When is a church not a church?

With the rising popularity of cremation and the relative ease with which cremated remains can be stored almost anywhere, more and more churches are offering congregants the opportunity to be buried right where they worship.  Other organizations, such as colleges and sports teams have followed suit as well.

If you are not concerned with the permanence of the arrangement, this type of burial might be a fine way to show support for your church or your team.  If you’d like a burial place that will be there for future generations of your family, however, you might want to think again.

The surprising truth is that large numbers of churches are being abandoned across the country.  Some, like the church pictured from Buffalo, NY, are simply left to deteriorate.  Others, such as the one pictured below from Ocean County, NJ, are turned into a business, such as a liquor store, restaurant, hotel, concert hall or antique store.

In Monroe County alone, there are currently no less than 7 churches currently for sale.  Many others have already been sold.  For example, you can clearly recognize the former purpose of the building when you dine at Maria’s Mexican Restaurant at 75 West Main St. in Webster.

So, when considering a burial location for yourself and your family you may want to consider the likely longevity of the organization providing the burial site.  Even though churches in general have been around forever, there is no guarantee that any one church will last that long.  A regulated cemetery, however, is much more likely to be around for eternity.  In New York State, if the company managing a given cemetery should fail, the local city or town in which it is located is required by law to take it over and maintain it forever.

For more reasons to consider a permanent burial spot for cremated remains of your loved ones, and even your pets, please visit our website.

Is Above Ground Burial Right for You?

Is Above Ground Burial Right for You?

The beauty and solitude of winter is all around us here in Pittsford, NY. While winter is known for its tranquility, it can also bring harsh and inclement weather. In the wake of these conditions, you might find yourself trudging through snow, slush and ice to visit a loved one’s grave, or attend a memorial celebration service. 

At White Haven Memorial Park, we offer a variety of burial options for families to consider. From beautiful outdoor sites in a meadow or by a shady tree, to an indoor mausoleum or columbarium with options for caskets, urns or one casket plus one urn.  Here are some benefits to choosing an above ground burial location in one of our indoor settings.

• 
  Weather proof – Summer can bring hot and humid conditions and torrential rains. Winter’s cold, snow and ice can make it difficult to visit your loved one’s grave or attend a memorial service.
• Timeless elegance – Our well-appointed mausoleum and columbarium buildings are constructed and maintained to stand the test of time.
• Comfort – Visit your loved one’s grave site while sitting in a comfortable upholstered chair, next to a cozy fireplace in a climate controlled setting.
• Cost-effective – Traditional in-ground burials require the purchase of a burial plot, a burial vault and a grave marker. An above ground burial has one package price that eliminates many of the extra expenses of a traditional burial.
• Lock-in pricing – Prices for above ground burial can be locked in to current costs. If needed, budget plans with interest-free payments can be developed to spread costs over several years, making it more affordable.
• Eco-friendly – Choosing burial in a mausoleum or columbarium conserves land.  
• Special touches – Each of our buildings is decorated with floral displays. Remember your loved one on a special day such as a birthday or anniversary by dedicating the arrangement in their honor.  We also provide visitor’s registers in every building so you can write a note to your loved one when you come to visit.

At White Haven Memorial Park, our goal is to provide you with a variety of options so that you and your loved ones feel celebrated at the end of life. We are here to help you create a burial plan and memorial service that will honor your last wishes. If you have any questions about the wide variety of burial options available or would like to come visit our grounds, please contact us today.  

Healing and The Holidays at White Haven Memorial Park

Many of our best memories in life are spending time with family and friends during the holidays.  While we look forward to another holiday season full of joy and celebration, we also miss loved ones we have lost and want to take time to remember them.

We understand that this time of year can be especially hard if you have experienced a loss, and we want to support you in your healing and the honoring of your friend or family member.    Our staff at White Haven Memorial Park is here to offer our comfort and invite you to share your memories with us.  Connecting with others through stories about your loved one is an instrumental component to the healing process.

White Haven Memorial Park also provides you with free printed resources to address your specific needs while grieving.  Every individual’s grieving process is different, so it is vital to equip yourself with the resources most suited to your situation.  We welcome you to come by and select some reading material that will be most beneficial to your healing.  

