFjhza2cVM8qlzMhr58/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-03-27+at+2.39.08+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: </span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Catholic Cemeteries... Our Lady of Angels Mausoleum</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The remains of former bourgeois Catholic devotees aren’t necessarily resting in peace here in this prestigious milieu. These “Elysian fields” of concrete and stone were made available, at least initially, primarily to individuals who had been financial benefactors or relevantly connected in positions of significance. The remains of five California bishops, originally interred elsewhere, were moved here and have been accompanied by those of other bishops and archbishops of Los Angeles. Anyone who made a substantial donation to the building fund could be considered as a candidate. Celebrity status undoubtedly enhances prospects as well.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A decision to honor requests for entombment or inurnment in these elegant quarters is dictated by the archbishop. A decedent need not have been a practicing Catholic follower; being married to a Catholic individual or coming from a Catholic family is acceptable. However, the price for “residency” is high. The most exorbitantly priced spots are within one of six semi-private chapels, in four crypts in a sarcophagus directly under the altar, or near the twenty-six stained glass windows and lunettes relocated there from the original cathedral. Revenue from all sales is appropriated for an endowment fund to maintain the cathedral property. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The massive mausoleum is but one feature of this multi-purpose hub. On the grounds of the core building there is a public plaza covering two and a half acres that's used for liturgical, cultural, and civic events. It is embellished with captivating attractions, including works of art and water features. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is also a conference center, clerical residence, and three-level underground parking garage for six hundred cars. A gift shop and cafeteria render the site all the more welcoming. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This showpiece that’s conspicuously located adjacent to a nearby freeway has been designed and constructed as a permanent fixture for hundreds of years to come. Here, centrally posed amid the commotion in the second-largest city of the United States, known as the "City of Angels," opportunities beckon both the living and the dead. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>REFERENCES and RESOURCES</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Angels">Wikipedia: "Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels</a>"</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Angels">LA Times: "Crypts That Keep On Giving"</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Angels"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">PCA - America's Cement Manufacturers: </span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Angels">"Concrete Architecture to Service More Than 4 Million Catholics" </a></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.panache.voyage/area-guides/cathedral-of-our-lady-of-angeles/"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Panache.Voyage: "Cathedral Of Our Lady Of Angeles</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.panache.voyage/area-guides/cathedral-of-our-lady-of-angeles/">Landmark of postmodern architecture</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://catholiccemeteriesla.org/location/cathedral-of-our-lady-of-the-angels-mausoleum/"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Catholic Cemeteries: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Mausoleum</span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.panache.voyage/area-guides/cathedral-of-our-lady-of-angeles/">Variety of Wikipedia Commons Photos: Mausoleum's Stained Glass Windows</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://signaturesunsets.blogspot.com/2016/03/cathedral-mausoleum.html">Quotation</a></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-31881221511515266572016-01-16T08:12:00.000-08:002016-01-17T08:17:08.347-08:00WHERE TO DIE?<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>END ZONE GAME CHANGERS</b></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is quality of life possible during the physical decline of a terminal condition? That’s a question that has surfaced recently, possibly driven in large part by the baby boomer generation of alternative thinkers. The answer seems to be trending toward an affirmative stance. Yes, even people who are dying can infuse their lives with meaningful moments… possibly more so if they are detached from institutions where they could easily become tube-entangled in the mechanical ministrations that represent the bastion of the medical model. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though multiple surveys have indicated that a large proportion of people choose not to die in a hospital, among the majority of the population that is actually the place where lives end. Recognizing this reality, the literature these days is rife with rationales for eschewing a hospital environment during one’s final weeks or days. Activists are reacting negatively to the scenarios that are borne of scientific advancements, yet are potentially aversive to patients and their families. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps of particular note is that medical doctors don’t want to die in hospitals, either. Though they are fully aware of all the mechanical and pharmacological means of bodily support, many say “no thank you” to the prospect for themselves. One of them, Atul Gawande, has become a maverick of sorts in spreading the word about the contrasts between hearth or hospice and conventional hospital care.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an article for the New Yorker Magazine, he referenced a study done as part of a Coping With Cancer Project. “… terminally ill cancer patients who were put on a mechanical ventilator, given electrical defibrillation or chest compressions, or admitted, near death, to intensive care had a substantially worse quality of life in their last week than those who received no such interventions. And, six months after their death, their caregivers were three times as likely to suffer major depression. Spending one’s final days in an I.C.U. because of terminal illness is for most people a kind of failure. You lie on a ventilator, your every organ shutting down, your mind teetering on delirium and permanently beyond realizing that you will never leave this borrowed, fluorescent place.” Furthermore, he notes, “as for last words, they hardly seem to exist anymore. Technology sustains our organs until we are well past the point of awareness and coherence.” </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caring professionals in hospital environments humanely deliver treatments with utmost compassion. They respond empathetically to family members who are unable to acknowledge finality and let their loved ones go. Medical personnel are geared toward saving lives and attempting to extend them by employing all possible means, such as surgeries or potent chemotherapies (that invariably cause debilitating side effects). At the hands of their zealous efforts, though, often the patients feel worse. Devices, feeding tubes, dialysis catheters, tracheotomies, and the like can virtually imprison the person who is tethered to tubes and pumps, drifting in and out of consciousness. The last days or weeks of life may be exponentially arduous for afflicted individuals, while families can become overwhelmingly distraught by the ramifications of intrusive treatments. A waning life may be tainted by drug-induced oblivion coupled with the procedures and equipment that render a zombie-like existence, in spite of the fact that there is no hope for reversal or arrest of the disease process. The soaring cost of care for the terminally ill is yet another consideration compounding the hardship of such situations.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through interviews and experiences with patients, Doctor Gawande has accumulated evidence that dying individuals have needs beyond just extending the number of days they continue to exist. Surveys of folks with terminal illnesses have identified their priorities, which include prevention of suffering, time with family members, physical touching of others, mental acuity and awareness, and avoidance of being a burden. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pain relief and other palliative measures can be provided in hospice or home settings, without the complexities of counterproductive paraphernalia geared toward prolonging a life destined for an imminent ending. Comfort care rather than curative treatments may include massages and other hands-on interactions that involve touch. Soothing music may be part of the picture. The familiar atmosphere of one’s home in itself may contribute to alleviation of distress. If food is still able to be eaten, choices can be customized according to appetite and tolerance. Contacts with friends and family members are more natural and unimpeded, in a place that’s conducive to supporting one another. Once death has occurred, there is no rush to remove the body from the premises, allowing time for continued contact and spontaneous expressions that might not be possible in an institution. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In his popular book, <i>Being Mortal</i>, Doctor Gawande elucidates what matters most to people who are dying. His own father proclaimed that he wanted to continue his social life rather than have aggressive treatments that would deprive him of being social. Another man said he would be okay as long as he could eat chocolate ice cream and watch football. These declarations, then, served as guidelines for their final stages of life. Everyone was aware of the objectives and the need to avoid an institutionalized experience. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until recently, physicians in general had assumed a skittish posture relative to enlightening their patients about the reality of their ominous circumstances. No one, perhaps especially these providers, wants to admit defeat. No one wants to alert folks to the fact that they have reached a dead end on their road of life. Everyone likely feels the excruciating pangs of destiny. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Increasingly, however, initiatives to discuss end-of-life wishes are emerging. Within the medical profession, practitioners are being trained and encouraged to have such discussions with terminally ill patients. There is a drive to reject knee-jerk treatment methodology in favor of finding out from each individual what matters most to that particular person. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The “Gawande approach” entails posing five questions as elements of routine end-of-life discussions: 1. What is your understanding of where you are and of your illness? 2. What are your fears or worries about the future? 3. What are your goals and priorities? 4. What outcomes are unacceptable to you? What are you willing to sacrifice or not to sacrifice? </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the question seemingly boils down to whether someone would opt for a dying experience that is primarily “medicalized” or humanized. Maybe the pendulum is swinging toward a better way to go gently into the good night.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/08/02/letting-go-2">The New Yorker Article</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nextavenue.org/atul-gawandes-5-questions-ask-lifes-end/">Atul Gawande's 5 Questions to Ask at Life's End</a></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-42086074673759629652016-01-02T17:13:00.000-08:002016-01-21T14:27:53.530-08:00UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY CEMETERY<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>JOURNEY JOURNAL... West Point, New York</b></i></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The pastoral burial property is located in the Hudson Valley Highlands within the gates of the United States Military Academy. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9lAJ8RQ9EGsacDuRsqsQfgRetr2VHx-6-2aFin5MhhOUZ8rRN4NiIElFqgGMII3fLIz8gxNFiQ0X2pVKzfqrZEePslN14y1lGAtK1a_fNkR9oV6YjrwMxT3-zey_28dbkr7lZOXt2QcV/s1600/WestPoint+Central+Post.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9lAJ8RQ9EGsacDuRsqsQfgRetr2VHx-6-2aFin5MhhOUZ8rRN4NiIElFqgGMII3fLIz8gxNFiQ0X2pVKzfqrZEePslN14y1lGAtK1a_fNkR9oV6YjrwMxT3-zey_28dbkr7lZOXt2QcV/s400/WestPoint+Central+Post.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Wikipedia.org</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sheltered by trees, the West Point Cemetery, America’s oldest military cemetery and a national historic landmark, has served as quarters for men and women deployed to heaven from the time of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) to the present. Though not officially designated as a military cemetery until 1817, this promontory that was originally known as the “German Flats” had been utilized for interments of soldiers and local residents for several decades before that time. After its formal classification as a cemetery, remains from several small gravesites scattered elsewhere on the post were moved here, along with others found during excavations for new construction projects. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With a nod to the significance of this 8,000-strong underground detachment, the spirits of comrades, classmates, and others are mired in the hearts and minds of patriots still engaged in life’s operations. Besides the military academy’s superintendents, past and present members of the Corps of Cadets, as well as its faculty and staff, leaders of every American war have been buried here. Their physical remains and that of their families have been joined also by those of acclaimed engineers, athletes, and clergy… the old as well as the young: </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Medal of Honor distinguishes twenty-four of the decedents. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1QLRWIcKql-A8LRE5hyphenhyphenxV-PGElyoSCQ5eydVreJWL7iQ1x06FT7omOHPUcGHHhfbUFgeirCouLJPKl-OwWcodyTjdaVhV2DjuJHcVKgO8UnRNArsZ4sRPB_pkzATaYoRTqB8nQLI6RIM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-10+at+1.57.19+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1QLRWIcKql-A8LRE5hyphenhyphenxV-PGElyoSCQ5eydVreJWL7iQ1x06FT7omOHPUcGHHhfbUFgeirCouLJPKl-OwWcodyTjdaVhV2DjuJHcVKgO8UnRNArsZ4sRPB_pkzATaYoRTqB8nQLI6RIM/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-10+at+1.57.19+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The number of West Point superintendents tallies twenty-five, including Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer, Class of 1808, who was afforded the title, “Father of West Point.” Major General Winfield Scott was dubbed the “Grand Old Man of the Army.” Names that tend to surface in elementary school history reviews include the Civil War cavalry commander, Colonel Custer, Class of 1861, and Major Anderson, Class of 1825, commander of Fort Sumter at the onset of the Civil War. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of more recent recognition might be Lieutenant Colonel Edward White from the Class of 1952, who was the first American to walk in space and subsequently died aboard Apollo One. Interment of William Westmoreland, Class of 1936, who had been an extolled commander of various military operations, took place in 2005. The cremated remains of Persian Gulf War commander and Class of 1956 graduate, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, were buried amid majestic military pomp in February, 2013, next to the plot of his father (Class of 1917), who was the founder of the New Jersey Police. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Women are part of the encampment here as well. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Revolutionary War heroine, Margaret “Molly” Corbin, engaged in battle as a surrogate for her mortally wounded husband and became the first female to be awarded privileges as a disabled veteran. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second Lieutenant Emily Perez, Class of 2005, was the first female minority graduate, killed in 2006 by a bomb while leading a convoy; she was the first female African-American officer from West Point to die in combat, specifically, during the Iraq War.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So many individuals represented here had garnered plaudits for their accomplishments, while others were destined to the compound because of familial attachments. The remains of some of the country’s most notable figures may be stationed next to those of people unknown to the masses; long-established gravesites and headstones are within range of newly excavated earth. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyhp1TrqWoG6aKKPPn7eeNSG1WCzIDouDRy88-rqv1mklRIndNlIFkHxItGm1uvd1GPlD-rRS7hUXu3BexGUaRpR3SngEfjn72v-NxslykEsUXio_-ga6durhyphenhyphenGngzH8VX5W8isC2YOSo/s1600/IMG_1843.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyhp1TrqWoG6aKKPPn7eeNSG1WCzIDouDRy88-rqv1mklRIndNlIFkHxItGm1uvd1GPlD-rRS7hUXu3BexGUaRpR3SngEfjn72v-NxslykEsUXio_-ga6durhyphenhyphenGngzH8VX5W8isC2YOSo/s400/IMG_1843.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lying within a plain of dirt in close proximity to one another, this mosaic-like squad of the famous and those relatively undistinguished according to societal standards attests to an oft-quoted reality: Death is the great leveler and all earthly glories vanish in death. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i>“In the democracy of the dead all men at last are equal. </i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i>There is neither rank nor station nor prerogative in the republic of the grave.”</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i> ~ John James Ingalls</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Visitors may come to attention here, prompted by realization of a deviation from other military burial grounds. In contrast to the Academy's campus milieu otherwise manifesting strictly defined formations and obligatory precision, the appearance of its cemetery might be unexpected. Instead of the familiar sea of white tablets lined up repetitively in equidistant rows at other countrywide sites, there is a heterogeneous mix of stone memorials placed irregularly. Rather than uniformity there is diversity.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTl9jtRZy_53bwHz9GOJILKXTE1gOkNVG8DDgoHbNBkaz67zXwvpFueorHYvo2BvIs-TK_u6q4AETgGQzt9_5TxF6l4tpZfCR0zAJAvQk3xd27SBOpoZG7-NipuAUVoiYrvbFggMyZmy8J/s1600/IMG_1849.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTl9jtRZy_53bwHz9GOJILKXTE1gOkNVG8DDgoHbNBkaz67zXwvpFueorHYvo2BvIs-TK_u6q4AETgGQzt9_5TxF6l4tpZfCR0zAJAvQk3xd27SBOpoZG7-NipuAUVoiYrvbFggMyZmy8J/s400/IMG_1849.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilruEGk-uos529Z-k_QLJ95Dqj9RP_nvUi3m5OdD0nZoMtbFM7mmuQuTZw1mXrBqDImaJa2Cnne1XWq0EcFObDtTRFTPR5uiQUJfibHu81kx85pZSuDz9ezKiqWzDqBUKXk9yxW9_U5xTY/s1600/IMG_1851.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilruEGk-uos529Z-k_QLJ95Dqj9RP_nvUi3m5OdD0nZoMtbFM7mmuQuTZw1mXrBqDImaJa2Cnne1XWq0EcFObDtTRFTPR5uiQUJfibHu81kx85pZSuDz9ezKiqWzDqBUKXk9yxW9_U5xTY/s400/IMG_1851.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Personally acquired stone memorials of various sorts are situated among the standard military versions. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CsdQLE7jAoJ318k1VVuNlxDux7unsMdFzebH4KIyzIAVIVmAgW5KfvHRU4zTywuw6eTV1x12R_640HJ4arTRyGk6tlk-pfTMpQDICqYZ_TyQuiBjI-aB8hLU9gj57FHA01MRGrPfQ2YW/s1600/IMG_1853.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CsdQLE7jAoJ318k1VVuNlxDux7unsMdFzebH4KIyzIAVIVmAgW5KfvHRU4zTywuw6eTV1x12R_640HJ4arTRyGk6tlk-pfTMpQDICqYZ_TyQuiBjI-aB8hLU9gj57FHA01MRGrPfQ2YW/s400/IMG_1853.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2R9F6p-n9JUrhXaYlHQI7zUfmDPSdBZql7F2YRS7vdFlci5hvh0ebAlWQFO1ojiLmHlbCAe4KIWRTHiRfH0F5_nsDdtQT6e_oCmF-5XamOGSc2k2VYyiUjXXMzxi9gpTIzxfURkiKklf/s1600/IMG_1850.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2R9F6p-n9JUrhXaYlHQI7zUfmDPSdBZql7F2YRS7vdFlci5hvh0ebAlWQFO1ojiLmHlbCAe4KIWRTHiRfH0F5_nsDdtQT6e_oCmF-5XamOGSc2k2VYyiUjXXMzxi9gpTIzxfURkiKklf/s400/IMG_1850.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3lOmjzVCRknDVKS3sWx3yq2sv5HW8jP0D-CMkkeDMy6En0CxKnSCOF2ayI5Pu5e4qhJhQHDcLMxqKYj6x9WOGe8uHzFjISmYIGmSvRHcH9ptcSmqGbS8ErXW6bQpih1K7rXu_nN-G-he/s1600/IMG_1846.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3lOmjzVCRknDVKS3sWx3yq2sv5HW8jP0D-CMkkeDMy6En0CxKnSCOF2ayI5Pu5e4qhJhQHDcLMxqKYj6x9WOGe8uHzFjISmYIGmSvRHcH9ptcSmqGbS8ErXW6bQpih1K7rXu_nN-G-he/s400/IMG_1846.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of the older ones are especially eye-catching because of their distinctions. The headstone commemorating an eminent Army football coach, Earl “Red” Blaik, is in the shape of a football positioned for kick-off. The body of a Civil War veteran, Egbert Viele, was interred in a two-story pyramid under the guardianship of two stone sphinxes. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgiRICeCUBTKQL2lfPSYxeLi8oESfkR2-QShWGYFbrHUjhc7TB8XO19KAg_6iNTohgEztoePG7s7fH9-7oU1yhVQg00uKEKYOKLuzQjvZUIxWD1dKD0XwSum0LRhhKqpUxttrg5cKwZ3k/s1600/WestPoint+Cem-Pyramid.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgiRICeCUBTKQL2lfPSYxeLi8oESfkR2-QShWGYFbrHUjhc7TB8XO19KAg_6iNTohgEztoePG7s7fH9-7oU1yhVQg00uKEKYOKLuzQjvZUIxWD1dKD0XwSum0LRhhKqpUxttrg5cKwZ3k/s400/WestPoint+Cem-Pyramid.png" width="372" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: ForUsAll Campaign for West Point, Cemetery Marketing</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One- and two-hour bus tours are operated to enlighten people about the lives of historical figures and afford them an opportunity to absorb the surroundings. Visitors are welcome all year round, throughout the week from sunrise to sunset, free to explore the grounds on foot. There has been no master plan for plot arrangements and assignments. Caretakers have made an effort to place the remains of classmates and friends close to one another. Those that are casualties from the major wars may be in clustered sections. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The caretaker’s cottage, erected in 1872, stands appropriately in guardianship adjacent to gravesites.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6Eg1uyX3fCySBoYiV4EXZK1lPFO3E5D4mTRYqOOer41IV5Hik3W0CLqVMjp5b2lDjMvAzWHSO5BuFw7ptCDVYwcN1ZcTfWUnAJwW5rqL8Pl_dxvLsndisLT08GJn0ZWKbxOuqhaRG8ou/s1600/Caretaker%2527s+Cottage%252C+++++++++West+Point.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6Eg1uyX3fCySBoYiV4EXZK1lPFO3E5D4mTRYqOOer41IV5Hik3W0CLqVMjp5b2lDjMvAzWHSO5BuFw7ptCDVYwcN1ZcTfWUnAJwW5rqL8Pl_dxvLsndisLT08GJn0ZWKbxOuqhaRG8ou/s400/Caretaker%2527s+Cottage%252C+++++++++West+Point.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Wikipedia West Point media file</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Originally, the Old Cadet Chapel was located across from the post’s clock tower at Bartlett Hall. In 1910 when demolition was its proposed fate, a cadre of cadets who wanted it saved for posterity prompted its relocation to the cemetery. