Wednesday, September 7, 2016

White Haven Rocks!


No, not like in rock ‘n roll.  REAL rocks!
About twelve years ago we got the idea to offer people a burial place that rivaled the kind of place they might go to scatter a loved one’s cremated remains.  Places like the Adirondack Mountains where they used to go camping, or wooded areas around the Finger Lakes where they used to go hiking, fishing or swimming.  Many people told us they would rather remember their loved ones in places where they made so many happy memories together.
The problem with that idea is that those places can be hard to get to on a regular basis; the ownership of the land and accessibility to the location may change over time; and not everyone who wants to remember the person can remember exactly where the person’s remains are located.  So, we created the Nature Trail for Cremation Burials in a beautiful forest located within White Haven Memorial Park. 
white haven rocks
We chose natural rocks to mark the gravesites so that the grave markers would blend right in with the natural surroundings.  Now, people could enjoy a walk in the woods right close to home and they could remember their loved one in a setting that felt more like a weekend getaway place than a suburban cemetery.  And their loved one’s memorial was there for all to see in the form of a unique, natural rock with a small, bronze plaque.
So many people liked this concept that the Nature Trail soon became our most popular burial option.  Not everyone intended to be cremated, however, and there was no room for caskets to be buried along the Nature Trail.  So we created another new burial option called Rock Lawn.  This option offers lawn burial for caskets as well as cremated remains and also offers the option to mark the grave with a natural rock and a small bronze plaque.  Now, whether people want to be cremated or not, they can choose a burial spot at either of our cemeteries that is marked by a one-of-a-kind natural rock.
Now our only challenge is to keep enough rocks on hand!  To do this, we work with several different suppliers who are all looking for a nice selection of rocks for us in the sizes and colors we need.  Once one vendor’s supply is exhausted, we call the next one! When the rocks arrive at White Haven, we sort them by size and then carve out a space on each rock where the bronze plaque will be located.  Then the rocks are ready to go on display where people can pick their very own special rock to mark their future gravesite.
Now when we say “White Haven Rocks” you know just what we mean!