The holiday season is a good time to establish new traditions to honor your loved one.  We suggest visiting the cemetery and burial site to spend some time in reflection and remembrance.  It is helpful to demonstrate that your loved one has not been forgotten, and many people find the cemetery offers a quiet sense of peace while mourning that is difficult to obtain elsewhere.  

Honoring the life of the deceased through loving thoughts and actions helps you along your journey after loss because it affirms the relationship you cherished.  Some special ways you can honor your loved one during the holidays at White Haven Memorial Park include; placing a wreath on the grave, dedicating holiday flower arrangements in the mausoleum, or ordering a holiday arrangement for the vase on the niche or crypt.  Please feel free to contact us for assistance or other suggestions at (585)-586-5250.  

We also encourage you to find healing in your celebration of the unique life of your loved one and the incredible memories you made together.  You are invited to our Holiday Remembrance Service on Saturday, December 3rd at 4:00 p.m. in the All Seasons Chapel, featuring music, poetry and names and photos of the loved ones that have been given to us in advance.

For further information on any of these healing opportunities, please visit our website at whitehavenmemorialpark.com or call us at (585)-586-5250.

Comparing Above Ground and In Ground Burial

Above ground crypts or mausoleum burials were once reserved for the rich and famous. They are associated with a refined, aristocratic air which makes them an increasingly popular choice for modern burials. But how much more do they cost than a traditional ground burial?

Most people are very surprised to learn that above ground burial usually costs no more than in ground burial when all costs are included. Even though the price of a crypt to hold one casket is more than the price of one grave, the crypt includes several items that must be purchased separately or cost more for in ground burial.

• Memorialization: Bronze lettering for names and dates is included with a crypt, but a monument or memorial for the ground burial must be purchased separately at a cost that is usually $1,000 or more.
• Burial Vault: Most cemetaries require the use of a concrete burial vault to protect the casket when making a ground burial. These vaults can cost $1,200 or more. They are not required at all with above ground burial because the crypt is its own, protective concrete vault, included in the price.
• Burial Fees: Making a ground burial is more labor intensive and therefore more expensive that making an above ground burial. The higher cost of the burial fee can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of in ground burial. 

Once people understand that the cost is about the same for a full casket burial, whether it is in the ground or above the ground, they move on to consider many of the other benefits to above ground burial, such as the ability to visit in comfort year round.  And, of course, above ground burial is available for cremation burials as well and at an even lower cost.

At White Haven Memorial Park, we have many options for you to consider, from above ground burial in our Lasting Light Mausoleum with a cozy fireplace nearby, to cremation burials on our Nature Trail in a beautiful, hardwood forest.  We even offer eco-friendly or “green” burials in a wildflower meadow at White Haven for the environmentally conscious.

Whether you choose an above ground or in ground burial, at White Haven Memorial Park you can be sure your loved one’s memorial will be a beautiful and dignified site at a cost and terms tailored to fit your budget.  For more information about our burial options, please call (585) 586-5250 to set up a tour at no cost or obligation to you. 

Cremation Burial Options at White Haven

When a loved one passes on, there are a number of burial and memorialization choices to consider.  In recent years, cremation has become a frequent option for those looking to save money and decrease stress during this difficult time.  It is important to understand, though, that cremation is not an end in itself, but merely one means of preparing a body for burial and memorialization.  Some people keep a loved one’s cremated remains in their personal possession; others scatter them in a special place, but in doing so they miss out on the many benefits of a permanent burial spot.

At White Haven, we create special places that people actually WANT to visit. And we

offer the widest range of burial options for those who choose cremation, including our forest nature trail, traditional ground burial, or elegant above-ground burial.

Take a closer look at our cremation burial options:

• In our Nature Trail, you can choose a site near a tree, pond or waterfall.  This is a great option, with the sights and sounds of nature all around you.
• Our Maplewood Mausoleum features lighted, glass-fronted niches to display an urn and photograph of your choice in a comfortably furnished setting you can visit all year round.
• We also have several unique options for a couple to consider when one person chooses cremation and the other does not.