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HzV0gNupHzUTb8DlJPu7mg5J7buPY86HdkfaNJOxmxtsf61UuodsmPX01_zHr03yAefp-LTlFV7HbbvQ3dX8PNsB83cbROErBlpsU8h3UGEIwrWtDZCG0uwqh4RI6fqC1aerzh-bsVcG/s1600/WestPointOld+Cadet%2527s+Chapel+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HzV0gNupHzUTb8DlJPu7mg5J7buPY86HdkfaNJOxmxtsf61UuodsmPX01_zHr03yAefp-LTlFV7HbbvQ3dX8PNsB83cbROErBlpsU8h3UGEIwrWtDZCG0uwqh4RI6fqC1aerzh-bsVcG/s400/WestPointOld+Cadet%2527s+Chapel+.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Wikipedia West Point media file</span></i> </div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Contemporary columbarium walls follow the circular pattern of the cemetery’s layout. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pjKYiX9v21uiJ0ehFNTGZEgvUMuDWXRgc7kn6fFyRXx3_Zn-XK4U7yRcn6Gy1GZoGBPZQAbS_KudwAuoMyPUUGCl0uUZJo5iSCJY7pF-ydJ-QFTjXllJqJRYpK2Vj3aL_vwCrnsKVc8G/s1600/WestPoint+Aerial+%2528Rosspilot%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pjKYiX9v21uiJ0ehFNTGZEgvUMuDWXRgc7kn6fFyRXx3_Zn-XK4U7yRcn6Gy1GZoGBPZQAbS_KudwAuoMyPUUGCl0uUZJo5iSCJY7pF-ydJ-QFTjXllJqJRYpK2Vj3aL_vwCrnsKVc8G/s400/WestPoint+Aerial+%2528Rosspilot%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: ForUsAll Campaign for West Point, Cemetery Marketing</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaTNd_SfqyivHbkQXpeGIL_7e-ZkffvXhR-edJrZwcpUFygOxzAMPmF7nnLtKqk885YWYTHqzl2tbb57tZ5TZcswDvHhS8GBVHsrO9a_OvlnSykRfu4r0IqcWoSlqjDuON3evEPIHCow8/s1600/IMG_1848.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaTNd_SfqyivHbkQXpeGIL_7e-ZkffvXhR-edJrZwcpUFygOxzAMPmF7nnLtKqk885YWYTHqzl2tbb57tZ5TZcswDvHhS8GBVHsrO9a_OvlnSykRfu4r0IqcWoSlqjDuON3evEPIHCow8/s400/IMG_1848.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These burial grounds so rife with historical relevance are also filled to the gill with underground occupants. After two centuries of open enrollment, so to speak, the capacity of this twelve-acre parcel is dwindling. At the current rate of occupancy – one hundred forty to two hundred remains per year – it had been predicted that options for full bodily burials would evaporate within a decade. Fortunately, that prospect has been addressed by the Academy and its graduates who have taken steps for expansion of the grounds as well as the construction of columbaria. A development project was boosted by a monetary gift from the Class of 2011. Plans include an embellishment of the modern age – a smartphone app that will enable visitors to identify sites. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a member of the association of graduates, Lieutenant Colonel Freed Lowrey, Class of 1967 and a Vietnam War veteran, has been active in raising funds for the project. He aspires to be buried here in the company of classmates and comrades who died in the warfare they experienced together. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i>“I want to be among soldiers. I want to be among people of my own kind who have served and done so much for the nation and have sacrificed so much. </i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i>I could be in Arlington, I could be in any national cemetery, but this is – and I’m not a religious person – I mean, West Point’s almost my soul.” </i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i> </i></span><span class="s1"> </span><span class="s2"><i> ~ Freed Lowrey</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Noted in a mission statement, the intent of the West Point Cemetery is to deliver a final salute to those who have served the country. Through commemorative actions and memorial tributes, may it be said, “Well done; be thou at peace.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.westpointforusall.org/cmsdocuments/FINALCemeteryMarketing.pdf">West Point for Us All: campaign marketing</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/expanding-hallowed-ground-west-point-cemetery-063655916.html"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Expanding hallowed ground at West Point cemetery</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy_grounds_and_facilities">Wikipedia: United States Military Academy grounds and facilities</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Point_Cemetery#/media/File:West_Point_Cemetery_Caretaker%27s_Cottage.JPG">Wikipedia Media File: Caretaker Cottage</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Point_Cemetery#/media/File:Old_West_Point_Cadet_Chapel.JPG"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wikipedia File: Old Chapel</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy_grounds_and_facilities">John Ingalls Quote</a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-43433133594132320902015-12-31T09:47:00.000-08:002016-01-21T14:30:37.256-08:00FORT ROSECRANS NATIONAL CEMETERY<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>JOURNEY JOURNAL… Point Loma (San Diego), California</b></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>FORWARD or ABOUT FACE… ELYSIAN MAGNIFICENCE</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">San Diego bespeaks a lively military presence, with all sorts of US Navy ships docked in the harbor and naval base facilities fully operational, including the Naval Special Operations Unit where SEAL training is conducted at the Coronado Island Naval Amphibious Base. About ten miles west of the central hub, tucked away toward the end of the Point Loma peninsula, a national cemetery administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs occupies about seventy-seven acres that formerly constituted the site of an Army coastal artillery station. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStjMPDHv32bcSuTFf-92nekTIAxmsgvieO-ooVYqaD1vq_Jiy5QQyPB_8PZfqSxS_tTWTKlDaHXGFocYQ-De_1hMPfYQDaY_EKlMMdNDfg6P3GKb4r6gufxrZ_IdAuxjPmVislq8bE4BC/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.50.10+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStjMPDHv32bcSuTFf-92nekTIAxmsgvieO-ooVYqaD1vq_Jiy5QQyPB_8PZfqSxS_tTWTKlDaHXGFocYQ-De_1hMPfYQDaY_EKlMMdNDfg6P3GKb4r6gufxrZ_IdAuxjPmVislq8bE4BC/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.50.10+AM.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bisected by Catalina Boulevard, it abuts two sides of this main road that takes tourists to the historic Cabrillo National Monument and Old Point Loma’s Lighthouse, a national park’s attractions a mile away at the end of the peninsula. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzOjGlmTnRlRSAy6Ooz-niODHm1CI70vHEEH5neZ4ILl2dkAfLeowNUjf-SIG1yLlrH8eLBosBb-WCW1DeSShBL2x2O0KA77dAoavj2RMch5kDoANQLvCCZtKPlPUjOLUiBUUj4lc6SQJ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.46.48+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzOjGlmTnRlRSAy6Ooz-niODHm1CI70vHEEH5neZ4ILl2dkAfLeowNUjf-SIG1yLlrH8eLBosBb-WCW1DeSShBL2x2O0KA77dAoavj2RMch5kDoANQLvCCZtKPlPUjOLUiBUUj4lc6SQJ/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.46.48+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Travelers in cars might not pay attention to the communal treasure through which they pass to reach the tourist attractions… after all, it’s “just” a cemetery. But if they divert from the beaten track, get out of their confined spaces and look around, they are apt to be enthralled by what they see. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47FdmJLAyN5J5UAHdTRBTmTVvPY1YGVvEUxvJtIldvs_H5P-3iInnztLKwjhe420MhyArXn7qAZsnRrVRcrIUI1lroQSO-Zi2Q45hEvhs-7Z2xAjcRKBhjWufURKmdzvdZkEXPgLjZP_A/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.22.57+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47FdmJLAyN5J5UAHdTRBTmTVvPY1YGVvEUxvJtIldvs_H5P-3iInnztLKwjhe420MhyArXn7qAZsnRrVRcrIUI1lroQSO-Zi2Q45hEvhs-7Z2xAjcRKBhjWufURKmdzvdZkEXPgLjZP_A/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.22.57+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether overlooking a sweeping panorama of animated city and aquatic activities on the San Diego Bay side of the grounds or the infinite waters of the Pacific Ocean on the other side, an essence of peace pervades the atmosphere. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW-C91VaqwPSnh5YPtjcqDAULdWfBIClsergDxLjeBqlX3LWmI-IBjIUkMrB6z614Gr8_0bz2NTtf2iW-5wNIkl4oy_5uHedLoJNBy_6IvjQ4aqVXN6ajr38spkYLsMzeSOzJ8UO5cAsd/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.39.51+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW-C91VaqwPSnh5YPtjcqDAULdWfBIClsergDxLjeBqlX3LWmI-IBjIUkMrB6z614Gr8_0bz2NTtf2iW-5wNIkl4oy_5uHedLoJNBy_6IvjQ4aqVXN6ajr38spkYLsMzeSOzJ8UO5cAsd/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.39.51+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioh8WWWRvempj5syDChApDA5aVWjZpgT3xdVI6o8LHrGL7Yx8qxrZIe4MdX2qePeIGLy61WLB5GC3lViwxKISWXNQCkYZbTtF80SpdTuDTKk361eghIHp-6-oulf8rqVa4UZuL1MkMGK1n/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.43.18+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioh8WWWRvempj5syDChApDA5aVWjZpgT3xdVI6o8LHrGL7Yx8qxrZIe4MdX2qePeIGLy61WLB5GC3lViwxKISWXNQCkYZbTtF80SpdTuDTKk361eghIHp-6-oulf8rqVa4UZuL1MkMGK1n/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.43.18+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">People have referred to the cemetery’s ambience using words like “solitude,” “tranquility,” “solace,” and “beauty.” “Breathtaking” is a commonly expressed descriptive adjective. One visitor noted that words can’t describe the depth of the beautiful views, dubbing the environment here absolutely unbelievable. A local resident considers it the best and most amazing cemetery she has ever seen, adding that it brings tears to her eyes every time she visits. Someone felt transformed while there, recognizing a changed perspective and an appreciation for that which individuals sacrificed to keep our country free and the peacekeeper of the world. Yet another person opined that it is the best location on earth for a final resting place. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So what is it that instills such riveting admiration among visitors? Perhaps the ardor can be attributed, yet again, to nature’s splendor that accents man’s strategic intervention. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xh2v3GfwVf3CxvAW_XtgcH8R2Nrs_DAzja-XOis2q9fwi9lgVXJUAjuUIUbablGpxiATGb4qEHgBX_9VmI42leD0edVdex89UmMZanFpeDtW9xxCLEbqLV1GV6eayftv3J_PSB0RuXvA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.26.32+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xh2v3GfwVf3CxvAW_XtgcH8R2Nrs_DAzja-XOis2q9fwi9lgVXJUAjuUIUbablGpxiATGb4qEHgBX_9VmI42leD0edVdex89UmMZanFpeDtW9xxCLEbqLV1GV6eayftv3J_PSB0RuXvA/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.26.32+AM.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There’s something about an expanse of water that summons the soul and frees the spirit. At this site, the body of water below the spread of elevated terrain bearing bodily remains underscores that sense. In a burial milieu, one naturally thinks about souls… here, amid a dynamic mural of awe-inspiring marvel, perhaps especially so. Above the cacophony of distant life, in the heights of this landmark resting place a visitor is apt to feel an ethereal aura magnified by a spiritually uplifting tenor. One can easily fathom sequestered souls communing with readily accessible heavenly hosts.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“… hear from heaven our sailor's cry, </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> And grant eternal life on high!”</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> (an alternate verse adapted to the Navy Hymn, author unknown)</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is this state of transfixed reverence due to the gently buffeting ocean breeze or the shimmering sapphire waters of the bay or ocean below? Are the sweeping views so mesmerizing that one succumbs to endorphin-induced bliss? </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyf_pQFSI4mpPRsmG-2zfxc35y-5k-wCu6m1H_RbQn8FF1o6XBdu5fLts8IP0hO9EelVIbH75l1G10bkFWPeqEjTOqgwMYT_IOp25QuWRMS9lHTzosXaUW8LCMAavnbyVXECUCCR4N1oV/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.31.06+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyf_pQFSI4mpPRsmG-2zfxc35y-5k-wCu6m1H_RbQn8FF1o6XBdu5fLts8IP0hO9EelVIbH75l1G10bkFWPeqEjTOqgwMYT_IOp25QuWRMS9lHTzosXaUW8LCMAavnbyVXECUCCR4N1oV/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.31.06+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or might it be the conspicuous white marble crosses on this property that command the attention of rapture? Could it be the vastness of graves amid the stillness, the sheer numbers of venerated veterans whose lives were cut short in missions of valor? </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIPzUqau4EaDiUw3NIOIJLFM1SCNPUB00FNkn72Xk50reViHY7TOiB2W65Jg0-Z45XVA_c9FMvDi0PqwhkRriaTVeZ_ga7qAebabKezw6na6FdpZyOItYyHhdyuiTQw4eET7RQlQpT974/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.33.25+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIPzUqau4EaDiUw3NIOIJLFM1SCNPUB00FNkn72Xk50reViHY7TOiB2W65Jg0-Z45XVA_c9FMvDi0PqwhkRriaTVeZ_ga7qAebabKezw6na6FdpZyOItYyHhdyuiTQw4eET7RQlQpT974/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.33.25+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Decedents of different eras have been interred here over the course of a century and a half. They include veterans of the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean and Vietnam battles, the Gulf Wars, and other military operations, along with qualified family members. Ground burials and columbaria inurnments amount to over 112,000, including twenty-three Medal of Honor recipients. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQgVsLFCirucbp09vP-4qx6RhV6EZFZ07LNT6wqxoKnNhj25GdoShw1JNPiqmq09MZkay_8H563IScQVZ4AkGTgxM6UoANM2Jn7V-9e3OIMK4DxqA8S2Oc0Oopo3BGgoVVNTUfHW8ySos/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.35.47+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQgVsLFCirucbp09vP-4qx6RhV6EZFZ07LNT6wqxoKnNhj25GdoShw1JNPiqmq09MZkay_8H563IScQVZ4AkGTgxM6UoANM2Jn7V-9e3OIMK4DxqA8S2Oc0Oopo3BGgoVVNTUfHW8ySos/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.35.47+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The cemetery’s name stems from its location on the grounds of the former Fort Rosecrans. It became a national cemetery in October of 1934 based on a need for more space due to changes in legislation increasing the number of people who would be eligible for burial in a national cemetery. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQs6s9IuzbASCupGx6ygfJCSkC4I7pGCiYbZsXeuZQCsckH0AI8Nv-Kx23lit0OxpQ99biUwUwvIAlpTzgR1cxofU0xJ8wJuKe1nPHtHTPYZPlQDqIV_aV9Inu0NJ5e60YtkTmVSmfFC6J/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.38.32+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQs6s9IuzbASCupGx6ygfJCSkC4I7pGCiYbZsXeuZQCsckH0AI8Nv-Kx23lit0OxpQ99biUwUwvIAlpTzgR1cxofU0xJ8wJuKe1nPHtHTPYZPlQDqIV_aV9Inu0NJ5e60YtkTmVSmfFC6J/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.38.32+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In recent years long walls of columbaria were added to accommodate the cremated remains of thousands of additional World War II veterans. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The extensive lineation of structures replaced old chain-link fencing.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkfiqPzpm78JRzB7GrTctIl29Su3UfXMXzAcqA6D4cUqA_VVeDeRmfhSaUBigOcCZExe-F7icam2HMFLL51MYFW78c4Kh6H8qwtIacffE0li7oeaij2NuoMGCOci75Z1GqS2bJHcHj3uz/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.36.12+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkfiqPzpm78JRzB7GrTctIl29Su3UfXMXzAcqA6D4cUqA_VVeDeRmfhSaUBigOcCZExe-F7icam2HMFLL51MYFW78c4Kh6H8qwtIacffE0li7oeaij2NuoMGCOci75Z1GqS2bJHcHj3uz/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+9.36.12+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Additionally, "Columbarium Court" was designed with rows of niche structures lined up in military-style precision.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEadKO_zTKOypKx1Pc4pQ3oqU6N8htF0Z1t-_nC6FzeKoHOPfCOxoU5KbsAIiCHV5ObIEByZhZ3Rr6OzP5KWHa07xZyS-gVwmnIZ657X1o0__HO_rqHtUnpxGxWmyw9b2MXbpOyzFuoZJ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.01.52+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEadKO_zTKOypKx1Pc4pQ3oqU6N8htF0Z1t-_nC6FzeKoHOPfCOxoU5KbsAIiCHV5ObIEByZhZ3Rr6OzP5KWHa07xZyS-gVwmnIZ657X1o0__HO_rqHtUnpxGxWmyw9b2MXbpOyzFuoZJ/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.01.52+AM.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHO_eS-grXa4JCX0R7hMvbZH_tuLHPEvIN9En4cCY2WFQM1uOpHoUlY8G-b1rnErqzYcX_84DTlidLwr0_u8oMnSy0VSSgN7htDn7xrTmHn-UwOwdUuAg0yWuHkLPt8c7p2z0FCbDAYY-/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.49.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHO_eS-grXa4JCX0R7hMvbZH_tuLHPEvIN9En4cCY2WFQM1uOpHoUlY8G-b1rnErqzYcX_84DTlidLwr0_u8oMnSy0VSSgN7htDn7xrTmHn-UwOwdUuAg0yWuHkLPt8c7p2z0FCbDAYY-/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.49.34+AM.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Visitors to this section overlooking the Point Loma Naval Base can capture views of downtown San Diego and the bay. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJsaUQGI9DOCUPmB0KuBSkos9_GLs6krU-60ZlVi9xvBq1NjYz8VlhEF0YRMh7_YTNa5-wfptKvDL_aI46WDQDvWpSZslisQRad5KTvO5Z39-hEU2vG_Tx65MfzbRrueJMjqiC-Fbd_9J/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.03.38+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJsaUQGI9DOCUPmB0KuBSkos9_GLs6krU-60ZlVi9xvBq1NjYz8VlhEF0YRMh7_YTNa5-wfptKvDL_aI46WDQDvWpSZslisQRad5KTvO5Z39-hEU2vG_Tx65MfzbRrueJMjqiC-Fbd_9J/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.03.38+AM.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6iBGUXI_whPU8999dvRXo9W7RrRD4994lTJMRWhRBaVeIkwM-AHsu5zM1E2mk92uzzSsVEfJKXuv_q5culOOSAUddau7zyNo_dqEepZNShM92HGirQXh3buZAoxUZ41IZtVfne9R_9ZX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.05.08+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6iBGUXI_whPU8999dvRXo9W7RrRD4994lTJMRWhRBaVeIkwM-AHsu5zM1E2mk92uzzSsVEfJKXuv_q5culOOSAUddau7zyNo_dqEepZNShM92HGirQXh3buZAoxUZ41IZtVfne9R_9ZX/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.05.08+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Memorial tablets and grave markers bear an individual’s name, lifespan dates, rank, places served, emblems, and sometimes a few succinctly relevant words. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SQ-_mRDe6WOQ3kQo4pUCLE4E9H3rgMTqxO76JI6AhmvfNA7AqL6VvDKnwA8eXXo-eglznxqgg1qDAMHjig7wBv1XoZdOAtEc3K361L-mpraIhWfO5ZUNMXziD7-4qmvM7rW5AOmdzgSe/s1600/IMG_2896.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SQ-_mRDe6WOQ3kQo4pUCLE4E9H3rgMTqxO76JI6AhmvfNA7AqL6VvDKnwA8eXXo-eglznxqgg1qDAMHjig7wBv1XoZdOAtEc3K361L-mpraIhWfO5ZUNMXziD7-4qmvM7rW5AOmdzgSe/s400/IMG_2896.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A number of monuments and memorials serve as tributes to groups of individuals who died under varying circumstances. One is specific, such as the seventy-five-foot-tall granite obelisk that recognizes the deaths of sixty-two sailors who died in a boiler explosion aboard the USS Bennington in the San Diego harbor on July 21, 1905. Others are composites with listings of soldiers from different missions, such as this one dedicated in 1995 to men who died in particular battles while aboard the identified ships. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinokDknQcKeSMJ4lk0YhX6Fafh5MIBaM3430yl2hN0hV0GLWlQV0OZjdq_1Gsge6kPG-KYO9i6DYSIyQ4UKYi2_CYLwL65mo5z6iY0rx5JzTVCSi92uhfSdKe4mh0g391K8Du1qvE215oM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.07.07+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinokDknQcKeSMJ4lk0YhX6Fafh5MIBaM3430yl2hN0hV0GLWlQV0OZjdq_1Gsge6kPG-KYO9i6DYSIyQ4UKYi2_CYLwL65mo5z6iY0rx5JzTVCSi92uhfSdKe4mh0g391K8Du1qvE215oM/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.07.07+AM.png" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A committal service shelter blends into the environment unobtrusively, away from administrative, maintenance, and burial operations as well as the actual gravesite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brief commemorative services are conducted here, highlighted by the customary military honors protocol conducted by military honors or volunteer honor guard teams.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_O7XIyib88qafo2wTwyVTRMSS4WFmBbwpG8HgPg-xJ5VQnHTvbp8yrVYwSw_FCOSjGaPPe4NoI-48fCehyphenhyphencR4H3Fl1LufL9Uml3d7q3w-Y2YhS0l7cnta3b8X6JskWZZhT4UVhkyGUiO/s1600/IMG_2905.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_O7XIyib88qafo2wTwyVTRMSS4WFmBbwpG8HgPg-xJ5VQnHTvbp8yrVYwSw_FCOSjGaPPe4NoI-48fCehyphenhyphencR4H3Fl1LufL9Uml3d7q3w-Y2YhS0l7cnta3b8X6JskWZZhT4UVhkyGUiO/s400/IMG_2905.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinja0R4O_fPbEFKrzQKCnod6AG0q8NEZ29G2LDeJpzBlrUvjCBgrAYjw6a2N1CX_-QZVvAYQALz05rGWQRyf_UinqCXf_y8LkR9cOveJ2htAT3upgGKqOlaELBej2y5UmH2ddl3rtW5ofK/s1600/IMG_2902.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinja0R4O_fPbEFKrzQKCnod6AG0q8NEZ29G2LDeJpzBlrUvjCBgrAYjw6a2N1CX_-QZVvAYQALz05rGWQRyf_UinqCXf_y8LkR9cOveJ2htAT3upgGKqOlaELBej2y5UmH2ddl3rtW5ofK/s400/IMG_2902.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The roofed, open-air pavilion provides seating </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the immediate family and friends, accommodating ten to twenty people. An uncovered paved area affords room for approximately fifty additional guests. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3KSIW7253bEipczf9BO73aqI3o6tTRBWW89dIHBAIarlQDEzbLN3o7rG9C-Jm8rJy8oA4kuoct5tH6JjYkoBzlyvvEsYjg9l0XdzS5_fQNX45OrYISEdcMwe8muc39baWmCAhixwULIy/s1600/IMG_2900.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3KSIW7253bEipczf9BO73aqI3o6tTRBWW89dIHBAIarlQDEzbLN3o7rG9C-Jm8rJy8oA4kuoct5tH6JjYkoBzlyvvEsYjg9l0XdzS5_fQNX45OrYISEdcMwe8muc39baWmCAhixwULIy/s400/IMG_2900.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dHsyOIY04sQhLw50XjDNvH2YNsZ0x5SGGbDwQbejxbLArgVUeRj9eWygYN4Xp-lAYdKrEDMyME71XqV4tzKVVDZ5O7DqaZ-Ejch8JHm_m9vOmoSF2d-cqXHGRtpbGUBZsIaXWpxqXpUO/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.12.52+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dHsyOIY04sQhLw50XjDNvH2YNsZ0x5SGGbDwQbejxbLArgVUeRj9eWygYN4Xp-lAYdKrEDMyME71XqV4tzKVVDZ5O7DqaZ-Ejch8JHm_m9vOmoSF2d-cqXHGRtpbGUBZsIaXWpxqXpUO/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.12.52+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cones can be utilized for placement of flowers in the gravel strip alongside the columbarium. Potted plants are permitted for a short time during holiday periods. Floral pieces are removed by maintenance crews when they wilt or become unsightly. Artificial flowers are permitted, but are removed on the last Friday of each month to facilitate maintenance measures. Flowers or memorabilia directly on top of the columbarium or attached to niche fronts are strictly forbidden. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCAJboCBV6jbQrYr9RRDAYK8-ZMP49JFtgdrnidft0vdoQW3O3EgCYhMi5dNXU4bfDPXmDhkUQF2N9sk818jxcPJJcZlalxJTyJ6P3lIo8dU50D4Rwm4iJ739K8YznVFkA_u3jHn3kzGM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+11.02.53+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCAJboCBV6jbQrYr9RRDAYK8-ZMP49JFtgdrnidft0vdoQW3O3EgCYhMi5dNXU4bfDPXmDhkUQF2N9sk818jxcPJJcZlalxJTyJ6P3lIo8dU50D4Rwm4iJ739K8YznVFkA_u3jHn3kzGM/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+11.02.53+AM.png" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXjMZYXeflrg8uixUzJZU74uSE2493UQzU_qbI2LoSuzIciX48_bFzCKdJnRV9WhWGirQNkxqVyzhKpxYDgUqk2Vkxz8pOoL3_w5FCwXn_FatXIvrBQOTbT6f3z-JmYsuh15qJ6fbiUfB/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.54.01+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXjMZYXeflrg8uixUzJZU74uSE2493UQzU_qbI2LoSuzIciX48_bFzCKdJnRV9WhWGirQNkxqVyzhKpxYDgUqk2Vkxz8pOoL3_w5FCwXn_FatXIvrBQOTbT6f3z-JmYsuh15qJ6fbiUfB/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.54.01+AM.png" width="137" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UrOKcCRdp0Y-SF6QZCwKpJgYgaJQoyuyQUUfx6yfS38orFoLrm-46LuB1oL4010VVM-xp0EoFIb_Dlw9yFe5EoAH0ivMYKhEFqU-GaseEd5yvO1aE1ljK_bjh-RrhCMLivGdXqz-F0QV/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.59.07+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UrOKcCRdp0Y-SF6QZCwKpJgYgaJQoyuyQUUfx6yfS38orFoLrm-46LuB1oL4010VVM-xp0EoFIb_Dlw9yFe5EoAH0ivMYKhEFqU-GaseEd5yvO1aE1ljK_bjh-RrhCMLivGdXqz-F0QV/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.59.07+AM.png" width="106" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A visitor from Houston, Texas summed up his impressions by declaring that this is one of the nicest military cemeteries you’d ever visit, ranking it on a par with Arlington Cemetery. He encourages people to soak in the beauty and peacefulness while honoring the spirits of the bodily remains reposing here.