March 2019

Page A4 MARCH 2019 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A By Nancy Weil Neither Rain Nor Snow “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” We all recognize this unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service. Yet as I reflect back upon this win- ter, I wonder if we cannot say the same. Death does not take a break due to the forecast. It does not cease due to weather alerts. If death continues, so too must those who tend to the deceased and to their families. In the last few months there have been polar vortexes that shut down cities. Blizzards, mud slides, wildfires and more. In the south we contend with hurricanes and flooding. No matter where you live weather is a factor. When I worked at the cemetery, I can recall only two days that we closed due to weather and that was only because a driving ban had been issued and no one could attend a funeral on those days. There are sto- ries of staff sleeping on couches in the office because the weather was so severe that they could not safely drive home. I have seen funeral processions coming in the gates slowly as the windblown snow made visibility difficult. I also know of funeral directors, honor guard members and funeral attendees who have passed out from the heat while at a graveside service. Random Musings This is not news to any of you reading this, and yet I wonder how many people in the public actually give it any consideration. In a business that is at times the focus of so much bad press, that is viewed as ripping off con- sumers and of being all about the money, few consider what it takes to drag yourself out of your warm bed and drive in the middle of a blizzard for a removal. Of what it takes to console the widow as you enter their home and assure her that you will be there for her and not to worry about a thing. All the while worrying about the road con- ditions and how long it will take to make it back to the funeral home on snow covered roads. This is done with- out a boast or any accolades. It is your job and you do it gladly. Yet the postal carriers, who mostly work during the day delivering our mail, are lauded for their devotion to their work. Silently funeral directors sigh and go back to do- ing their job. Perhaps it is time for us to create our own motto of dedication and perseverance. Perhaps we need to hire a PR firm to launch a public outreach campaign reminding the public what conditions a funeral director or a cemeterian works in. Here are a few to get us started: • Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night keeps the funeral director from your sight. • Blizzards, heat waves – we don’t care. The funeral happens without fanfare. • A foot of snow or rain that’s steady, we still make sure the grave is ready. Maybe you have one in mind. We can print some t-shirts and post memes on social media. Or we can simply go back to what we’ve been doing for cen- turies…helping families honor the life of their loved one no matter what the weather may be. www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. B logs Serving as Member Resources Director at the International Or- der of the Golden Rule, Nancy Weil brings her years of experi- ence working in the funeral industry to funeral directors across the globe. Her professional experience includes serving as Director of Grief Support and Community Outreach at Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater, FL and at eleven cemeteries in Western New York. Nancy travels throughout the country offering presentations on how to reduce stress, combat compassion fatigue and offer sup- port for those who are grieving through her company, The Laugh Academy. With certifications as a Grief Services Provider and Grief Man- agement Specialist, Funeral Celebrant, Soul Injury Ambassador and Laughter Leader, Nancy is uniquely qualified to bring new perspectives into how to best meet the needs of the families you serve. For more information on how Nancy can help you and your company grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or e-mail Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com. Gail Rubin Death Educator Gail Rubin a 2019 Women of Influence Award Winner ALBUQUERQUE ,NM— Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist, is being rec- ognized as one of the 2019 Women of Influence by the Albuquerque Business First business news outlet. While the 20 honorees include women from many spheres of business, includ- ing health care, higher ed- ucation, and law, Rubin is the only honoree who is a death educator. Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she’s an expert on “the par- ty no one wants to plan.” Through her company, A Good Goodbye: Funer- al Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die , she helps people plan ahead for end- of-life issues using humor, funny film clips, and out- side-the-box activities. “My motto is, talk- ing about sex won’t make you pregnant, and talking about funerals and end-of- life issues won’t make you dead,” said Rubin. Rubin is a public speak- er, a published author of three books, host of a tele- vision interview series and podcast, a blogger, a fu- neral industry trade jour- nalist, a Certified Funeral Celebrant, and an innova- tor in the funeral business. She created a conversation- starting game called The Newly-Dead Game®, in- troduced the Death Café movement in the United States, and held the first Before I Die Festival west of the Mississippi in 2017. Rubin gives back to the Al- buquerque community in a number of ways. She serves as a board member of Fa- thers Building Futures, a nonprofit social enterprise that gives jobs and skills to previously incarcerated par- ents, reducing recidivism. Their clients make caskets and urns in their wood- working shop; a volunteer with the Chevrah Kadis- ha, the Jewish burial society, those who wash and dress the bodies of Jews in the tra- ditional tahara ritual; mem- ber of the cemetery commit- tee for Congregation Albert synagogue; past president and board member of the New Mexico Interfaith Di- alogue, which holds an an- nual Spring Colloquium that facilitates meaningful conversations among Chris- tians, Jews and Muslims; president-elect of the Na- tional Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter and an officer of Albuquerque Challenge Toastmasters In- ternational Club. The awards selection pro- cess began with an open call for nominations from the community. Nominees submitted a detailed appli- cation, which was evaluated by a panel of judges who are leaders in the business com- munity and alumna of the award. The judges evaluat- ed applicants based on their professional achievement, community involvement and leadership. Rubin and the other 2019 Women of Influence were honored at the 15th annual awards luncheon on February 25, at Sandia Resort and Casino. Award- ees were featured in a spe- cial edition of Albuquer- que Business First, along with the more than 300 women who have been honored over 15 years. Learn more and down- load a planning form and Executor’s Check- list from Rubin’s website, www.AGoodGoodbye.com. SAVE BIG! EMITTE LIQUID CANDLE FUEL PLUS,with every order... ■ Free shipping& free returns! ■ And,anadditional 5%discount! [when you enter promotional code “Fuel”] Buydirect at ChurchCatalog.com and receive all the same services as youdowhenpurchasingour products through Amazon... Plusmore! MADE INUSA Send Us Your News! 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