Doesn’t your loved one deserve the dignity and respect of a permanent burial site?  Take a look at the importance of choosing permanent burial:

• All friends and family members have a special place to visit and remember.
• At White Haven, friends and family can visit, bring a flower or make a dedication in honor of a birthday, anniversary or any special occasion.
• All friends and family members can visit a neutral location without anyone else’s knowledge or permission.
• Unlike churches, private residences or public parks, White Haven will always be here, protected by law and open to visitation by one and all.
• White Haven will always provide a permanent record of your loved one’s life, with their name and life highlights for all to see.

Before you make an irreversible decision you may one day regret, consider the benefits of a permanent burial.  At White Haven, we believe EVERY life should be remembered forever.  With a variety of lovely settings and a full range of services, we can help provide you with cremation burial options that friends and family members will visit for years to come.  For more information, please visit White Haven Memorial Park or call (585) 586-5250.

White Haven Memorial Park and The Holidays

The holidays are a special time.  Between festive parties, decadent meals and time with the family, we also need to make time to remember those who are no longer here.  We hope that you will take the time to cherish both your friends and family that are with you now and also those who have passed on.

The loss of a loved one is one of the single most traumatic experiences of a lifetime.  The holidays can be an extremely difficult time for those who are grieving a death.  At White Haven, we offer free literature as well as a variety of programs and services throughout the year to help you cope with your loss and remember your loved one.  For more information, please contact Donna Miller at 585-586-8232.

We want our cemetery at White Haven to provide a symbolic bridge to maintain the connection between the living and the dead.  Years of observance has shown that cemeteries facilitate healing and recovery in several ways including memorialization, visitation, participation and information.  Visiting the dead long after death can keep the relationship alive and fill the void created by the loss.

In many cases, death ends suffering for one but is just the beginning of suffering for those left behind.  The facility at White Haven Memorial Park has everything you need and so much more to remember your loved one fondly.  You can attend our Holiday Remembrance Service on December 5, order a holiday wreath for your loved one's grave or holiday arrangement for your loved one's crypt or niche, or simply take the time to visit your loved one and then go for a leisurely stroll along our Nature Trail. Whatever means you choose, we hope that your White Haven connection will help to ease your loss in some small way.

For further information on any of these healing opportunities, please visit our website at whitehavenmemorialpark.com or call us at (585)-586-5250.

White Haven's Nature Trail

Located in Pittsford, New York, White Haven Memorial Park has a variety of lovely settings and a range of options for your burial requests. When you are looking at future options for you or a loved one, consider a natural cremation burial located in the scenic area. White Haven's Nature Trail offers a unique burial option located around a serene pond, under mature pine trees or along a babbling brook. With many cremation burial sites along our beautiful forest paths, White Haven Memorial Park might be the best possible choice for you to commemorate a life lived. 

Called "The Forest", part of the Nature Trail is a stunning forest with plenty of wildlife and added waterfalls. Listen to the soothing sounds of water and enjoy the hums of birds, deer, fox and turkeys wandering by. This picturesque setting is a calm and peaceful place to celebrate the beauty of life. 

Along White Haven's Nature Trail, there are rocks scattered around with bronze plaques. The rocks represent specific spots where someone was buried and the plaques tell a little about them including their names, the dates they lived, and a special phrase or nickname. Because of the limited space amongst the trees in these natural surroundings, only cremations can be accepted in the forest. Burial may be made directly in the earth or in your choice of urn, including biodegradable urn. Memorialization in our nature trail offers a natural rock and a bronze plaque for 1 person or a double space for 2 people. You can even choose a space together for a whole family. 

People often think of cemeteries as gloomy, spooking and scary. When it comes to White Haven, our property is just the opposite. Our nature trail is filled with life and all kinds of reminders that life does go on. If you are interested in an excellent alternative to scattering by providing a special place for loved ones to visit and remember a life well lived, choose a permanent place in our natural setting. 

White Haven Memorial Park is not just your average cemetery. To learn more about our extensive range of services including both full casket and cremation burials, contact White Haven Memorial Park at 585-586-5250.