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0E1gCU_ovykq5vK0p0gyDHZ9ddOxR8HVKJ4IfO20qgYz6B_zD0fqDHtyhyphenhyphen-wMNl6djQZLoRvbBuaAJztHXfIbG5sr2Q-R05ZoWHuPUx1xE093fVgEFSo0HHYPt8OCWkk-OuoQllOJLg0-/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.17.03+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0E1gCU_ovykq5vK0p0gyDHZ9ddOxR8HVKJ4IfO20qgYz6B_zD0fqDHtyhyphenhyphen-wMNl6djQZLoRvbBuaAJztHXfIbG5sr2Q-R05ZoWHuPUx1xE093fVgEFSo0HHYPt8OCWkk-OuoQllOJLg0-/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-07+at+10.17.03+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A final destination in this five-star cemetery with its clean and well-maintained grounds has been an aspiration of many eligible veterans who are currently alive and well. Unfortunately, they must find alternative sites because the cemetery has run out of room, having filled the last remaining unclaimed niche spaces in May of 2014. The columbaria had been the only available option, as most casket burials had been terminated in 1966. Accommodations nowadays are limited to veterans who already have a niche or burial site because of a spouse already interred there. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the fact that this saturated state of affairs signaling maximum capacity has been reached does not affect anyone who merely wants to visit the property. By adding it to a travel agenda, a new dimension in the military realm may be experienced and appreciated. Here in a cemetery, history can come alive in a spirit of enlightenment. In this particular one, a purview of glorious literal and spiritual horizons can be relished, as atop a hilly ridge one peers at the convergence of land and sea, basking in a heavenly haven. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc5dhcrC654xIM0k5Ddz8zPvZyFJTdSoAbOuCNAzp2haQSU09jleJgjAiuGTeBetYw0oyQllzE6dUmnTPZmPNk2y-btm2kLVTqI95j7T3BNnD7mdSzTCNUlfQRJm9pzSR8rvrmoKGC4Lk/s1600/IMG_2893.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc5dhcrC654xIM0k5Ddz8zPvZyFJTdSoAbOuCNAzp2haQSU09jleJgjAiuGTeBetYw0oyQllzE6dUmnTPZmPNk2y-btm2kLVTqI95j7T3BNnD7mdSzTCNUlfQRJm9pzSR8rvrmoKGC4Lk/s400/IMG_2893.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftrosecrans.asp">National Cemetery Administration</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rosecrans_National_Cemetery"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wikipedia</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/may/06/rosecrans-filled-veterans-cemetery/">San Diego Union-Tribune "End of era..."</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/fort-rosecrans-national-cemetery-san-diego"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Comments via yelp.com</span></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-76803634783641903722015-12-08T06:48:00.000-08:002016-01-21T14:28:22.639-08:00ATYPICAL NICHE DESIGN<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>JOURNEY JOURNAL... Sorrento Valley (San Diego), California</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>UNITED THEY STAND</b></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many things are aggregates composed of elements, parts grouped together to form wholes. Separately, the individual components might not be so functional, aesthetically appealing, or impressive, but integrated with others to form a composite they may become strategic aspects of a magnificent ensemble, possibly even a masterpiece. For instance, think of a bouquet or handmade quilt!</span></span></div>
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<b><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“It's the sum of the parts that make up the whole, so in my opinion excellence comes from how one undertakes to do something. </span></i></span></b><br />
<b><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It all begins with the thought process - which is creative and exalted </span></i></span><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to produce something out of the ordinary.”</span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span class="s1"> </span><span class="s2"> ~ Pankaj Patel </span></span></i><br />
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<span class="s2"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Indeed, “out of the ordinary” characterizes the Narro-Niche columbarium permutation conceived and designed by the Conrad Pickel Studio. The slim, yet full-capacity bronze urns that comprise the inclusive composition are box-like in shape and</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> covered by a three-quarter-inch slab of solid marble or granite. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A mosaic design, dubbed a “Mosaicfront” by the originators, may be applied as an exterior embellishment. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The design on the front of niche unit is a cardinal element of the larger depiction.</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Besides aesthetic appreciation, practicality underlies the conceptual rationale for this, as indoor or outdoor walls and corridors ordinarily unsuitable for niche installations can be utilized, requiring only five and a half inches of depth. A joined assemblage of niche compartments can be applied directly against an established surface without the need to forge a recessed indentation. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beyond utility, though, is the potential for a vividly captivating illustration created by visionary artists. That is, by nature of a coordinate frontal design, a single niche is like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle… a necessary component that’s pivotal to the larger image layout. Without it, the picture on the wall would not be complete. It is an essential part of the whole. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Crafters use Venetian glass smalti to create the decorative wall panels. The mosaic fronts are framed in bronze using conventional mounting systems. </span></div>
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<span class="s2"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The El Camino Memorial Park in the San Diego area draws visitors aiming to see the gravesites of notable individuals, such as Jonas Salk (founder of the polio vaccine and the Salk Institute) and Ray Kroc (founding partner of McDonalds and owner of the Padres baseball team). But straying from the usual tourist pathways can lead a visitor to the site of a Narro-Niche installation. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihneF6V9SV8eXZ1c20MYbjSWlAgWw1H-43FAwfcEmSJqlpgGDTOWMbqVPRfimmEFmpqHcvky5bOYtFb-bfomsFHIt4BoEpnWGWE9ohAUFKyr-GwK-3-VSab63uxycfiz9rh5jpc2fbc4w7/s1600/IMG_2957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihneF6V9SV8eXZ1c20MYbjSWlAgWw1H-43FAwfcEmSJqlpgGDTOWMbqVPRfimmEFmpqHcvky5bOYtFb-bfomsFHIt4BoEpnWGWE9ohAUFKyr-GwK-3-VSab63uxycfiz9rh5jpc2fbc4w7/s400/IMG_2957.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here, the structure and its mosaic portrait stand out against a blank mausoleum wall.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-uxOOoNO-80T7G5ZwGwCdZqMns1O3DeZ0Nmp_ZcTjpton5m_xyy4DasLoJ09SKVjayZ3l9w3yrwkOsRcEZdtt5E8F35RT7LSTnVmIfQZNFsK2p6oYci8f3AY2Nc2tudKprGWTzcuI5th/s1600/IMG_2956.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-uxOOoNO-80T7G5ZwGwCdZqMns1O3DeZ0Nmp_ZcTjpton5m_xyy4DasLoJ09SKVjayZ3l9w3yrwkOsRcEZdtt5E8F35RT7LSTnVmIfQZNFsK2p6oYci8f3AY2Nc2tudKprGWTzcuI5th/s400/IMG_2956.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The site is embellished with plants, cenotaphs, and other stone structures.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJfpXIFQOpp-Q9i_0_AiK25lv5e9gNluACI1cqxWwbFnY3ZbrL3Z10OXA5WIpXF-A5rlQh55_Pq30gDWeRx7PkL4r82u4Ff-vG5_lK4NsckoxFp23s7xaq15ywdCex-0m85GBhqAJyxQ2/s1600/IMG_2949.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJfpXIFQOpp-Q9i_0_AiK25lv5e9gNluACI1cqxWwbFnY3ZbrL3Z10OXA5WIpXF-A5rlQh55_Pq30gDWeRx7PkL4r82u4Ff-vG5_lK4NsckoxFp23s7xaq15ywdCex-0m85GBhqAJyxQ2/s400/IMG_2949.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nameplates are positioned above individual niches. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-17AtXCmrlP-QIUInUMMIY9ZadkoFHXKCYl0a1-nwXSPbc1KgSKJ0Umhvj0SYVwKABhzn8f6StdrtlduzkJapwPR3uD65UkdftUdE_1xhi4LTmMKK4y2XDPPNJqBtHUO-18HG29WsydT/s1600/IMG_2950.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-17AtXCmrlP-QIUInUMMIY9ZadkoFHXKCYl0a1-nwXSPbc1KgSKJ0Umhvj0SYVwKABhzn8f6StdrtlduzkJapwPR3uD65UkdftUdE_1xhi4LTmMKK4y2XDPPNJqBtHUO-18HG29WsydT/s400/IMG_2950.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOuInq5oyccSG69HDDvMdLwgwCcNuia0LT8nmjN8263k9Qivdfvdzqh6f2cQXyWybA_xX4Nxw6veaQqd3hGdEuZUSjbP1MEUDnF8ICqvjeSXNBwZZYXmuvtlu4bqB8SMup_rDlnbi77_4/s1600/Narro-NicheClose-up.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOuInq5oyccSG69HDDvMdLwgwCcNuia0LT8nmjN8263k9Qivdfvdzqh6f2cQXyWybA_xX4Nxw6veaQqd3hGdEuZUSjbP1MEUDnF8ICqvjeSXNBwZZYXmuvtlu4bqB8SMup_rDlnbi77_4/s400/Narro-NicheClose-up.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the vantage of a side view, an unknowing observer might not realize that a collection of urns is behind the decorative panorama.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5NuLKCRqFm7E8YVVTH5t8Hx_BBgD17_s9ElWUeNYSDI2lPYJaQlxKRAy2UpVYWLu9nLdMudfKkp_k1s6FErsV5wtxQJEUgPpz2O4XtkEpEDq43olJYniSTv-zYh1afKedlHt0mdAYMgP/s1600/IMG_2951.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5NuLKCRqFm7E8YVVTH5t8Hx_BBgD17_s9ElWUeNYSDI2lPYJaQlxKRAy2UpVYWLu9nLdMudfKkp_k1s6FErsV5wtxQJEUgPpz2O4XtkEpEDq43olJYniSTv-zYh1afKedlHt0mdAYMgP/s400/IMG_2951.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The only building in this image appears on the frontal facade of a single urn. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jSRd_1iqLcRS-V-jYxNB01iRZ93a6l7M8fn3Qc7j1G2jRn7BA04QTQ0I1GbpB1-LWJDUzNvUe2ZjQjo4czdMGemcEQb4jKxfuULCaqDBG7BwQk7l3gMFXI2ch9y8DIr0irImNgd-iRVm/s1600/IMG_2953.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jSRd_1iqLcRS-V-jYxNB01iRZ93a6l7M8fn3Qc7j1G2jRn7BA04QTQ0I1GbpB1-LWJDUzNvUe2ZjQjo4czdMGemcEQb4jKxfuULCaqDBG7BwQk7l3gMFXI2ch9y8DIr0irImNgd-iRVm/s400/IMG_2953.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This creation is but one of many stained and faceted glass windows, mosaics, and sculptures for religious and secular buildings that are produced by the Pickel Studio artists. Niche and crypt facades are only part of their focus. The enterprise was founded by the late Conrad Pickel, a world-renowned stained glass artisan as well as a sculptor and painter. Since his death the company has been managed by his son, Paul. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Professional artists on staff specialize in various aspects of design and installation while developing new techniques and applications. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaNxlmQBB7exfQNuaR9ojp2A8ot40YI0iaUKVbQzlHX4aLeWy6FDpO3dMt1StvNFqXQ5VMxZUJqK-A0mTdVYFtNMlpJdcAkmb-TTD2U96C7cvdLhfIuNbVvl_h_m7XHwnC05qio7smSsZ/s1600/Pickel+Studios.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaNxlmQBB7exfQNuaR9ojp2A8ot40YI0iaUKVbQzlHX4aLeWy6FDpO3dMt1StvNFqXQ5VMxZUJqK-A0mTdVYFtNMlpJdcAkmb-TTD2U96C7cvdLhfIuNbVvl_h_m7XHwnC05qio7smSsZ/s400/Pickel+Studios.png" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo Source: Pickel Studios</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Their work is featured in churches, cathedrals, and cemeteries around the country. Among their showpieces are the faceted glass windows at Michigan Memorial Park’s Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum (photos via link below).</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the Resurrection Cemetery in Justice, Illinois (Chicago area), t</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">wo stories of magnificent glasswork enclosing a mausoleum</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> purportedly form the largest stained glass window in the world. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Huge stained glass depictions of Bible narratives and more can be viewed by walking clockwise around the second and third floors of the building.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEFKWjHR5jD36HDNYJrLYEbAZOVNLwKwYzKrfteWMXK9NnS3AoXR6UMExauIKFHIomMKTWOCwXzFhXheU3mAEhjyhrufWff9f6iuL2oRx8pWsQmuaGscxP_b_p4oLoCUhf2v63v44OEXg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-05+at+11.33.17+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEFKWjHR5jD36HDNYJrLYEbAZOVNLwKwYzKrfteWMXK9NnS3AoXR6UMExauIKFHIomMKTWOCwXzFhXheU3mAEhjyhrufWff9f6iuL2oRx8pWsQmuaGscxP_b_p4oLoCUhf2v63v44OEXg/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-05+at+11.33.17+AM.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo Source: Flicker by Robert Powers </i></span></span><br />
<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>(more photos in blog reference)</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The company’s Narro-Niche innovation, though of diminished proportions in contrast to their other productions, affords a balm of soothing representations, nonetheless. “Good things come in small packages,” or in the case of cremated remains, <i>go</i> in small packages… and, at the hands of Pickel Studio creators, sometimes in narrow ones. The packaging here invariably amounts to inspirational works of art. Whether the projects are undersized or massive, their resplendent renderings reflect the words of an exemplary figure with an artistic eye who said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together” </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Vincent Van Gogh)</span>. </span> </div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.pickelstudio.com/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Conrad Pickel Studio Website</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="https://achicagosojourn.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/resurrection-mausoleum/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Resurrection Mausoleum</span></a></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.michiganstainedglass.org/month/month.php?month=09&year=2001"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum</span></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pickelstudio.com/gallery_cemetery.php">Pickel Studios Gallery of Cemetery Projects</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://achicagosojourn.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/resurrection-mausoleum/">Blog: A Chicago Sojourn</a></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-65796868681730229772015-08-27T09:45:00.000-07:002015-08-28T11:09:08.467-07:00MEMORIAL BOOK EXCHANGES IN YARDS <span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>JOURNEY JOURNAL... New Orleans, LA</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TALE ENDINGS: NEIGHBORHOOD PAGE TURNERS</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along an ordinary street in front of a typical house in an accustomed neighborhood of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Orleans there stands an unusual focal point. Behind it a suspended porch swing summons a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mental image of calm repose generally associated with reading a book.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The “little library" phenomenon began as a memorial. In 2009 a craftsman from Hudson, Wisconsin whose mother had died was inspired to erect a wooden, box-like structure atop a post on his lawn to serve as containment for a lending library of books. The eye-catching novelty captured the attention of people passing by who encountered a welcoming invitation to take a book and eventually return a different one to replace it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was intended as a commemorative tribute – a reflection of a mother’s passion for reading books and her role as a school teacher. Esther's son, Todd Bol, relevantly designed the small receptacle in the configuration of a one-room schoolhouse. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8jUlWgK9t3bSUOHxDEx7MEZdvZbVn-_4W4SBQjaOAGdQOdDWgPPcBTwr4DtrY9c9IbsnqdNEjZPrEtiYW9MoCHSNkxAj7p3RxomzM_DXaRQGBfnA12heqkPkvbmsJPKRy-WVBwhBOHlN/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-28+at+11.03.00+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8jUlWgK9t3bSUOHxDEx7MEZdvZbVn-_4W4SBQjaOAGdQOdDWgPPcBTwr4DtrY9c9IbsnqdNEjZPrEtiYW9MoCHSNkxAj7p3RxomzM_DXaRQGBfnA12heqkPkvbmsJPKRy-WVBwhBOHlN/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-08-28+at+11.03.00+AM.png" width="311" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo Source: Little Free Library Website, History Page</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A collaborator, Rick Brooks, publicized the front yard attraction, causing the concept to be adopted by many others in widespread locations.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, this means for a neighborhood book exchange heralded a trend that ensued throughout the world… so much so that a Wisconsin organization was established to oversee an </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ever-burgeoning network of them.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dubbed a “Little Free Library,” this type of formation akin to a bird feeder now occupies many thousands of properties in all fifty states and in a few dozen countries. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Instagram via upworthy.com article</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The movement represented by the “Little Free Library: Take A Book, Return A Book” </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">non-profit entity has been described by the Wall Street Journal as “a global sensation.” Anyone interested in providing a pop-up or micro-library of this sort can tap the organization for guidance. People can choose to build a structure themselves or purchase one through this source via their website. For a fee, libraries can be registered and then become part of a list of locations identified on a map where such book trading posts are located; the list is maintained via a website. Registered owners are assigned a number and sent a printed sign that signifies participation in the “Little Free Library” program. Resources are accessible to help sustain operations of someone’s community book exchange and opportunities to support the cause are available as well. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This initiative motivated by a mission to promote literacy and the love of reading has also kindled peripheral perks. Obviously, it stimulates individuals’ ideas and engenders collaboration among family members working as a team to complete a project. Creativity can be unleashed because there is no prescribed pattern or standardization. Designs run the gamut, from basic boxes – sometime replicating the architecture or colors of the houses by which they stand – to boldly unconventional motifs. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(New Orleans)</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7g5E64RD6t5UobdJ5jhPMFd-2nb_fMClHMVB4IyswIVLh7dDJzaJy9pVN1hQLXMKwQgwwsokHXIY2pky10q2RlIbl8QNMh_6QucDcDSPkj53G2cvPkeU_EhrxguPq8cF1JaTsnUuzDY6/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-27+at+5.37.14+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7g5E64RD6t5UobdJ5jhPMFd-2nb_fMClHMVB4IyswIVLh7dDJzaJy9pVN1hQLXMKwQgwwsokHXIY2pky10q2RlIbl8QNMh_6QucDcDSPkj53G2cvPkeU_EhrxguPq8cF1JaTsnUuzDY6/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-08-27+at+5.37.14+PM.png" width="260" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Instagram via upworthy.com article</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Instagram via upworthy.com article</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Instagram via upworthy.com article</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not surprisingly, these abbreviated houses brimming with books draw people together in a spirit of community, serving as an ice breaker and easily prompting spontaneous conversation. Folks who have participated in the book exchanges consistently note that people have come out of the woodwork… that during a short period of time they have met and interacted with more neighbors as a result of this phenomenon than they had during many years of residing in the neighborhood. One man commented that his little library “turned strangers into friends and a sometimes-impersonal neighborhood into a community.” </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some individuals have followed the example set by the originator of this concept… to establish a little library as a tangible memorial commemorating the life of a loved one. In New Orleans, where such structures dot at least a few dozen yards, besides the ubiquitous label identifying their connection with the supporting organization, there may be an additional notation that a particular library is dedicated to the memory of someone special. In the Uptown district, one of them broadcasts a mother’s affinity for books. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagIfT2ml8dZP6DGLquotegoCsOKpxDyCzFYnyPKPdrW3_MN2DFPeYPKVxeggsoX168E8JrHF-G7CWoqnlcV9ReGZP8BYASKHKblsEt0d9Y3q70LnCGoby4puBBlwGw3x8xWDEtQEYfyTs/s1600/IMG_3392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagIfT2ml8dZP6DGLquotegoCsOKpxDyCzFYnyPKPdrW3_MN2DFPeYPKVxeggsoX168E8JrHF-G7CWoqnlcV9ReGZP8BYASKHKblsEt0d9Y3q70LnCGoby4puBBlwGw3x8xWDEtQEYfyTs/s400/IMG_3392.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine the relevance of such a gesture to celebrate decedents whose vocations or interests had connected them with books. Or think of the possibilities for conjuring up a distinctive design in sync with a person's lifetime role or characteristic. But even without such attachments or representations, simply in the name of someone who lived well, this might be a unique opportunity to energize enrichment among the living. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://littlefreelibrary.org/">Little Free Library Website</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LittleFreeLibrary">Little Free Library Facebook Page</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Free_Library">Wikipedia</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.upworthy.com/love-books-these-12-tiny-libraries-might-steal-your-heart">Upworthy.com Article</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/02/little-free-library-crackdown/385531/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Atlantic Article</span></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-13633822751051255742015-08-20T16:52:00.000-07:002015-08-23T07:33:48.195-07:00RAMSEY CREEK NATURAL BURIAL PRESERVE<div class="p1">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Journey Journal... Westminster, South Carolina</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>THE LIFE of DEATH</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0PLOZ1z5QrxMTupy12BrdMWEjo-3SuoSianq9kPMset-lUFQcrAN_CCihRDR_3OvPnm5FWgOg98ZhJypHnoIoCNCtvdloTkspe4ItxWcbtI02Sx5f8hf1tg2FHiEUE6HkBh54aMno0U1/s1600/IMG_3780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0PLOZ1z5QrxMTupy12BrdMWEjo-3SuoSianq9kPMset-lUFQcrAN_CCihRDR_3OvPnm5FWgOg98ZhJypHnoIoCNCtvdloTkspe4ItxWcbtI02Sx5f8hf1tg2FHiEUE6HkBh54aMno0U1/s400/IMG_3780.