October 2020

Page A40 OCTOBER 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A BUCHANAN,GA— The active members of the Acad- emy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, Inc, elect new Board of Trustees members for a term of six years. The Academy is proud to announce that the two new board members who have been elected for the 2021-2026 term are Crystal Matthews-Mar- row, CFSP and Sheri Stahl, CFSP. Matthews-Marrow is employed with her family firm Matthews Family Mortuary in Rocky Mount, NC. She is a graduate of the funeral service program at Fay- etteville Technical Community College and also holds an Associate degree in Business from Edgecombe Com- munity College. Crystal was selected as the 2015 Pro- fessional of the Year by the Eastern District Funeral Di- rectors and Morticians Association of North Carolina. Stahl is the funeral home manager of Simplicity: Lowcountry Cremation&Burial Services of Bluff- ton, SC. She holds a Bachelor of Political Science and a Master of Public Administration fromThe College of Charleston. Sheri is a past-president of CANA and is on the Membership Resources Advisory Commit- tee for the National Funeral Directors Association. News Educational SARASOTA,FL— Bogati Urn Company is proud to an- nounce Alaina Webster as the recipient of its third Annu- al Bogati Urn Company Scholarship. Webster, a first-year student in Cypress College’s Mortuary Science program, was awarded $1500 for her continuation of her education. Her personal experiences in memorializing her own de- ceased loved ones, as well as two years of time working in the funeral industry, have led Webster to the undeniable realiza- tion of her calling “for caring for the recently deceased and the people they leave behind.” In her scholarship application essay, Webster said, “In a sense, I feel that funeral workers are the unsung heroes of our society. What would we do without caring, educated individuals who are willing to do this vital work? It is a privilege to be counted among them.” It was this heartfelt passion, the evident dedication to and established work ethic in the funeral industry, and rave rec- ommendations from both her industry employer and edu- cational advisors, that made Bogati’s scholarship commit- tee take note and ultimately offer Webster the 2020 award. “As we read about Alaina, we were impressed with how she’s made such professional strides in just a couple short years,” said Andrea Bogard LeBlanc, founder of Bogati Urn Company. “Imagine our surprise to learn she’s just now starting her official education in our industry. That spoke volumes to our team, and we’re proud to award this year’s scholarship to someone whose passion will surely be an asset to our field in years to come.” Bogati Urns established the scholarship, which will pro- vide funeral service or mortuary science program stu- dents annually with financial awards ranging from $500 to $2,500 per school year, in February 2018 as a way to give back to the industry that has helped the company grow. Applications will again be accepted in early 2021 for the fourth Annual Bogati scholarship opportunity. Bogati Urns is headquartered in Sarasota, FL and is a proud member of several industry organizations, including the As- sociation of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida; Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association; Cremation Asso- ciation of North America; and Pet Loss Professionals Alliance. For more information on Bogati Urn Company, visit www.bogatiurns.com. Bogati Urn Company Announces Recipient of 3rd Annual Mortuary Student Scholarship The Academy Elects New Members of Board of Trustees Crystal Matthews-Marrow Sheri Stahl new board of trustees members in October. However, due to the cur- rent pandemic, these ceremonies will be held sometime next year. The Academy also recognizes the retiring board members for their dedication and service to the board. The retir- ing board members will be John Ev- ans of Norwalk, OH and Cheryl V. Anderson of Albemarle, NC Incorporated in 1976, the Acade- my of Professional Funeral Service Practice is one of the oldest organi- zations providing a program for pro- fessional certification in the United States. With almost 2,400 members worldwide, 1,600 of whom have achieved the designation of Certi- fied Funeral Service Practitioner, the Academy offers a voluntary certifi- cation program for funeral service practitioners to accomplish educa- tional, professional, and commu- nity oriented goals in an organized fashion, recognizing funeral direc- tors who raise and improve the stan- dards of funeral service. For more information about the Certified Funeral Service Prac- tice (CFSP) designation or mem- bership in the Academy of Pro- fessional Funeral Service Practice, contact executive director Patty S. Hutcheson, CFSP at 866-431- 2377 or visit www.apfsp.org. The Academy usually holds installation ceremonies for