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Either the name of the site, Ramsey Creek, or the name of the company, Memorial Ecosystems, is apt to be recognized as an icon by providers in the death care industry. The enterprise is widely lauded as the original prototype for conservation burial grounds in the United States and its footprint has made its way also to other parts of the world. Established in 1998, it epitomizes the concept of utilizing untainted landscapes of acreage for bodily disposition in order to sustain substantial territory as a haven of ongoing, natural life. Land protection and restoration dictate operations. It was the first of such projects to be certified by the Green Burial Council – the first so-called “green cemetery.” The fledging expanse of thirty-eight acres has been augmented over time, now amounting to seventy-six protected acres and exemplifying the conservational thrust of such undertakings. Through collaboration and an agreement with a non-profit land trust program, Upstate Forever, the site will remain forever wild. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Designation of such burial grounds as protected land – based on long-term covenants, deed restrictions, and state laws banning development of cemetery properties – assures that there will be no future intrusion by bulldozers razing trees and leveling the grounds for housing or commercial establishments. Status as a burial site permits this manner of exclusion, yet burials are secondary to the overall objective of earthly preservation. Compared to high-density interments at accustomed cemeteries, where an underground occupant has neighbors encroaching upon one’s confining patch of a plot, bodies embedded in natural preserves are more apt to dot the turf sporadically, with plenty of “room to breathe.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proceeds from the sale of plots breathe life into funds for restoration and acquisition of land. Endowment monies are utilized for maintenance measures such as attending to trails and other public spaces, maintaining equipment, thwarting growth of invasive species, and acquiring tools, like devices for identification of grave sites via mapping software (GPS and GIS). </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At Ramsey Creek Preserve, people are offered opportunities to make memorial donations for building renovations, stained glass windows in the chapel, benches, and plantings of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Burial of cremated remains is an option, based on the reality of an escalating cremation rate and the prudence of using funds from such plot purchases to advance the cause of land preservation. Pet burials also are acceptable. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cemetery is located between the southern Appalachian Mountains and the Piedmont sector in the western realm of South Carolina. Nestled among countrysides evocative of summer camp settings, the area bespeaks a stark contrast to the city of Atlanta that’s little more than a hundred miles to the south of it. State parks within range embellish the vicinity.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Upon escaping the tumult of the region’s interstate highway, the fifteen-mile drive into Westminster offers visual refreshment vitalized by sweeping panoramas of grass and groves of trees untarnished by industrialism. A ride through the main street reinforces an impression of distinctive singularity, where businesses are solo operations unchallenged by competitive forces. There is one funeral home in town and one doctor, Billy Campbell, who with his wife, Kimberley, happens to have been the prime mover and co-founder of the burial grounds. He had grown up in the Westminster environs and returned to serve as a physician after completing his training at the Medical University of South Carolina. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Undergraduate studies as an ecology student at Emory University laid the foundation for this trailblazer’s eventual initiative. Academic absorption in medical school concomitantly accompanied by reading of literature about death put flesh on the idea that was already taking root in cognitive chambers. As a youngster, sleepovers with the local funeral home owner’s son in the upstairs family quarters could possibly have bolstered a proclivity for this mission as well; maybe sleeping on satin pillows ordinarily reserved for casket interiors, but extracted from downstairs inventory, had contributed to his comfort with matters of death. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interest in reinvigorating the age-old concept of natural burial purportedly was triggered by an awareness of an eighth-grade teacher’s wish to be buried in a burlap bag with a tree planted over it. Later, the impetus for implementation of such an endeavor was prompted especially by a medical anthropology article about spirit forests in New Guinea, embedding the seed of inspiration for a means of land preservation in Billy’s mind. In partnership with one another, Billy and his wife, Kimberley, who had hailed from the United Kingdom, were able to cultivate the idea and bring it to fruition. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given their wealth of experience, these pioneers have been tapped as expert consultants by others seeking to launch such projects elsewhere. Besides attending to their own venture in Westminster, they travel and collaborate to confer knowledge and advice. Their principles of operation and guidance have contributed a signature stamp to other sites that have been developed. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Considering the extent of this establishment’s prominence, it may be somewhat surprising that access to the premises is rather inconspicuous. Visitors in the know can ascertain they have arrived at the spot upon seeing a couple of dangling orange ribbons signifying that it is a "no pesticide spray zone." </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is nothing in the way of fanfare at the threshold of the bucolic property.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The absence of a sign alerting drivers to the road leading to its location and the pedestrian entrance belie its archetypal status so familiar to anyone who has explored funerary territory. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But upon contemplation of this contradiction, one recognizes the parallels between appearance and principles. Mainstream cemeteries commonly engorged with closely situated headstones or fields of plastic blossoms hint at manufactured chaos below their grounds, suggesting conspicuous consumption in a material world. Here, the absence of prominent signage or funerary furnishings reflects an attitude of simplicity in unadulterated surroundings. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Administrative functions take place in town at an office on Main Street.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A house by the entrance to the preserve that's currently occupied by a relative is pegged to serve someday as a steward's quarters and a site for lodging of visiting naturalists. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHxB3EkSbvIRCCAwiu5loFoNDudZEf3UfSQOUU4tCkSeLP4ePou7qzjXwScSOz4mYYLu7uxCNaaN_3lKrT-c63rhWiU0tvB_gcNssU0i3DSh_lNTqqUNlDK8twI4MWbw9Ia-yQbYh2ETo/s1600/IMG_3539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHxB3EkSbvIRCCAwiu5loFoNDudZEf3UfSQOUU4tCkSeLP4ePou7qzjXwScSOz4mYYLu7uxCNaaN_3lKrT-c63rhWiU0tvB_gcNssU0i3DSh_lNTqqUNlDK8twI4MWbw9Ia-yQbYh2ETo/s400/IMG_3539.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Across from a portable toilet stationed by corner hedges, a rustic barn with an embedded porch is available so people can gather to converse, perhaps before or after a graveside service… or for other unrelated purposes. Several wedding receptions have taken place here. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A room inside the building houses a small display of urns crafted by a local woodworker </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in addition to a single basket coffin.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though most of the land is forested, there are open meadows with tall grasses covering sites where individuals’ bodies have been buried. Growth is unimpeded by mechanical intervention. Periodically, controlled burns are employed as the preferred technique for restricting intrusion by foreign species of vegetation and stimulating germination of native varieties upon release of nutrients into the ground. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often when Ramsey Creek is envisioned, it is the all-faith chapel that comes to mind because of its frequent appearance on websites. Sight of the representative building at the end of a dirt road prompts a sense of familiarity. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An original plan to construct a chapel was dismissed upon learning of an abandoned country church within range of the grounds. Subsequently, it was relocated to a clearing adjacent to the wooded terrain on the property. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The repurposed building has been beautifully restored, with its gleaming wood interior reflecting the essence of nature, lending warmth and comfort for bereaved guests who occupy it for services. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decorative windows that have been contributed as memorial gifts Infuse the arena with colors and designs. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXTMPboqwBEMbsRRVTVa1Zxn28mgPLVi7CSyTaLysPpY8414atwNxI3-zW4TzY3c5c1FlNi04cCeCPqshk25R0Dqt2zSutYVVp9WP2zGIm3pWS5l3xMb6NYz1_RW-ZnTLKnXqWpNa-5SR/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-21+at+5.30.58+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXTMPboqwBEMbsRRVTVa1Zxn28mgPLVi7CSyTaLysPpY8414atwNxI3-zW4TzY3c5c1FlNi04cCeCPqshk25R0Dqt2zSutYVVp9WP2zGIm3pWS5l3xMb6NYz1_RW-ZnTLKnXqWpNa-5SR/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-08-21+at+5.30.58+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJ2gsfsb9OW4aaptdkjlLnpiPPvHI6s_5KthD2wRoSGaodC0iG3C3_0HIcvzNdyQ3ODlVreR9pHOIo6OCMZyRdR6d9ou4beyGkszWa2W4MPY3yd_IhFdGXfaYbRBZEJnyJfHFCmyzfEz_/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-21+at+5.25.01+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJ2gsfsb9OW4aaptdkjlLnpiPPvHI6s_5KthD2wRoSGaodC0iG3C3_0HIcvzNdyQ3ODlVreR9pHOIo6OCMZyRdR6d9ou4beyGkszWa2W4MPY3yd_IhFdGXfaYbRBZEJnyJfHFCmyzfEz_/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-08-21+at+5.25.01+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dirt trails define pathways for walkers, casket-bearing wagons, and the three golf carts that comprise essential equipment. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZhrE1s3D9Nr1FMLNY5jKzVYRdP8KQwn97-dbF7fe8Dwsd49oSFHA7Z_7ssTCjgutz8cV4-eh-nw0Yzmowrg8tad-qKsWpkwYrDAtyoHcwTnJ8rUK35JfTxrQUVw6R71C7Uwru02jqvof/s1600/IMG_3560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZhrE1s3D9Nr1FMLNY5jKzVYRdP8KQwn97-dbF7fe8Dwsd49oSFHA7Z_7ssTCjgutz8cV4-eh-nw0Yzmowrg8tad-qKsWpkwYrDAtyoHcwTnJ8rUK35JfTxrQUVw6R71C7Uwru02jqvof/s400/IMG_3560.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along the way, the integrity of the land is dotted occasionally with evidence of burials at particular sites… a mound of dirt punctuated by foliage, possibly suggestive of a recently occupied grave…</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraSlaM6zgflRlTVouI4hs3ZsYvUh-KOyD93jrcd4e5gF9tXaaNpj-kYHhSLBYD5vTWxtHbjYXUe9-Tf_jcxAo_8T7dcZuxA2Dq10JLb5148-bowhxTrt1ReN2PMTOowWE6JgrGRyrwOLs/s1600/IMG_3556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraSlaM6zgflRlTVouI4hs3ZsYvUh-KOyD93jrcd4e5gF9tXaaNpj-kYHhSLBYD5vTWxtHbjYXUe9-Tf_jcxAo_8T7dcZuxA2Dq10JLb5148-bowhxTrt1ReN2PMTOowWE6JgrGRyrwOLs/s400/IMG_3556.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">… a stone marker that’s native to the area, bearing engraved names and dates…</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbGXzBb2pcEaMpRl-4UrTRBtkKwjgfXFZiAc6JElFm3LLl_CXJg858SOHREV5Uo-Tb_aM5k66mpROShkROuoo6lSo60uu3a_AR2VMWCAnbJyMsGvNb0spqnj9nvsOt1Xl9mPeJmSiv5Ta/s1600/IMG_3570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbGXzBb2pcEaMpRl-4UrTRBtkKwjgfXFZiAc6JElFm3LLl_CXJg858SOHREV5Uo-Tb_aM5k66mpROShkROuoo6lSo60uu3a_AR2VMWCAnbJyMsGvNb0spqnj9nvsOt1Xl9mPeJmSiv5Ta/s400/IMG_3570.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">… or sometimes a primitive, handmade stone or wooden bench. These rough-hewn seats are popular additions, but availability is limited. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH0u5cq2dJ9OAv-7FleZF6REtVWNVk1v6Gtsb1h9AUA_68EgILV0idBOmmER3e5YR33wh7CNSToLVpknkSWz18OYcpXokvhp6rzhyKmLbhVHorAirZ4hUxs9tqarDxWUey83Y3Ydt7se-/s1600/IMG_3562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH0u5cq2dJ9OAv-7FleZF6REtVWNVk1v6Gtsb1h9AUA_68EgILV0idBOmmER3e5YR33wh7CNSToLVpknkSWz18OYcpXokvhp6rzhyKmLbhVHorAirZ4hUxs9tqarDxWUey83Y3Ydt7se-/s400/IMG_3562.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a prominent feature of this preserve that bears its name, the narrow, curving Ramsey Creek awash with fish winds along the eastern border of it in resounding accentuation. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcKk6HwONSNM98Ti_DDAqdrx8aAn8CfTtSCDe8bUdwurQnDOboKbaZ4OE0qCogEhUIYpTQkYbQkIpeKx4n-yc00XdemZ_d-yodZbN0Xp3UK-TbqB2m8IT85knhvNJB1PreIHE-lESJFLc/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcKk6HwONSNM98Ti_DDAqdrx8aAn8CfTtSCDe8bUdwurQnDOboKbaZ4OE0qCogEhUIYpTQkYbQkIpeKx4n-yc00XdemZ_d-yodZbN0Xp3UK-TbqB2m8IT85knhvNJB1PreIHE-lESJFLc/s400/IMG_3773.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDM3_68hOYRbTQCuF4yrLcPbBToenJN6BFMlIeKiYuxbWrSg6hl209GPejrTgKr7LOPGEOcyEAJ7_sfS18NGsrrQpOpaDBgR9WEGH9j_zbyF6Ua1NqWH_tB7_RTqnIN_U1nQGeJwqI1Pc/s1600/IMG_3567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDM3_68hOYRbTQCuF4yrLcPbBToenJN6BFMlIeKiYuxbWrSg6hl209GPejrTgKr7LOPGEOcyEAJ7_sfS18NGsrrQpOpaDBgR9WEGH9j_zbyF6Ua1NqWH_tB7_RTqnIN_U1nQGeJwqI1Pc/s400/IMG_3567.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flow of water courses over five rock shoals in its path, creating a sensorial aura of tranquility. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVi6v77kWVKfs0-vCIyx_24AyByyyYpoWjQy-yBm3KjRBZqlf7m4c-KQLvfQT0ua0G46djoPjqRpzLvUaW5IAND9Z2pp6rADnNMkaQOirtisHrkLdLnte73Hg7fiz3_wFY-b9Yn2boN6be/s1600/IMG_3568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVi6v77kWVKfs0-vCIyx_24AyByyyYpoWjQy-yBm3KjRBZqlf7m4c-KQLvfQT0ua0G46djoPjqRpzLvUaW5IAND9Z2pp6rADnNMkaQOirtisHrkLdLnte73Hg7fiz3_wFY-b9Yn2boN6be/s400/IMG_3568.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoeeOrI4VD5NGHUGJHsAxaKM84KF-3QDxyLWZFhAzIH7wahkoGTQoP9HjtSt9UdkPNz3DiHn8dTqwwcSj7SzebV1Vv7VG2ow-LSEq3ziVQL0zsupTtEs9tvdDLsc8NvMrhQ1Vcd484E52F/s1600/IMG_3566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoeeOrI4VD5NGHUGJHsAxaKM84KF-3QDxyLWZFhAzIH7wahkoGTQoP9HjtSt9UdkPNz3DiHn8dTqwwcSj7SzebV1Vv7VG2ow-LSEq3ziVQL0zsupTtEs9tvdDLsc8NvMrhQ1Vcd484E52F/s400/IMG_3566.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s no surprise that folks tend to prefer burial sites closest to the water, which cost more than ones in other locations. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But signature manifestations of a natural environment prevail in other locations as well. This land with its underground repository for the dead is sumptuously blanketed with life. Under a cathedral of tall trees, it is a sanctuary for pastoral communion by anyone who meanders through it. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jpsO8SixgXfTOg4zJ2rCMORYhWRHNJvSxDYKU086My-9PNjQOZbezQF_spqlvuW4a96Bh-EavraCDvSMSIDDXlm_GdByjSimbDpQNDGb9FEL2YW-KbLgCQRT8tqVslOQsDnw1E2oS7w2/s1600/IMG_3564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jpsO8SixgXfTOg4zJ2rCMORYhWRHNJvSxDYKU086My-9PNjQOZbezQF_spqlvuW4a96Bh-EavraCDvSMSIDDXlm_GdByjSimbDpQNDGb9FEL2YW-KbLgCQRT8tqVslOQsDnw1E2oS7w2/s400/IMG_3564.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Innumerable species of plants, trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns, vines, herbs, and sedges have been observed and noted on Internet-accessible lists delineating their presence. Listings swell with new additions after purposeful explorations by visiting naturalists. Native prairies and savannas, the most endangered southern grasslands, are growing here. Certain rare species of vegetation, including </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">federally designated endangered ones,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> have been propagated over grave sites. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Animals such as deer, wild turkey, dogs, coyotes, and an occasional black bear share tenancy. Here, where the dead nourish and sustain the living, this place is undoubtedly an environmentalist's paradise… perhaps a version of heaven. However, one need not be dead to occupy its spaces. Hiking, bird watching, and special events – even weddings – are encouraged. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Based on the primordial principle of dust to dust, the human dead here nourish other life forms. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bodies robed in shrouds or reposing in non-toxic, biodegradable caskets degrade naturally, free of chemical infiltrations or any type of manufactured containment that won’t break down readily.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As decomposition progresses, each burial contributes to the efflorescent restoration of a particular spot, with nutrient deposits effecting the cycle of life, facilitating ongoing rebirth in continuously changing forms. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interments in this setting are truly personalized rather than standardized. A bulldozer is nowhere on the premises. The groundbreaking founder often breaks the ground himself, removes the dirt, and prepares the sites. Families have not been keen on digging the grave themselves, opting instead to fill it in with shovels of dirt once a body or casket has been lowered into it. Kimberley provides flowers for the grave site. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This cemetery that is teeming with life most likely evokes treasured memories in the minds of those who have experienced burial proceedings within it. Meaningful measures executed by family members and friends are accented by gestures thoughtfully delivered by Billy and Kimberley. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although individuals from any part of the country may be buried here, sometimes for this cemetery’s proprietors there is a penetrating element of poignancy when local townspeople are the folks interred. In a small community generating close connections, the sorrow of deaths may be felt from an especially intimate perspective. Since Dr. Campbell is the only local physician, in some instances he has been the person who has diagnosed a terminal illness, informed the victim and the family, possibly followed the person in hospice mode, and subsequently managed the burial. In any case, regardless of a decedent’s point of origin, these dynamic providers apparently are moored to a steady diet of committed attentiveness and personal touches. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guests at the forty to sixty funeral affairs per year often assume roles as participants in many different ways, enabling them to address their grief through active involvement. Each event is apt to be managed according to individualized measures reflecting characteristics or wishes of the person who died or according to expressive variations of therapeutic value for close companions. Lives can be enriched when undertakings prompted by deaths are relevant and inspiring. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A quoted notation on the Memorial Ecosystems website encapsulates the essence of someone’s experience:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“… the first time we came out here, we knew it was right for Chris. It’s beautiful and peaceful. It’s full of life, not death." "When he died, they buried Chris in a coffin his father had made, wrapped in quilts sewn by his great-grandmothers. His dog Briar was at the graveside, along with 70 friends and family members.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A conclusive presumption is that burials in this milieu are special. Amid the sounds of a rushing stream, rustling trees, and flitting birds, the proverbial “resting in peace” feels attainable. But it is especially possible for those who are mourning their losses… those who are there briefly for committal activities or those who return periodically to visit grave sites while absorbing the atmosphere… or for anyone who seeks to be soothed by nature’s balm.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The notoriety that has come from the efforts of Billy and Kimberley Campbell has been a boon for the birds and bees and flowers and trees, both near and far. These environmentalists realized the value of reviving an outmoded practice in conjunction with a strategy to capitalize on it as a conservation measure. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recognizing and actualizing opportunities of death, they nurture life. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because of them, an idea has been hatched and a variation in contemporary death management has taken root in ever-expanding locations around the country and the world. In concert with Mother Nature, they have developed a lasting legacy... treasures of ecological significance that will be appreciated through the ages. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDUj8wCn876PG4hFoAX4sBua0SQdt5xyejSVIgnbi6yadfMF7yOL_W1TNo9api36tGt-BBu6LI8m5JPuvjM_-OZrTfSADGQkwtDwtuIBonE5sv3QI4c8QLUmBWOkElmnk9Ctv-o1eHAVT/s1600/IMG_3554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDUj8wCn876PG4hFoAX4sBua0SQdt5xyejSVIgnbi6yadfMF7yOL_W1TNo9api36tGt-BBu6LI8m5JPuvjM_-OZrTfSADGQkwtDwtuIBonE5sv3QI4c8QLUmBWOkElmnk9Ctv-o1eHAVT/s400/IMG_3554.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.memorialecosystems.com/">Memorial Ecosystems</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.memorialecosystems.com/Locations/WestminsterSC/Planning/PriceList/tabid/66/Default.aspx">Ramsey Creek Preserve Price List</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dying-Green-Documentary/225106650906392"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dying Green</i> Documentary Facebook Page</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.memorialecosystems.com/AboutUs/Bios/tabid/109/Default.aspx">Campbell Biographies</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gravematters.us/chapter9.html">Ramsey Creek Excerpt from <i>Grave Matters</i> book by Mark Harris</a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-58463808704212682972015-08-18T09:36:00.000-07:002015-09-10T06:49:58.766-07:00VAULT INSTALLATION<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambling through the Hendersonville Memorial Gardens, located on Johnny Cash Parkway, led to more than the sighting of the Johnny Cash grave site. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcYQZVK-AbOQLI2BZOIHmFLkik64y54GXJZWDkQIVhiu0-NoxFyZyrolJZm8WFnrtfGC0_G-OINfthqHzFvx0AX40tGqbk_71N-MjaueqnpTyITQ8VYt4fjRovUawJIdBIf9NiZOdT0Q-/s1600/IMG_3091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcYQZVK-AbOQLI2BZOIHmFLkik64y54GXJZWDkQIVhiu0-NoxFyZyrolJZm8WFnrtfGC0_G-OINfthqHzFvx0AX40tGqbk_71N-MjaueqnpTyITQ8VYt4fjRovUawJIdBIf9NiZOdT0Q-/s400/IMG_3091.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4f1XiS7jHHA-T5DKJy59LmI6Sn-6bOCaFLJmfjYr2fsgYjl9q4V8DPrdnzHgdqIzRvGxYPEn_i8vAjBAK_HSSH7pK575iC7a6KxO2Op8aIx94VEDn-GDQx2rjnhzNnsWZVdpxzFgoCql/s1600/JohnnyCashGrave.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4f1XiS7jHHA-T5DKJy59LmI6Sn-6bOCaFLJmfjYr2fsgYjl9q4V8DPrdnzHgdqIzRvGxYPEn_i8vAjBAK_HSSH7pK575iC7a6KxO2Op8aIx94VEDn-GDQx2rjnhzNnsWZVdpxzFgoCql/s400/JohnnyCashGrave.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quite serendipitously, a congenial vault setter from an eminent vault company appeared on the scene and voluntarily gushed relevant details about celebrity burials there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beyond that topic, though, this worker readily provided a wellspring of details about the role of a vault setter – a job he absolutely loves – and conveyed stories about some of his experiences. <br /><br />He had been around, as the saying goes, driving from one regional cemetery to another, from one day to the next, covering many miles of territory each week. A training program of several months had preceded his full-time absorption in the work several years ago. On this day he had already prepared a site for an imminent burial. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtL0-0wuS5VYr7TwAK40ub2LXfZx9g7Nf-86NCKtxgqg7BdlpfSfGPBcKS3cRBka0DeuvZ5kpi2CPAdiq_Ce74okC4RdQCksEd8yGUZAMeu7SvaEvmIeE0N0eiAKP3A7kXTUwyE0wq4VLL/s1600/IMG_3086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtL0-0wuS5VYr7TwAK40ub2LXfZx9g7Nf-86NCKtxgqg7BdlpfSfGPBcKS3cRBka0DeuvZ5kpi2CPAdiq_Ce74okC4RdQCksEd8yGUZAMeu7SvaEvmIeE0N0eiAKP3A7kXTUwyE0wq4VLL/s400/IMG_3086.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tasks that an individual performs as a graveside operator entail contacts with funeral directors and their staffs, cemetery personnel, and the general public. So a personable countenance such as this man exhibited is an asset. The job of setting up a site is physically demanding, requiring a capacity to lift seventy-five or more pounds in order to transport equipment from a truck to the grave and install the vault. <br /><br />It isn’t just a matter of positioning the vault so it is ready to receive the casket that will be placed inside it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The job description for someone executing this maneuver includes preparation of the overall site, whereby he lays the artificial grass rug, erects a sheltering tent above it, and sets up rows of chairs where guests can repose during the committal service. He may also pitch in to help funeral directors carry flowers or perform other supplemental duties. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROf-GE7m_5Lyu2XlCF52VzKXLVoxcUCbAptLOrsb6PBZbeL12X7ydxpvpBXRitWXxsUPecfXjEnNbmqHaR2CYdiH17Rqs_MmiAbzcFwnkaAzZvQisUnkeHwk3W1otc21yGJqcwnIUzp1P/s1600/IMG_3088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROf-GE7m_5Lyu2XlCF52VzKXLVoxcUCbAptLOrsb6PBZbeL12X7ydxpvpBXRitWXxsUPecfXjEnNbmqHaR2CYdiH17Rqs_MmiAbzcFwnkaAzZvQisUnkeHwk3W1otc21yGJqcwnIUzp1P/s400/IMG_3088.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Naturally, this person is responsible for lowering the casket within its outer burial receptacle into the ground, which is apt to be done once people have left the premises or at least upon conclusion of the service. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But rather than waiting in the wings for a service to end, detached and disengaged, he remains available throughout the event as an adjunct helper to assure proceedings progress smoothly. In this capacity, then, he attends to details and functions as part of a team of providers. <br /><br />Direct involvement, however, can sometimes pose risks. An altercation among siblings at a service a couple of years ago attests to that reality. Emotions are in high gear at funerary events, possibly causing behaviors to be especially erratic. In this case, sibling sisters were embroiled in battle, with one dragging the other by the hair. When the vault installer attempted to intervene and separate the women, the victim’s husband swooped in from behind, admonished him for touching his wife, and kicked him in the leg – causing the bone to break. <br /><br />Besides behavioral flares, the influences of gang infiltrations as well as the societal drug scourge have incited threats to personal safety at an ever-increasing rate. Nowadays, separate security training programs are conducted for employees coupled with recognition of a potential need to carry a gun as part of the job. <br /><br />On this particular day of sadness, due to the death of a twenty-two-year-old woman whose body would occupy the innermost sanctum within the vault lying in wait, the routine would be automatic for the affable installer. Prompted by protocol, but also by the heat-induced saturation of his clothing bedecked in dirt, he would change into funeral-appropriate attire before guests arrived. But unbeknownst to them, underneath the outer coverings, he would be wearing a holster and bearing a weapon… just in case of need.<br /><br />Before his audience of attentive learners left the scene, he wanted to make sure the grave of another country singer, personally beloved by him, would be visited and admired. As he spoke of the deceased musician, he cried. It was obvious from the initial contact to the departing “goodbyes” about half an hour later that this enthusiastic vault employee not only wore his heart on his sleeve, but also invested energy wholeheartedly in his work. In the future, because of dialogue with this dedicated individual, open graves with vaults in readiness for committal services will serve as a reminder of all that had already gone into them. _______________________________________________________________________</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-17346759993672765792015-07-16T18:40:00.000-07:002015-09-10T06:38:35.045-07:00GRIEVING of YOUTH<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>MENDING BROKEN TIES OF YOUNG LIVES</b></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Childhood and adolescent phases ordinarily present challenges specific to one’s age. A death in the family can potentially wreck the momentum of maturational growth. Without intervention, the added stress of coping with the demise of a parent, sibling, or other pivotal figure in a young person’s life can threaten stability and interfere with the progression from one developmental stage to the next. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A long time ago, when illness, death, and funeral proceedings all took place in home environments, children were on hand and part of what was going on, enabling them to interpret the end of life as a natural passage. At some point, though, as funeral homes became the central sites for final affairs, young people were shielded from direct contact with the realities of life endings. The general attitude was that they should be protected from the pain of loss. Their awareness of death was thwarted and their reactions perhaps intentionally minimized. Circumvention of attention to emotional manifestations was considered justifiable based on assurance that, as resilient children, the kids would be able to bounce back from any trauma they suffered due to it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Modern psychology has reversed that stance. Instead, a focus on childhood and adolescent grieving stems from a belief that they should have direct contact with matters of death and learn effective ways to cope with the loss it incurs. This contemporary viewpoint has led to a substantial array of resources to guide young people in navigating through the emotions of separation they now can face head-on, under the supervision of trained professionals cognizant of varying needs characteristic of particular age groups. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The National Alliance for Grieving Children serves as a nationwide resource for providers and anyone seeking awareness of suggested support measures. Professionals can use it as a forum for sharing ideas and information to effect implementation in their respective communities. Online education is a core aspect, in addition to the network’s hosting of an annual symposium, maintenance of a national database of children's bereavement support programs, and promotion of endeavors to enhance public sensitivity to the issues impacting grieving children and teens. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a sign of the times, often funeral homes cater to the death-related imperatives of children belonging to the families they serve. Many have playrooms. </span></span></div>
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<i>Photo Site: Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, St. Petersburg, FL</i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Designated staff members may be trained to fulfill roles geared toward helping youngsters understand death while enabling them to be active participants during proceedings, in </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">age-appropriate ways. Sometimes funeral directors offer tours of their facilities for groups of children; the objective is to demystify death through exposure to the setting while enabling absorption of factual information in the absence of emotional entanglement. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout the nation there are initiatives tailored to meet the needs of bereaved young people and to help keep them on an even keel developmentally. Effective approaches are promulgated through books, articles, presentations, and other means of communicating insights chronicled by way of empirical data and scientific studies. Often schools are involved as liaisons, where staff glean competence via presentations and other tools. A focus on remedial measures to help grief-stricken young people has become a specialty. Training programs for personnel, participating adult volunteers, and peer support groups provide an educational backbone for these helpers’ engagement.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Children and teens confronted by personal losses come together in a variety of explicit settings where they have the benefit of integrating with others in similar situations. In contrast to peer interaction within school environments, here in safe havens they are free to talk openly about death without feeling self-conscious or distancing themselves from classmates aversive to the topic. The potential for a sense of isolation is offset through the camaraderie of social synergy with one another amid interactive activities. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><i style="font-size: small;">Photo Site: The Children's Room, Arlington Massachusetts</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An impressive array of programs and facilities includes weekend or full-time grief camps in addition to the dedicated physical centers. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes animal assisted therapy is employed, forging therapeutic partnerships with pets or other animals to enable more spontaneous communication.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an alternative to traditional counseling sessions, equine therapy affords hands-on contact with horses through various programs around the country. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Possibly more so than ever, the unique needs of bereaved youth are being recognized and addressed these days. Under the guidance of compassionate comrades, those who have encountered a life-changing loss are being handled with care. Through insightful interventions, they journey from the darkness of death toward restitution and fundamental reabsorption in accustomed lifestyles, yet ones that will never be quite the same. </span></span><br />
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<i style="font-size: small;">Photo Site: The Children's Room, Arlington Massachusetts</i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time will tell if such restorative regimens for today’s young folks will impact their attitudes toward death as adults. Maybe in this “death-phobic” society they will be better equipped to confront matters of mortality more comfortably than the current population of adults – including those who may have experienced deaths of significant others during their childhoods. If that turns out to be the case, then even in the absence of loss, perhaps death education initiatives for all children and adolescents could help generate attitudes of acceptance. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nationalallianceforgrievingchildren.org/">National Alliance for Grieving Children</a></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-31911126605365620692015-07-12T15:07:00.000-07:002015-07-13T15:24:58.295-07:00CHURCH COLUMBARIUM<div class="p1">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For hundreds of years, columbaria have been located inside churches, on their properties, or on the grounds of cemeteries they own. Nowadays, they have become all the more prolific as cremation rates have increased and people seek meaningful places for final disposition of cremated remains. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though contemporary styles abound, the notion of columbaria connected to religious sites is far from new. S</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ince ancient eras of Buddhism, for instance, cremated remains have been placed in urns sheltered within columbaria – sometimes as part of Buddhist temples.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> During more recent times, the</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Catholic Church has joined the legion of religions where they have materialized. Since 1963, the Vatican has permitted cremation as a practical alternative to bodily burial... as long as reverence and respect for the physical substance of a deceased individual is maintained according to mandates. Scattering cremated remains or retaining them at home are not allowed, but columbarium niches are acceptable. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These days, parishioners from the gamut of sects see the value of having columbaria within their immediate church environments. Years ago, churchgoers were routinely buried in plots adjacent to church edifices, so the current trend toward columbarium construction somewhat mirrors that historical practice. Accessibility, affordability, and relevance in accord with religious dogmas are factors that support desirability. This type of station can be incorporated into existing dimensions or built as separate entities on small parcels of land. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Diversity of modern architectural designs makes it possible to embed niches in walls, around statues, and against windows, or configure as separate units within established buildings. Outdoors, exterior walls or garden settings may be utilized for such projects, with all kinds of options for design elements and supplemental appointments. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">California’s oft-undulating terrain can afford diversionary settings for this manner of final resting in peace. Since 1993, an elevated section on the property of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church has served that purpose. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone is familiar with the metaphorical concept of a climb to heaven after death. Reference is made to an upward trajectory, often via a stairway to heaven that accommodates the process of ascension. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this case, though, anyone who wants to commune with spirits of deceased life companions in close proximity to their physical residuals must, likewise, do a bit of ascending. Actually, as one courses upward by way of a long ramp with incremental turns at acute angles, there is a tantalizing tendency to note the metaphorical significance of the layout. It’s not often that a cement trail of this nature sends one’s mind into orbit, endowing a pathway with figurative meaning that incites denotation. Access to this church’s columbarium is different than the norm, rendering an added ethereal element of interest to the complex at the top of the hill. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Susan S. Cashmore Memorial Columbarium, made possible through the donation of a former church member's family, is described as a Christian burial site for urns. Five hundred wall niches within several structures can accommodate cremated remains of either one or two individuals. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Garden plots for burial of urns are available as well. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Protruding platforms at the base of the structures entreat placement of memorial flowers and potted plants.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clergy are available to conduct committal services or commemorative proceedings here. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The enveloping configuration of successive identical formations and the opposite wall of niches comprise a space suggestive of seclusion. Benches inviting repose under the shade of a tree defy intrusion of sights and sounds from the life going on at street level below. It is a place of quietude… a place of peaceful rest. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exploration on premises of religious organizations around the country is apt to reveal a surprising number of columbaria on their respective properties. Though, typically, a niche is a niche is a niche, the settings in which these cookie-cutter compartments are integrated can leave lasting impressions of novel distinctions. A stroll to the heights of a heavenly haven may be all that it takes to come to that conclusion. </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-17199168953390102662015-07-09T07:11:00.000-07:002015-07-25T07:57:38.873-07:00NATURAL BURIAL GROUND<i><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Journey Journal... Fultonville, New York</b></span></i><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The word “cloistered” might aptly describe the Fultonville Cemetery and Natural Burial Ground. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though not really isolated from the mainstream world, at least it feels sequestered within a haven of established trees and wooded borders.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> stone’s throw away from the cacophony of highway sounds emanating from the New York State Thruway, access to it is less than a two-mile drive.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet within this shelter of seclusion, only bird songs and rustling leaves are audible amid the shaded, late afternoon splendor.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though a housing development adjacent to the property hints of potential visual and auditory intrusion, there is a sense of insulated separateness. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Fultonville Cemetery Facebook Page</span></i><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Founded in 1848 when purchased from the Protestant Dutch Church for conversion to a public cemetery, it bespeaks historical significance as well as present-day progress. Among notable figures interred here were two United States Congressman from the 1800s era as well as veterans who served in various wars. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recent years this municipal asset has garnered interest because of its status as the first nonsectarian cemetery to offer natural burials in New York’s Capital district. Conception of the idea took place in the mind of a high school student who came across an Internet article about green burials three years before the option materialized here. Ryan Weitz, having been a student of a teacher who was also the town’s mayor and knew of his interest in matters of the past, had been appointed by the village Board as town historian – the youngest in the state. For him, probably the cemetery was a major focal point of his attention. He suggested that two wooded acres next to the established cemetery would be ideal as a site for natural burials. The village Board unanimously approved his proposal. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the course of a few months, public information sessions and hearings as well as open houses preceded the dedication ceremony that took place on October 5, 2013. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photos Source: Fultonville Cemetery Facebook Page</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As historian and originator of the project, Ryan Weitz led the proceedings, during which he referenced the words of Aldo Leopold, an ecologist and educator who was a key figure in promoting environmental ethics and wilderness conservation. His germane encapsulation of organic processes spoke to the underlying principle of natural burials: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> "A rock decays and forms soil. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> In the soil forms an oak, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> which bears an acorn, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> which feeds a squirrel, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> which feeds an Indian, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> who ultimately lays down to his </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">last sleep </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> in the great tomb of man to grow another oak.”</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Public officials were in attendance at this event in addition to Mark Harris, author of the book<i>, Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial, </i>which sheds light on the worthiness of green burials. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Source: Fultonville Cemetery Facebook Page</span></i><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The renowned proponent of the reincarnated practice declared a belief that even more than its positive effect on the environment and its affordability is the fact that a green burial “perpetuates life.” Within such a framework, then, this type of burial ground is a place of life rather than death. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This new offering, ostensibly of the modern era, may spark interest among travelers along New York’s well-traveled byway. Easy accessibility adds to its allure as an alternative to the redundancy of cookie-cutter rest stops. A turn off of a main thoroughfare and another quick turn shortly thereafter takes a visitor to this place of tranquil respite.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coursing upward along a gradual hill, images of traditional stone monuments come into view, rendering familiarity of convention. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCszAatj5SGdo2ImUzWqosSxHcD38I_5MM97NGx_xndQDSh1yDa3SjnkQr-ptmBTLmxlRHlwICF9MbMp6yYG599fZHjtCLs8XVTse7URl-sYH22MKOA0PMnsHSSFQThwMhiCJhxOyvstci/s1600/IMG_1687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCszAatj5SGdo2ImUzWqosSxHcD38I_5MM97NGx_xndQDSh1yDa3SjnkQr-ptmBTLmxlRHlwICF9MbMp6yYG599fZHjtCLs8XVTse7URl-sYH22MKOA0PMnsHSSFQThwMhiCJhxOyvstci/s400/IMG_1687.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But an unusual element interrupts an interpretation of sameness. Rocking chairs alongside a few grave sites invite repose – a novelty of note. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The journey continues along a dirt road until reaching the end of it by an open field of interment sites. Yet after scanning the property’s layout, a primary mission to find the latest ecologically friendly addition to the cemetery may not necessarily be accomplished. Exploration on foot, likewise, might be futile. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foiled by the absence of a sign marking the natural burial section, a palpable sense of defeat could threaten… that is, until spotting another rocking chair. This one in a nakedly wooded area off to the side of the common burial grounds is bound to ignite conjecture that the pursuit has not been in vain.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the time of inauguration, ten-foot by ten-foot burial plots here cost $500. for Montgomery County residents and $700. for non-residents. Pre-need purchases afford interment rights only, without designation of a specific location. According to a practice of sequential burials, interments take place in order of occurrence, within space that is available at the time. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imperatives reflect stipulations common to natural burials in general, namely, proscriptions that preclude infusions of chemical preservation, the use of concrete or steel vaults and liners, cut, machined, or polished memorial stones in any form, alterations to existing vegetation, and artificial flowers or other types of decorations. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bodily clothing or wrappings must be made of natural fibers and containment must be in biodegradable receptacles. Anything deposited in the ground in conjunction with a burial is necessarily biodegradable. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Native natural stones may be used as grave markers and may be engraved or carved. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfinished wooden memorial structures are acceptable also.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtSqPNxsW7eigDKjaViHy_OY2TJX1rq1QvVmCDVUcctIW6-A-VH81-iMqNY6GyKlpAOuLwhKDQ-BQFO0XZmUhyhLCW-DlYZzevhNApbFMpgMR8fx1mp6xv0fA8McLyO8GwNhObPPL7Ap7/s1600/IMG_1680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtSqPNxsW7eigDKjaViHy_OY2TJX1rq1QvVmCDVUcctIW6-A-VH81-iMqNY6GyKlpAOuLwhKDQ-BQFO0XZmUhyhLCW-DlYZzevhNApbFMpgMR8fx1mp6xv0fA8McLyO8GwNhObPPL7Ap7/s400/IMG_1680.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Native plants and grasses except for trees may be planted over a grave as a memorial. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During growing season, the entire cemetery is bedecked with floral adornment. Evidence of involvement and community pride is apparent through Facebook posts, where pictures of donated potted plants and flowers abound and availability of memorial plantings is announced. Beyond the blossoms, a pronouncement alerts followers that among the assortment of wild strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries, a certain species of them is ready for picking. A suggestion to stop by for a stroll to enjoy the latest blooms complements a separate notation that this is a perfect place for a man and his dog to spend an afternoon. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this quaint, off-the-beaten-track village of fewer than a thousand residents (named for Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat), here lies a cemetery of significance. An Old World, traditional flavor honors the past amid a contemporary, burgeoning trend toward ecological sustenance in the future. The participation of local folks in the cemetery’s maintenance, their concerted efforts, donations of embellishments, and homespun touches render this a welcoming milieu that truly embodies a reference to death as “going home.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/fultonvillecemetery">Fultonville Cemetery Facebook Page</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.leaderherald.com/page/content.detail/id/559211/Natural-burial-ground-is-region-s-first.html?nav=5011">"Natural burial ground is region's first"</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://fultonville.org/historian/">"Fultonville teen historian tackles cemetery"</a></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-71854427518949430082015-06-15T10:21:00.000-07:002015-07-11T06:55:14.394-07:00NATURAL BURIAL CASKETS and MORE<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Journey Journal... Arlington, MA</i></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">A TISKET, A CASKET... A </span><span style="color: #38761d;">GREEN</span></span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">YELLOW</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> BASKET</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All caskets available through the Mourning Dove Studio are “green” because of their biodegradability and suitability for natural burials. But the actual colors and styles can reflect a broad spectrum of possibilities. A pivotal feature of this enterprise is its adaptability and responsiveness to personal visions. The sky’s the limit for individually created versions destined for underground repose, as long as construction materials and decorative applications mesh with principled stipulations for ecologically-friendly burials. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mourning Dove venture, though, encompasses far more than the sale of burial containment. Its two co-founder visionaries conceptualized an inclusive palate of offerings. Through their direct support, customers have been able to immerse themselves in details of design as well as dialogues about death. Backgrounds in human service instinctively marry these originators with a sensitivity to emotional needs generated by ramifications of current and future loss. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although sales of burial receptacles represent the most tangible backbone of their activities, nothing within the realm of related services is boxed in by prescribed structure. The dynamic nature of shared details and interactive exchanges engages customers under novel circumstances, promoting personal touches and camaraderie typically foreign to conventional retail settings. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ruth Faas and Sue Cross are the prime movers who have nurtured this initiative toward its realization. Both had been peripheral observers of matters within the death arena prior to plunging into it themselves. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Observations of her uncle’s funeral home operations may have set the stage for Ruth, but a reaction to her mother’s casket innervated thoughts of alternatives. Clinical ministrations as an occupational therapist led to graduate studies in sociology and a role as a teaching assistant for a Death and Dying class. Currently, she is a member of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Eastern Massachusetts. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides a background in mental health, an appreciation of cultural diversity and a passion for art have contributed to Sue’s involvement in death-related services. While serving as a bereavement counselor for adolescents, she is also developing a film series about death, dying, and grieving for a local church. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These inspired women have fulfilled roles as enablers by guiding folks beyond the darkness of finality and into the light of expressive possibilities for handling it. Until recently, customers had been able to visit a multi-functional, spacious studio where caskets were on display, but also, other activities were underway. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Individual art projects and workshops were conducted in the larger of two rooms. Bereavement groups could be accommodated. For a nominal fee, basic cardboard caskets or pine boxes could be decorated according to individualized inspirations and aspirations. Guidance was available from the co-founder who has a penchant for art, buoyed by four years of classes and membership in a cooperative art studio, and imbued with a special interest in the art and rituals her Hungarian ancestors had practiced in response to deaths. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photos Source: Mourning Dove Studio Website</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A smaller resource room served as a hub for access to relevant literature about matters of mortality, including alternative modes of death management. There, folks could sit and read to glean insights on their journeys toward end-of-life wisdom. Some tapped material addressing grief to bolster steps toward recovery. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps a germane slogan for this venture that pertains to death would be, “Never Say Die.” Operations could readily have come to a demised termination were it not for motivational resilience. As with life itself, an insurmountable obstacle was encountered that rendered a numbing blow. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The storefront space on Massachusetts Avenue that had been headquarters for this establishment since its origination in December of 2009 had to be unexpectedly abandoned in 2014. A quintessential “we regret to inform you” notice was the dagger that could have inflicted mortal wounds. The announcement of a monthly rent increase of $1000. was potentially paralyzing. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the imposed absence of expanse did not mark the end of this life-enriching cause. Now, sales are conducted and information is dispensed from the owner’s home. Caskets are on display in the basement, along with some biodegradable urns and reference materials. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rather than unceremoniously placing an order, sometimes folks who are experiencing the turmoil of loss or terminal circumstances may want to immerse themselves in the process of development through hands-on involvement. As an evocative tool for expression of feelings, such activities can be an antidote to their festering imprisonment. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given enough preemptive time, clients may even choose to construct a casket themselves, with direct assistance. Or plain, unadorned boxes that are already made can awaken ideas, prompting applications of paint or anything the heart desires. </span></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo Source: Mourning Dove Studio Website</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Encyclopedia pages meaningfully lined the interior of a rudimentary receptacle that would be apropos for a teacher or avid learner. The decoupage technique is often employed. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inserts may be covered by family photos, images that signify a decedent’s characteristics, or ornamentation of a different nature. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even mere post-it notes might be affixed to recognize a decedent’s persona or as a means for conveying messages as part of a send-off. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBI_Eb0nrKTjn3b39-_VPEqfGc5Gnmcx52VdNph-Ea4-6s5qsQfyn9C99fHWwizjjysVAfHOYDakhELB614FhnAWrdlOjqnIxL4F_x__-70uO7gSrE1AO4o84aJ4Hcnm68VzleiVuEbGT/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-06-16+at+1.04.59+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBI_Eb0nrKTjn3b39-_VPEqfGc5Gnmcx52VdNph-Ea4-6s5qsQfyn9C99fHWwizjjysVAfHOYDakhELB614FhnAWrdlOjqnIxL4F_x__-70uO7gSrE1AO4o84aJ4Hcnm68VzleiVuEbGT/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-06-16+at+1.04.59+PM.png" width="449" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an alternative to a do-it-yourself casket-making project or securing one that’s locally constructed, models from other retail sources can be ordered. Basket-type receptacles made from natural fibers have become popular commodities for green burials in Europe and, increasingly, in the United States as well. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The stylistic Ecopod was introduced to the world as a distinctive, molded configuration that simulates a seed pod. It is hand made using recycled newspapers and finished with paper from mulberry pulp. Colors and imprinted designs are variable. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caskets with designs prepared through the application of biodegradable paints are available. One of a cadre of local artists can be commissioned to do the work. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSEMkXyMtpT0pHTAg8aUsLTku2Ayr192pfxP8EGnBjxVu_B5ly9QPDxn0OCPP4gSy3zKdQZQuAYCWjuudb2nDh1aPtGGVHFPops_xlsvB6GlHbca42r9AdQUHj9yfmF3WuQjr-BFMnMgG/s1600/MournDoveSmFlowers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSEMkXyMtpT0pHTAg8aUsLTku2Ayr192pfxP8EGnBjxVu_B5ly9QPDxn0OCPP4gSy3zKdQZQuAYCWjuudb2nDh1aPtGGVHFPops_xlsvB6GlHbca42r9AdQUHj9yfmF3WuQjr-BFMnMgG/s400/MournDoveSmFlowers.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo Source: Mourning Dove Studio Website</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If a shroud is preferred, it can be acquired from one of a few nationwide sources. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For discussions with the Mourning Dove owner, interested individuals are invited to sit around a table in her spacious country kitchen that evokes images of neighborhood coffee klatches. The homey environment begets a sense of homespun attention. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like a sumptuous meal, the scoop about options for products and services is doled out generously. Contacts may be facilitated by referring people to a host of providers. Among them are funeral homes and cemeteries that support ecological practices, celebrants who conduct commemorative services, grief therapists, deathbed choirs, and artists who create memorial items. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The website for this venture also serves as a channel for input. Besides having access to pertinent blog articles, readers are apprised of opportunities to attend a series of writing workshops or yoga classes to address the impact of loss. Home gatherings for exploration and discussions can be arranged. One page on the website is a repository for a listing of resources and the sharing of commemorative ideas submitted by individuals. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of the mission to spread the word about natural burials is implemented through community presentations and exhibits at events, such as the 2014 Graves In the Garden green burial fair at Mount Auburn Cemetery. In a vendor milieu, a few of the caskets were on display there.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s1">A commitment to promote the concept of environmentally sustainable end-of-life practices is at the core of this undertaking. It is readily apparent that individualized support and a goal of enlightenment</span><span class="s2"> </span><span class="s1">serve as the underlying foundation for devoted engagement. These authentic helpers want to help people. Casket sales seem secondary to that objective. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As noted on their website, they “want to help dying people and their loved ones openly discuss these topics, utilize art and creativity as tools for leaving a legacy of love, create meaningful, personalized end-of-life ceremonies, have more access to eco-friendly options, honor and grieve our connections and losses.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their recognition of a need for earthly preservation has motivated involvement in this ecologically conscientious endeavor. Everything they do and everything they provide is down to earth, whether it be a burial receptacle or a suggestion. Under their auspices, customized creativity reigns. Their efforts epitomize a manner of personalization that is meaningful and devoid of commercialism. They are mavericks in these ever-growing funerary fields of green. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mourningdovestudio.com/">Mourning Dove Studio</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Going green"</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/03/01/going_green/?page=full">boston.com Article</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Mourning goes green in Arlington"</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20120301/News/303019798">WICKEDLOCAL..com Article</a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-77619303477893432922015-06-12T09:04:00.000-07:002015-07-11T06:50:17.710-07:00NATURAL BURIAL FAIR at MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY<i style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JOURNEY JOURNAL... Cambridge, MA</b></i><br />
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<b style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BECOMING EARTH... "LEAVES" of GREEN</b><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In spite of high humidity and a whisper of rain showers, spirits at the Mount Auburn Cemetery were not at all dampened. On the contrary, folks who attended the June 14th, 2014 “Graves In the Garden” green burial fair engaged themselves enthusiastically in opportunities to learn about the natural burial concept. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The afternoon schedule of activities enabled people to experience the verdant environment of these venerated burial grounds. It was all about “green” in a setting that exudes it. It was about a matter of death in a leafy arboretum rife with life. Blanketed by an abundance of trees, shrubs, and flowers, the terrain served as an ideal theater for an affair addressing earthly sustenance. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The concept of green burials that has been growing like wildflowers around the country had been embraced by Mount Auburn Cemetery, where that type of elemental burial is now available. Plots for this purpose are scattered throughout the grounds and integrated among traditional sites rather than in a designated, homogeneous section. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In one instance, an area in front of a field of headstones has been framed according to a husband and wife’s wishes, in readiness for their future deaths and natural burials. As a reflection of their joint ownership of a Boston area retreat that features many art pieces, stones native to western Massachusetts represent their legacy of a lifetime appreciation of outdoor art. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This special event at the cemetery was geared not only toward pre-planners like that couple whose gravesite preemptively graces the grounds, but also for anyone who was interested in becoming enlightened about the natural burial concept in general. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the onset, individuals strolled along a hilly road to reach the Bigelow Chapel, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">named for Dr. Jacob Bigelow, who had been instrumental in acquiring seventy acres as a foundation for establishment of the cemetery in 1831. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Bigelow also was responsible for the erection of a stone statue as a memorial to victims of the Civil War. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lion with a human head and a pharoah's headdress sits vigilantly across from the chapel's entrance.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spokespeople from relevant organizations and vendors manned tables with literature and posters explaining the essence of their services and missions. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Representatives included the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Massachusetts, providers who are part of the National Home Funeral Alliance, the Eternal Blessings Cremation Service, and the My Exit Strategy Internet storage depot for end-of-life wishes. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Depictions of family directed home funerals were displayed on a photo board.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Biodegradable caskets appropriate for natural burials were exhibited as well. These are available through Mourning Dove Studio, a treasure trove for varied types of ecologically friendly burial containment, often embellished with meaningful appointments and artistry. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, as guests milled around the premises, a “pseudo-someone” lay motionless, undisturbed by the enlivening chatter while awaiting its “pseudo-burial” scheduled for later in the afternoon. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next stop on the agenda was the Story Chapel, named for the cemetery’s first president, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story. Constructed of sandstone in the style of a fifteenth-century English church, its Gothic interior style features a ceiling of carved wooden pieces. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People gathered here for the showing of a popular film, <i>A Will for the Woods</i>, which has won acclaim for its poignant documentation of an individual’s end-of-life journey. It follows the progression of circumstances confronted by Clark Wang, a musician and psychiatrist, as he dealt with lymphoma and prepared for his green burial. Thoughtfully placed tissue boxes had been scattered throughout the rows of pews. Following the film, its producers were on hand to answer questions, of which there were many. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next on the agenda was a demonstration, compelling transport of the “pseudo-corpse” –previously reposing in the chapel – to its grave.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For digging a little deeper into the green burial concept, a grave site had been authentically prepared to conduct a mock burial au naturel. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After meeting at the Bigelow Chapel, staff led folks to the site for further elaboration of details, enabling insights about the differences between this type of burial and conventional approaches along with up-close visualization of the process as it is managed on the Mount Auburn property. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The final element of this occasion was a presentation by Mark Harris, author of <i>Grave Matters</i>, a book extolled for its authenticity captured through his personal observations. Having written articles about natural burials for prominent newspapers and magazines, and as a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, he is widely regarded as an expert resource. Against a backdrop of standard practices and through elaborations of witnessed details, readers are apprised of less familiar, yet burgeoning methods. Benefits of natural endings readily come into focus. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This burial alternative has taken root. During recent years it has been capturing the attention of providers and consumers around the country. In this age of materialism and excess, it entails less, rather than more. It mirrors the past – the old way burials were handled before manufactured goods and funerary accoutrements came on the scene. Yet, perhaps oddly, it is perceived as uniquely new. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many people still are not yet aware of this ostensibly “new” option for bodily disposition after death. Besides excavating a grave to illustrate it, planners for the “Graves In the Garden” affair opened minds. Through input from various sources, people in attendance were given a realistic look at this earth-friendly manner of physical disposition. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mount Auburn was the first cemetery in Massachusetts to be certified by the Green Burial Council as a hybrid burial ground. For that designation to be conferred, certain principled stipulations had to be met. Options now include an opportunity for a body to be buried in a biodegradable casket or shroud directly in the ground, without outer containment in the form of a vault or concrete liner. Instead of protuberant memorial stones, such graves may be marked by inconspicuous markers inlayed within nature’s ground cover. Alternatively, a small plaque affixed to a nearby shrub or tree, or the absence of any type of discernible marker, can serve as a sign that an individual’s body has been conscientiously poised to merge with the natural environment. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here, within this embellished retreat for souls laid to rest, the beauty of nature’s complexion prevails. The possibility of becoming absorbed in its terrestrial vigor in spite of death can be especially alluring. A green burial within this thriving landscape offers an opportunity to literally embed oneself in a sanctuary of ecological splendor. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mount Auburn Cemetery</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://mountauburn.org/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://mountauburn.org/</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Massachusetts</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.funeralconsumerswmass.org/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.funeralconsumerswmass.org/</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">National Home Funeral Alliance</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://homefuneralalliance.org/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://homefuneralalliance.org/</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A <i>Will for the Woods</i> film</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://ww.awillforthewoods.com/#home"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ww.awillforthewoods.com/#home</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Grave Matters</i> by Mark Harris</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.gravematters.us/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.gravematters.us/</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mourning Dove Studio</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.mourningdovestudio.com/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.mourningdovestudio.com/</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Exit Strategy</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://myexitstrategy.co/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://myexitstrategy.co/</span></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eternal Blessings Family-Direct Cremation Service</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.eternalblessingscrematory.com/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.eternalblessingscrematory.com/</span></a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-54895261189816442642015-06-10T08:24:00.000-07:002015-06-11T08:54:52.059-07:00CREMATION GARDEN... Winter Park, FL<div class="p1">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Journey Journal… Winter Park, FL</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>MUTATION in ELYSIAN FIELDS</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyone who has not been to any cemeteries in recent years might be surprised by the modern imprints that now beautify them. In many cases, landscape architects haven’t left a stone unturned, so to speak. Cremation gardens, in particular, are contemporary features of recent origin on burial properties and, at certain ones, they are exquisite masterpieces of design. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The concept of these attractive havens has been grasped by cemetery owners who recognize their desirability. As the rate of cremation escalates, so does the development of this type of amenity on burial grounds throughout the country. The economic forecast for a return on such an investment is favorable. In contrast to substantial acreage required for whole body interments, the space allocated as quarters for many units of cremated remains can be confined to a smaller area. The sales potential is great due to the significant number of remains that can be accommodated within a delineated area. Maintenance costs are lower. And opportunities for stylistic innovations are refreshing in contrast to predictable patterns of commonplace cemetery layouts. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes a cremation garden suggests a sense of sanctuary in an area that feels segregated from the rest of the grounds, if not geographically, at least visually. Foliage accentuates the effect. The Glen Haven Memorial Park harbors one that implies that sort of retreat. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its entrance pathways surround a fountain, refreshing to body and mind under the searing Florida sun.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A stroll along groomed walkways reveals an eclectic mix of stone memorials. Some of the conventional ones are modest and generically basic.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other memorial structures are distinctly unique and exceptional.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s2">Cremation bench monuments summon an impression of meditative repose. Such configurations </span><span class="s1">are constructed with single or multiple inner chambers to hold cremated remains of an individual or several family members. </span><span class="s3">They may be straight or curved, with or without arms and backs. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Symbols reminiscent of the person who died may be prominent elements of style.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For decedents who had been multi-taskers, perhaps memorial signets that serve a dual purpose are especially apropos. Granite birdbaths invite enlivening activity.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sundials on pillars with chambers that contain cremated remains capture a natural way to avoid losing track of time… perhaps even alluding to the preciousness of it! </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often a cremation mecca such as this one features niche walls or community columbaria on the premises. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is common, also, to encounter a contemporary version of a cenotaph. The bronze plaques on this community memorial bear the names of people whose remains were buried or scattered elsewhere – sometimes in another area within the garden. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an arena of sectioned “family estates” there is room for multiple burials of related remains.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The expansive allotments offer opportunities for unconfined creativity. You never know when a visitor might want to pause for a picnic or a game of chess!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps the most commanding component of this picturesque “Tranquility Oaks” cremation garden is the tranquility of its pond and waterfalls enveloped in lush foliage. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amid soothing bird songs, sun-drenched lily pads, and gentle ripples, it is an oasis of serenity that bespeaks the nature of death. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.dignitymemorial.com/glen-haven-memorial-park/en-us/photo-gallery.page">Glen Haven Memorial Park</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-63840621111244876512015-06-08T06:30:00.000-07:002015-06-10T05:39:41.144-07:00PET CEMETERY CIRCUS<div class="p1">
<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="s1"></span>JOURNEY JOURNAL... Venice, Florida</b></span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>An ENDING To Launch A BEGINNING – </b></span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>With PAWS, PANTALOONS, and STEAM WHISTLE TUNES</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a life celebration fit for a king… or, in this case, a dog.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine visiting a cemetery when your companion suddenly beckons you to “look at the clown going by on the road over there.” One might immediately assume an errant driver was speeding recklessly in this designated zone of quiescence. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, no, this was a literal reference to an actual clown rather than the appointment of a derogatory assignation. For heaven’s sake! Clowns don’t belong at a cemetery! </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Or do they? </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On February 16, 2013, amid hallowed burial grounds at Venice Memorial Gardens, there was no need to admonish anyone with a directive to “quit clowning around.” In fact, in this milieu that ordinarily invokes subdued reverence, antics and activities common to the Big Top were the order of the day. Against a backdrop of crypts and columbaria, a circus of sorts “came to town.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a sunny day when the circus theme materialized here to commemorate the life and conduct the burial of a dog named Gizmoe, who had been a cherished companion of one of the funeral directors. Her interment served as a prelude to the grand opening of the cemetery’s new pet burial section half an hour later.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCVkVvTvQrTi1953MSVhhAhmIezPy1w0M_lvfpOnCi71Jnp_j_6SXcdQRdHooQF6I8oeoSDVL_9TnZNqMzEuP0fB9LBLFQ3SzpVZewguipKsalrmcZ7FxsOCPI2bP9M8zJ3ymD1yVGqV8/s1600/Gizmoe%253AOpening.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCVkVvTvQrTi1953MSVhhAhmIezPy1w0M_lvfpOnCi71Jnp_j_6SXcdQRdHooQF6I8oeoSDVL_9TnZNqMzEuP0fB9LBLFQ3SzpVZewguipKsalrmcZ7FxsOCPI2bP9M8zJ3ymD1yVGqV8/s320/Gizmoe%253AOpening.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Source: Farley Funeral Home - Venice Memorial Gardens Event Announcement</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The honored decedent’s pink casket was actually an urn vault utilized for this alternative purpose.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRT4BD7mOeSTFxB1CLpXW_bEZncTPMrpcQZm43xKWwois1Ss8rzoe4ou313txohzxiLqeeDlxaW4yfujJ64pwic6LRV_Hg7MWbrSxsfXhY_1luzfKrv3bl56tDqlpJFufMkx4vv39-DwRO/s1600/GizmoeURNCasket.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRT4BD7mOeSTFxB1CLpXW_bEZncTPMrpcQZm43xKWwois1Ss8rzoe4ou313txohzxiLqeeDlxaW4yfujJ64pwic6LRV_Hg7MWbrSxsfXhY_1luzfKrv3bl56tDqlpJFufMkx4vv39-DwRO/s200/GizmoeURNCasket.png" width="195" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Source: ICCFA Magazine, Dorothy Snyder Photography </span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fete began with the arrival of a carnival entourage. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The adapted casket was on a wagon pulled by a singularly notable pallbearer of the day – Lucky Star, a miniature white horse who later showcased a series of tricks. Her owner served as the circus ringmaster. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chucko, a former Ringling Brothers clown, played a pivotal role throughout the conjoint event as a prominent figure during the service and grand opening proceedings. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two grief therapy dogs from the Florida Humane Society – a golden doodle and a long-haired dachshund – were at the rear of the processional. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6GPNnX2b6evmlHKHL5EWkI8AjPclbuavYS7IPTDTT2Xwci-mTxzKOJb_U5bqnwTjTO8T5TMRxrsejx6QkP-fu5zWn0LXaYCt3hA_FUy7yS8coaKv0sKUV_iW1o6iUlHy8E_h9T3yYUS5/s1600/GizmoeProcession.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6GPNnX2b6evmlHKHL5EWkI8AjPclbuavYS7IPTDTT2Xwci-mTxzKOJb_U5bqnwTjTO8T5TMRxrsejx6QkP-fu5zWn0LXaYCt3hA_FUy7yS8coaKv0sKUV_iW1o6iUlHy8E_h9T3yYUS5/s320/GizmoeProcession.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos Source: ICCFA Magazine, Dorothy Snyder Photography </span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bone-shaped arrangement of white flowers with pink ribbons and sparkles accoutered the casket.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjX8QYKQmjUlxjaV9_0lpT6UWxntlWQlrOexaBwm-a4VVy_DipOWYsCehFYEdhm69gGbo8sQJUMzS6xYhaCx-R1jdZ1PV0kShMt0TJlryCr42fEX6ZKEYa7D4EJBnpCqZIVAEIE_NGUps/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-06-08+at+9.22.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjX8QYKQmjUlxjaV9_0lpT6UWxntlWQlrOexaBwm-a4VVy_DipOWYsCehFYEdhm69gGbo8sQJUMzS6xYhaCx-R1jdZ1PV0kShMt0TJlryCr42fEX6ZKEYa7D4EJBnpCqZIVAEIE_NGUps/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-06-08+at+9.22.56+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Source: ICCFA Magazine, Dorothy Snyder Photography </span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The event was open to the public, including canine companions. Eighty-four humans and sixteen dogs attended the committal service, conducted by two of the cemetery’s funeral directors under a pergola. Public officials and local media personnel were on hand to glean material for news articles and television documentation. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The celebrant-led service included references to Gizmoe’s typical behaviors and characteristics. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Individuals who shared her life relayed reminiscent experiences. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A popular poem, “The Rainbow Bridge,” was read, which inspires comfort by alluding to the possibility of pet owners reuniting with their pets once they, too, have died.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Family members released ten pink balloons prior to the release of fifty multi-colored, circus-themed balloons amid a backdrop of relevant musical pieces.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pink rose petals lined the dog’s grave.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After placement of the casket in it, some were also sprinkled on top of it.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJt2i5-FD-zM8OxpbekmkjyeK0o35rBx6MUqSYvDEKoSMy3kHhHMbugLJ3nAG-gE2b4pZTCGfraZZIijzziiBBZVrIUA_y1Tmhg6iSQr10LqYGzgTjpOU-gRiSNjtB94VSwO4LWQMcOBUZ/s1600/GizmoePetals%253AGrave.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJt2i5-FD-zM8OxpbekmkjyeK0o35rBx6MUqSYvDEKoSMy3kHhHMbugLJ3nAG-gE2b4pZTCGfraZZIijzziiBBZVrIUA_y1Tmhg6iSQr10LqYGzgTjpOU-gRiSNjtB94VSwO4LWQMcOBUZ/s320/GizmoePetals%253AGrave.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The distinguished dog’s personality was captured even for her burial. Because she had been anti-social, two spaces were utilized, with her body facing backward, so no other animal’s body would be buried close to her at a later time. The plot is located in the section of the cemetery designated for upright markers. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An unmistakable celebration of life was the order of the day on this occasion when an esteemed pet was laid to rest. It was accentuated by clowns, calliope background music, balloons, popcorn, snow cones, and cotton candy.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SmcKqInKQdYt0YxDB-AM9Fg5shqW35qi7QrVuH1QVZTiUlRvZ0uicKfVxkSWLLbkDU0l-zhqydtYtMn94mJ5OB6uFxHUM-v38nAf_T6bz11qA0T-FS-1eCxIySsVEoKUxvcslO6AvrvD/s1600/GizmoeCalliope.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SmcKqInKQdYt0YxDB-AM9Fg5shqW35qi7QrVuH1QVZTiUlRvZ0uicKfVxkSWLLbkDU0l-zhqydtYtMn94mJ5OB6uFxHUM-v38nAf_T6bz11qA0T-FS-1eCxIySsVEoKUxvcslO6AvrvD/s320/GizmoeCalliope.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAaQFKyw4eHKeLsoZzj-DhF-JkF6D2x_GI21W-_X2Qig5aDlpR5ku5guWCtZOPYY5jigPiBwxTw9Js739Y3-6PaUsIVcH5AZcvC4FN-s9lZkkgQb44Nwp9n8pOSKkd3qnCXpcT0NPGFdK/s1600/GizmoeCotCandy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAaQFKyw4eHKeLsoZzj-DhF-JkF6D2x_GI21W-_X2Qig5aDlpR5ku5guWCtZOPYY5jigPiBwxTw9Js739Y3-6PaUsIVcH5AZcvC4FN-s9lZkkgQb44Nwp9n8pOSKkd3qnCXpcT0NPGFdK/s320/GizmoeCotCandy.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photos Source: ICCFA Magazine, Dorothy Snyder Photography </i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The theme was maintained throughout the grand opening ceremony that followed Gizmoe’s affair. Though this type of milieu ordinarily is conspicuously uncommon in a cemetery, if ever a circus would appear on burial grounds anywhere, the Sarasota environs would be a logical place. It oozes Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey history and is still percolating with the company’s people and artifacts. Because of its infiltration here, in the ‘40s and ‘50s this epicenter for a popular pastime became known as a circus town. Accommodations for “The Greatest Show on Earth” included winter headquarters in Sarasota, often motivating personnel and their descendants to establish permanent, lifelong residency here. A museum now houses an extensive art collection from their world travels as well as circus memorabilia, such as wardrobes, props, and equipment along with newspaper clippings and other documentary accounts. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So it’s not surprising that authentic performers would be on hand for this special event. In fact, three circus dynasties – the Espana, Anatasini, and Herriott families – were represented. Entertainment included a classic spinning plates routine, acrobatics, and spins a la the German wheel and the “steel wheel of destiny.”</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-9wpjASfRUlti4bJxHEc0kaIO0vopjsv5gJdvuiRX_68z_orOMSk0ga5MppDeRQTBgzu-HdoJ-xX_X3-7B1QiKi2IuigCPZENUxEa_qemADM2ePiFRjqfDb0rpa2gy38rahT0QdQM6cH/s1600/GizmoeSpinning+Wheel.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-9wpjASfRUlti4bJxHEc0kaIO0vopjsv5gJdvuiRX_68z_orOMSk0ga5MppDeRQTBgzu-HdoJ-xX_X3-7B1QiKi2IuigCPZENUxEa_qemADM2ePiFRjqfDb0rpa2gy38rahT0QdQM6cH/s320/GizmoeSpinning+Wheel.png" width="184" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Source: ICCFA Magazine, Dorothy Snyder Photography </span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Antics of trained pups were especially germane, given the nature of the occasion. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RfBWHv42J497P8ElhkaNehZjuoEyBuQNP_myXIKWO5HsKB83PePkcIBFp6YCFm6bBuVnszcJSH19tKaVQDH7p-zoYfDv0zJCDkkbesRekLRu3LTDKYQHBoNV3RE3tgUh51-0xgS00kGl/s1600/GizmoePerformPups.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RfBWHv42J497P8ElhkaNehZjuoEyBuQNP_myXIKWO5HsKB83PePkcIBFp6YCFm6bBuVnszcJSH19tKaVQDH7p-zoYfDv0zJCDkkbesRekLRu3LTDKYQHBoNV3RE3tgUh51-0xgS00kGl/s320/GizmoePerformPups.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, a festival with this motif called for edible embellishments. A Venice caterer provided hors d’oeuvres – pizza bites, finger sandwiches, and pigs in a blanket. A local supermarket made it possible for the canine and feline guests to enjoy treats as well. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the main events, people were given an opportunity to tour the grounds in golf carts, which included visits to the pet crematory. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos Source: Farley Funeral Homes -Venice Memorial Gardens Pet Cemetery Website</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needless to say, this was a distinctive and memorable way to introduce the community to the addition of pet services at this memorial park. The blueprint that had been conceptualized in response to a current funerary trend had been transformed into a new facility. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDaoMimvijr8qAvpz1yyXv8uFUyy0f0giyLhM9MW6I6zFOQ9bqo8iJbD3oMI6jWas1xj-Z437DEW9u9WVPNmxZZDP0jqw0B6AAk1O7rquxpV9UYIcLxAMk0VlgDcZZIJsjeosGg2nXXh2/s1600/FarleyFHpets2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDaoMimvijr8qAvpz1yyXv8uFUyy0f0giyLhM9MW6I6zFOQ9bqo8iJbD3oMI6jWas1xj-Z437DEW9u9WVPNmxZZDP0jqw0B6AAk1O7rquxpV9UYIcLxAMk0VlgDcZZIJsjeosGg2nXXh2/s400/FarleyFHpets2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Source: Farley Funeral Homes -Venice Memorial Gardens Pet Cemetery Website</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And in the process of publicizing its availability, the human tendency to feel remarkable affection toward pets had been colorfully accentuated. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For now, Gizmoe’s headstone dominates the landscape of this heavenly animal kingdom. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As time passes, the local canine celebrity will have more company within this acre of burial territory. Graves for other animals’ cremated or whole body remains will increasingly appear. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDL6c4ISsN9HVD7r1zXXwqfbmpqTNm3WURlUIjuiPbv8Vw1zU7DFXhXzm1p4P9cFVVruxoPmuJCtbLmlH2waygH_UbZQG9XQkThAPYqwScgb6iIFwXVJQEsd8XGqErTkFHdT9IWgurzoWz/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-06-08+at+9.44.06+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDL6c4ISsN9HVD7r1zXXwqfbmpqTNm3WURlUIjuiPbv8Vw1zU7DFXhXzm1p4P9cFVVruxoPmuJCtbLmlH2waygH_UbZQG9XQkThAPYqwScgb6iIFwXVJQEsd8XGqErTkFHdT9IWgurzoWz/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-06-08+at+9.44.06+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If an owner wishes to stay close to a beloved pet, human graves adjacent to the pet section can accommodate that wish. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Services will continue to be conducted under the pergola that serves as the central focal point for the pet burial grounds.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, under a headstone remindful of her memorable memorial gala, Gizmoe is resting in peace. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Content Resources:</span></i></div>
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ICCFA Magazine: March-April 2013</div>
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<a href="http://www.vmgpets.com/blog/gizmoes-funeral-and-headstone/">Gizmoe's Funeral and Headstone</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.vmgpets.com/our-services/cemetery/">Pet Cemetery and Crematory</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.farleyfuneralhome.com/venice-memorial-gardens/pet-cemetery-funeral-home">Venice Memorial Gardens Pet Services</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.businessobserverfl.com/section/detail/a-pet-project/">Farley's Pet Project</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-45772411310918413442015-06-07T17:39:00.000-07:002015-06-09T18:35:26.907-07:00FUNERAL HOMES FLAG RETIREMENT<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Journey Journal… Florida and Beyond</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">A NEW WAVE</span></b> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">for OLD GLORY</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You’re a grand old flag</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You’re a high flying flag</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And forever in peace may you wave</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You’re the emblem of</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The land I love</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The home of the free and the brave</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every heart beats true</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Neath the red white and blue… “</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since 1906 when George M. Cohan composed the lyrics to this quintessential American march that rallies patriotic fervor, the images evoked by that “… Grand Old Flag” have suggested unblemished crispness. In the minds of visualizing beholders, probably the flawlessly intact fabric of that unfettered flag undulates picturesquely in sweeping billows against a pure blue sky. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, like the people they represent, flags eventually wear out. Over the course of time they are apt to fade and become tattered, torn, dingy, and no longer emblematically serviceable. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rILjjfqkwFOIb3GvcA0qRN2xD68g87d3IdIHgJovx9Dwwp_C4Y7Kvebm-BE-v7vwzcm5YhkQRmPBFXvBwCTpXikqBFuv3Y1pqRpEFqYMK0zUXGtrVLKT5c6SibN1TF56kDgmz4b-hlhJ/s1600/FLagBordentownFH+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rILjjfqkwFOIb3GvcA0qRN2xD68g87d3IdIHgJovx9Dwwp_C4Y7Kvebm-BE-v7vwzcm5YhkQRmPBFXvBwCTpXikqBFuv3Y1pqRpEFqYMK0zUXGtrVLKT5c6SibN1TF56kDgmz4b-hlhJ/s1600/FLagBordentownFH+.png" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo Source: Website of Bordentown Home for Funerals </span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually, the composer’s original title and, later, the first line for this popular piece of music featured the word “rag.” The notion for it stemmed from an encounter with a veteran who had fought at Gettysburg. After Cohen noticed that the man was holding a folded, but ragged flag, the veteran declared, “She’s a grand old rag.” These words were adopted as the name for his new tune, but he had to rethink it since individuals and groups objected to a title that implied disrespect for the iconic national symbol. Though he changed the “Rag” to “Flag” in the title, the chorus began, “You’re a grand old flag / Though you’re torn to a rag.” That version, too, went the way of the wind, but copies of the original ones still circulate among collectors. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what happens to American flags that become rags or lose their luster? According to the United States Flag Code, they should be destroyed in a dignified manner, preferably by burning. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many funeral homes have responded to this mandate by sponsoring flag retirement ceremonies to which the public may be invited. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvROZq0hfPQfrEszH5-OFpG8uwvqh90Tx767V5nH5JPQtIGKi8zFRhjkaWSDPb3qbl2N7lWLN-Bxh-uDK-3oSP9zZddgCpBYEMIhU0C6wqy8poO5B_ICfGUPchu2dDLDsGkew1y7t7SQe/s1600/FlagHiersBaxley.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvROZq0hfPQfrEszH5-OFpG8uwvqh90Tx767V5nH5JPQtIGKi8zFRhjkaWSDPb3qbl2N7lWLN-Bxh-uDK-3oSP9zZddgCpBYEMIhU0C6wqy8poO5B_ICfGUPchu2dDLDsGkew1y7t7SQe/s320/FlagHiersBaxley.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo Source: Website of Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services </span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Community members and groups may be asked to deliver their unusable flags to the funeral homes prior to such events. Protocol dictates a sequence of proceedings that entails either burning of all the flags that have been collected or a representative one of them; in such instances, the remaining ones are later incinerated. Funeral homes often engage veterans' organizations and Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops to participate in ceremonies. There may be a Color Guard involved in performing rituals, and sometimes even a military gun salute. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But let’s look more closely at two lines of the “… Grand Old Flag” song. Many countrywide funeral homes have established an alternative type of practice that negates a few of the words… the ones alluding to every heart beating true under the red, white, and blue. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like the facilities that host retirement ceremonies, they request worn-out flag donations, sometimes by way of prominent signs on their properties.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmdvSn6DmdOjTtCRArrLzaSAPk2aJByml8ryZM7vair4RXI_EsZCLDSNwndIlNwetg7MijRTfckcd1NfHHaet3sBuP1AKTweRxdriE7in5v_0zRNwdrYZ3R6O14D9sb-S0bYJwfBpLBw7/s1600/IMG_2795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmdvSn6DmdOjTtCRArrLzaSAPk2aJByml8ryZM7vair4RXI_EsZCLDSNwndIlNwetg7MijRTfckcd1NfHHaet3sBuP1AKTweRxdriE7in5v_0zRNwdrYZ3R6O14D9sb-S0bYJwfBpLBw7/s320/IMG_2795.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Kays-Ponger & Uselton Funeral Homes and Cremation, Englewood, FL</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But instead of ceremoniously burning the collective assortment outdoors as an event, they burn them individually in conjunction with cremation processes. That is, according to family wishes, a donated flag is draped over the casket of a veteran prior to its entry into the crematory chamber. T</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hough hearts are no longer beating under the red, white, and blue, the hearts of family members are warmed by the significance of this gesture. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4A1i4Q3ZVNpVQpRpMOieqLxoLwGn7-QHJzhyphenhyphenOUU48hc8IdeBOPoc52VEJiCnLsbixIDy8nfiYBJCUVaEl9_uZE4JDPpoT5mJeA6wDkoikASM3W0VJz0oaTAWQBDMmthqDMib91XrxXGpa/s1600/FlagCharlotteFH.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4A1i4Q3ZVNpVQpRpMOieqLxoLwGn7-QHJzhyphenhyphenOUU48hc8IdeBOPoc52VEJiCnLsbixIDy8nfiYBJCUVaEl9_uZE4JDPpoT5mJeA6wDkoikASM3W0VJz0oaTAWQBDMmthqDMib91XrxXGpa/s320/FlagCharlotteFH.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photo Source: Website of Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, Punta Gorda, FL</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The initiative is taken a step further at the Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home. Flags that are not incinerated as part of cremations are burned separately in the chamber, after which the ashes are placed in the Veteran’s Garden of Honor section of their memorial park. Some facilities routinely send a certificate to a family, verifying that a flag accompanied a loved one in this manner as part of the cremation process for that individual. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ongoing escalation of cremation rates has accelerated a uniquely patriotic opportunity for resourcefulness in funeral homes these days. This commemorative measure honors those Americans who have served to promote peace for fellow countrymen living under the high flying flag… in the land they love… the home of the free and the brave.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Kays-Ponger & Uselton Funeral Homes and Cremation, Punta Gorda, FL</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27re_a_Grand_Old_Flag">Wikipedia: You're A Grand Old Flag</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.charlottefuneralhomeandcemetery.com/who-we-are/community-events" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charlotte Funeral Home Flag Program</a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hiers-baxley.com/who-we-are/community-events">Hiers-Baxley Flag Program</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.kays-ponger.com/blog/2012/02/port-charlotte-fl-cremation-englewood-fl-funeral-home-services-flag-retirement-program/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kays-Ponger & Uselton Flag Program</span></a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754470975581966129.post-42629404826909019632015-05-05T17:22:00.000-07:002015-05-26T15:18:19.721-07:00NATIONAL CEMETERY AMPHITHEATER – Completion<i style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Journey Journal, Sarasota, Florida</b></i><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"OH BEAUTIFUL FOR PATRIOT DREAM"</b></span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><i>“I think there is one higher office than president and I would call that patriot.” ~ Gary Hart</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To the visionary who conceived the idea, the culmination of the Patriot Plaza must have been a dream come true. Perhaps it was like the parental witnessing of a milestone marking a child’s passage into adulthood… complete with the sense of accomplishment, pride, and awe. The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” certainly was true under these circumstances, though it was an amphitheater rather than a child that was raised. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This multi-million-dollar venture that began in 2010 propagated a model of private and public partnership whereby a philanthropic organization, The Patterson Foundation, collaborated with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to achieve a goal. Teamwork was the underlying strategy, as construction and art advisory groups, architects, construction personnel, artists, legal advisors, and others coordinated their efforts. A dedication ceremony in June, 2014 signaled its introduction to the public.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Towering above the amphitheater pavilion, a twelve- by eighteen-foot American flag tethered to a stainless steel, eighty-foot-high pole waves in the breezes. As a gesture of respect for all interred in the cemetery, it is lowered to half staff thirty minutes before the first committal service each day and remains in that position until thirty minutes after the last service of the day. Typically, the number of daily burials is about eight.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Occupying a 1.83-acre area that’s larger than a football field, the plaza features dual, fifty-foot-high half ceilings in arched configurations. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With 792 pieces of aquamarine glass com</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">prising this 20,800-square-foot awning</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, the vibrant roof is a commanding feature of the burial grounds. Each panel of glass blocks the ultra-violet rays by way of embedded translucent film, reducing the impact of the sun by fifteen to twenty degrees. Underneath this canopy there is shade, yet the breezes are still felt, as if shrouded by the leaves of a tree.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though fundamentally encompassing a stage that accommodates a fifty-five-piece orchestra, with seating space for twenty-eight hundred people, this attraction is far more than a performance arena. Punctuated by a gallery of artwork, it is readily regarded also as an outdoor museum. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unseen, yet essential in the Florida environment, there are concrete and rebar support columns fifty-five feet below the ground to assure structural integrity sufficient to withstand Category Five hurricane-force winds. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The northern portal serves as the main entrance. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Atop a pentagon-shaped surface of brick pavers stand four eye-catching tablets bearing</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">photos depicting happy moments.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnBk5V2hCw7wIlyLpcrXrbAi-Pw445vHbHTd_g3-RnPK2234F95NasD5dUE2gXk95FDBQm3CKk_RKLWooFFhO6PU3uwBrwjqNnXCHoHf0J60fyqCClBINkuyAH0-jA-YQ-mpsXD4b7QM6/s1600/IMG_2766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnBk5V2hCw7wIlyLpcrXrbAi-Pw445vHbHTd_g3-RnPK2234F95NasD5dUE2gXk95FDBQm3CKk_RKLWooFFhO6PU3uwBrwjqNnXCHoHf0J60fyqCClBINkuyAH0-jA-YQ-mpsXD4b7QM6/s1600/IMG_2766.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although the section designated for an audience is behind the entrance, one could readily construe an impression that this theater of tribute actually faces the graves of those it honors.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inspired imagery within one’s mind prompts a perception that the headstones are “standing at attention” in rapt acknowledgment of its connotation.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two seven-foot American bald eagles representing the national emblem of the United States flank the west entrance walkway. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdufBbpXEmuwYJ1tFbcopR459jl5yElYD_WO22PblyvPXt-4NluPIc8Z4zClhUgn5yVpPzhQ4n0Gidd6JVmob2X2Wr82FHtXZfm9N-WHRa9BeA2fE_kE9hTx8LnECOwgGVVDreONeOCfm/s1600/IMG_3032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdufBbpXEmuwYJ1tFbcopR459jl5yElYD_WO22PblyvPXt-4NluPIc8Z4zClhUgn5yVpPzhQ4n0Gidd6JVmob2X2Wr82FHtXZfm9N-WHRa9BeA2fE_kE9hTx8LnECOwgGVVDreONeOCfm/s1600/IMG_3032.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Symbolic significance has been ascribed to the epic birds with conspicuously menacing eyes, conferring status as guardians – vigilant sentinels to protect people who visit Patriot Plaza along with the veterans buried in the cemetery’s sea of graves.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the east entry point, less formidable eagles hover over two nests – one with a parent and fledging... the other empty. Real branches were collected, molded, and cast for this piece of art. The birds had been sculpted in wax to create molds before being cast in bronze. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Patterson Foundation Dedication Video</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ubiquitous hallmarks of soldiers, such as endurance and courage, are singularly defined on sixteen upright slabs of Georgia marble and glass, which feature photographs amplified by relevant text and drawings. The eight on the east side of the pavilion encapsulate the military family experience; on the west side the focus is on military service in general. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos of individuals who served in one of the Armed Forces become all the more riveting upon reading quoted commentary</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> coupled with meditations </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">etched on these “Testimonies” pillars.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlUhpKiFTurWqjMQxgTP6_rf-E6Krp2hzc_xShdvSipKIFv8HQKTEmvfYh0iL6iPqLKlcMulaE46qdO_3xaN9-D64VHKYudpnxMviDzSEATF8pj864lEv713AunIzqoGi2M74gwbetkwS/s1600/IMG_2762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlUhpKiFTurWqjMQxgTP6_rf-E6Krp2hzc_xShdvSipKIFv8HQKTEmvfYh0iL6iPqLKlcMulaE46qdO_3xaN9-D64VHKYudpnxMviDzSEATF8pj864lEv713AunIzqoGi2M74gwbetkwS/s1600/IMG_2762.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Single photos are also mounted on a colonnade of forty-four upright rectangular tablets aligned in military-like formation and situated around the plaza. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTQNw3Ws2NM83tHkPrE5XN3Vysl15mjAn3hjTqtqcbRl_VHRRr8DfyIMHffWG7GVdoWUaM4pP4cehAkj_f1HJjKb0pOoZ0GJTaWSm43TmimacZyxKoYAMcXyXBbC6sKvE93OSlLWvfi2N/s1600/IMG_3029+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTQNw3Ws2NM83tHkPrE5XN3Vysl15mjAn3hjTqtqcbRl_VHRRr8DfyIMHffWG7GVdoWUaM4pP4cehAkj_f1HJjKb0pOoZ0GJTaWSm43TmimacZyxKoYAMcXyXBbC6sKvE93OSlLWvfi2N/s1600/IMG_3029+(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vNCt0ODMMB8b-dxh7-BvALnkKqcGBYANqE-_rMIVtIj4J9jo_WN8NMQ-4HvKr9raMQhfQBbDQeQ-yz_KMf4e5QIkFWaroMu0e4fTsAI371mDwpTbnl0ulUphEl8hTPtuWroLZW10bAbT/s1600/IMG_2764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vNCt0ODMMB8b-dxh7-BvALnkKqcGBYANqE-_rMIVtIj4J9jo_WN8NMQ-4HvKr9raMQhfQBbDQeQ-yz_KMf4e5QIkFWaroMu0e4fTsAI371mDwpTbnl0ulUphEl8hTPtuWroLZW10bAbT/s1600/IMG_2764.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKZ5RtXW1FIV8iLwwLocPsrhIgXaiksJWG7e2_2QV7oDi2xyyJ9GkP3DduyS0I4QEtKqxbkyngbymQqA9v0p6D2RgbSY93b0oxQsUPlYAvOQ5CdQZlMETUbNxP-u76KrnGeLn8nM97IyC/s1600/PatriotPhotoTablets.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKZ5RtXW1FIV8iLwwLocPsrhIgXaiksJWG7e2_2QV7oDi2xyyJ9GkP3DduyS0I4QEtKqxbkyngbymQqA9v0p6D2RgbSY93b0oxQsUPlYAvOQ5CdQZlMETUbNxP-u76KrnGeLn8nM97IyC/s1600/PatriotPhotoTablets.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Patterson Foundation Dedication Video</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pictures illustrate aspects of military life from the era of the Civil War to 2013, including campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaTtPZMiOkkV8VjA0RQh62YFEB2fKD33LdbyExqidT2oLc9XNfBPbZ1ONZrcURYSBb0YavNBSum3AFdLImX6NdqCYSkfjrjOeIVm9Jb-BewoooFtQWgbOxP1Kux6cUDiZnl-K3qTrLs_L/s1600/PatriotPhoto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaTtPZMiOkkV8VjA0RQh62YFEB2fKD33LdbyExqidT2oLc9XNfBPbZ1ONZrcURYSBb0YavNBSum3AFdLImX6NdqCYSkfjrjOeIVm9Jb-BewoooFtQWgbOxP1Kux6cUDiZnl-K3qTrLs_L/s1600/PatriotPhoto.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A handmade fifty- by three-foot glass mosaic spans a horizontal swath at the base of the stage. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ml4u60U5dz6ya6neoCS4hQMEgGvx4EC0WqJR6nSwzt3s3pIF5lhLMVnfyPFwSk8bwE4mf4RTBIg772Sdu1GoCgb-aPCW1hd20t1efvF6GxyZ9JG0fe3sBxoIBNlKiu7aSlA_aruzJSty/s1600/IMG_2757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ml4u60U5dz6ya6neoCS4hQMEgGvx4EC0WqJR6nSwzt3s3pIF5lhLMVnfyPFwSk8bwE4mf4RTBIg772Sdu1GoCgb-aPCW1hd20t1efvF6GxyZ9JG0fe3sBxoIBNlKiu7aSlA_aruzJSty/s1600/IMG_2757.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The colorful image depicts a landscape of earth, air, and water – in or on which all branches of the Armed Forces carry out their missions.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIywOPt2RPQcLgJnKFafalFDK_1yFTPi82O4t1_7XmgNtrcew8CdFHv0inx_urAAVAqWOKEX7pAGkJUpEYbsI5UUvwZvBA1u8j9g68plnzMk2LRlbcJTsf-KE8_SYQ3UGThJmzFwzPZHk/s1600/PatriotStageStrip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIywOPt2RPQcLgJnKFafalFDK_1yFTPi82O4t1_7XmgNtrcew8CdFHv0inx_urAAVAqWOKEX7pAGkJUpEYbsI5UUvwZvBA1u8j9g68plnzMk2LRlbcJTsf-KE8_SYQ3UGThJmzFwzPZHk/s1600/PatriotStageStrip.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOliN2HC6l-7pQwEBZhF6aHmtxoyI-XHNpwygnS6b-GwntN0E5OYAkMf4AoXqsls1SjLbsY7CdgCttEKUi_ZmJ8DevQ9xOEdmK5FIk6bgeIzWlszLpyL4bPEnNCNzQPZf2cOAp1kI82X9/s1600/PatriotStageMosaic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOliN2HC6l-7pQwEBZhF6aHmtxoyI-XHNpwygnS6b-GwntN0E5OYAkMf4AoXqsls1SjLbsY7CdgCttEKUi_ZmJ8DevQ9xOEdmK5FIk6bgeIzWlszLpyL4bPEnNCNzQPZf2cOAp1kI82X9/s1600/PatriotStageMosaic.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNVBKXg-Dsico9MgMzDrCu_QgzvKM-LnKsmKivHNXn5WLLWSA0cqP4GSPs66RdlRd4IufPGjqS-CycnRY2a48sN54Gyy3cFZ4xpJutLhNkB9Go9_ZV9r6Xw_WME4snBfEwS2Jx5Lt3QPu/s1600/PatriotStageStrip2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="43" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNVBKXg-Dsico9MgMzDrCu_QgzvKM-LnKsmKivHNXn5WLLWSA0cqP4GSPs66RdlRd4IufPGjqS-CycnRY2a48sN54Gyy3cFZ4xpJutLhNkB9Go9_ZV9r6Xw_WME4snBfEwS2Jx5Lt3QPu/s1600/PatriotStageStrip2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Patterson Foundation Dedication Video</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within the configuration of a star dominating the granite floor in front of the stage, a five-sided projection map flattened into inlaid stone depicts all seven continents, as viewed from above the North Pole. It alludes to the wide-reaching influence of American military forces around the world. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8MCVWNX09389LFnbw9S9fQZbZcxox5nB579iM2BdOmktiKOTrzD7OeBKGV1VhFetbwzwRhK_ZaJ_EBXSHPH4QL7G_zix_YZCl8746FbryLe0oPdopyHMWzyGZOULbQTUixdLR2aEVEU7/s1600/IMG_3027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8MCVWNX09389LFnbw9S9fQZbZcxox5nB579iM2BdOmktiKOTrzD7OeBKGV1VhFetbwzwRhK_ZaJ_EBXSHPH4QL7G_zix_YZCl8746FbryLe0oPdopyHMWzyGZOULbQTUixdLR2aEVEU7/s1600/IMG_3027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twenty-foot tapered cones define both the north/south and east/west intersections of pathways. Dubbed, “Night to Day, Here and Away,” these are covered in hand-tiled mosaics that embody displays of service ribbons amid the sky, sea, and geological imagery. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTAJn_LrDt9H8pMaknaqGLkK8fm6CLvJXp-WDGVYwuJFUyiog00J3OAKCJmfVtz8LbXIkcU2fnJG3JtAAamk2CbTSk30W1-JERh1wkXMxa7A3A8C5RclJfhbA01qiZMS531bSZDqaE8NZ/s1600/IMG_2761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTAJn_LrDt9H8pMaknaqGLkK8fm6CLvJXp-WDGVYwuJFUyiog00J3OAKCJmfVtz8LbXIkcU2fnJG3JtAAamk2CbTSk30W1-JERh1wkXMxa7A3A8C5RclJfhbA01qiZMS531bSZDqaE8NZ/s1600/IMG_2761.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over 7500 plants were planted around the plaza, adding color and a suggestion of ongoing life on premises for the dead. Young oak trees, Italian cypress, and palms mingle with magnolias, roses, lilies, myrtles, and more. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHA8wlsGvFgsv0GH95bxMdFQI8D8EWvexQExMkKJlpaCFVcIl1ug4NOAXqLKiXILWlRMynPcXRY-MUmo5oQ_kfjKWQ5_5oiMwVIpdqlgZ87tDRwrTUBAUxwt3A7wb9-TgrSFhr6eppCJH/s1600/IMG_2756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHA8wlsGvFgsv0GH95bxMdFQI8D8EWvexQExMkKJlpaCFVcIl1ug4NOAXqLKiXILWlRMynPcXRY-MUmo5oQ_kfjKWQ5_5oiMwVIpdqlgZ87tDRwrTUBAUxwt3A7wb9-TgrSFhr6eppCJH/s1600/IMG_2756.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether or not someone has served in a military capacity, this magnificent showpiece is breathtaking. Besides its functionality and artistic permeation, it is a remarkable example of an accomplishment that came to fruition as a result of unified efforts among human beings. It speaks to our ongoing quest for harmonious co-existence with no need for war. Long ago, Abraham Lincoln implored Americans to come together in a spirit of cooperative camaraderie to “achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In spite of that aspiration, human confrontations persist. Military forces continue to serve. A Vietnam-era veteran has metaphorically connected a design element configured in stone pieces at the plaza with the roughness of adversarial human interactions. Referring to the deliberately course and ragged edges of the photo-story tablets and marble benches, he has noted that they are unfinished and will never be finished. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such is the presumably inevitable state of affairs relative to human efforts for peace on earth. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yM8m9So7VzQ23BwODJqBXW3HHwOMmdKjJ8V06sm6M_QMRp2TuRJm-AmNoOyprtGMhq9qiFWOTlBBTUfE2WiDXYULCFf2efVmGPMXiJ_nRwOlp9_sG3YSeiaPRFmyEv0dReiMvklKOJXe/s1600/IMG_2772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yM8m9So7VzQ23BwODJqBXW3HHwOMmdKjJ8V06sm6M_QMRp2TuRJm-AmNoOyprtGMhq9qiFWOTlBBTUfE2WiDXYULCFf2efVmGPMXiJ_nRwOlp9_sG3YSeiaPRFmyEv0dReiMvklKOJXe/s1600/IMG_2772.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://patriotplaza.thepattersonfoundation.org/">The Patterson Foundation: Patriot Plaza</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s1"></span><a href="http://veterans.heraldtribune.com/2014/06/26/unique-project-rises-honor-fallen/">Sarasota Herald Tribune Article</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Honoring the Fallen," Sarasota Herald Tribune Special Section,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">June 28, 2014 </span></div>
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