What Is a Funeral Celebrant?

When a loved one dies and you are faced with the difficult task of planning a funeral, one of the biggest decisions you will have to make is who will conduct the service.  If your loved one was not religious and you do not feel comfortable choosing a pastor or priest to perform the ceremony, there are other options to choose from.  A certified celebrant is a great alternative to a clergy person.  

A funeral celebrant is an individual who is trained and certified to meet the needs of families during their time of loss.  Because they are not affiliated with the church, certified celebrants are a great alternative for those families who do not want a religious funeral service.  Rather than placing an emphasis on the word of the Lord, celebrants focus on the individual.

The celebrant spends hours with family members and close friends creating the ceremony, learning about the deceased, crafting a eulogy and conducting the ceremony.  They provide a service that reflects the personality of the deceased by incorporating unique stories, songs, readings, quotes and experiences.  More than anything, this is a tribute to the deceased and their wishes.  There is no need to worry because certified celebrants are bound by a confidentiality code.

Through comprehensive and sensitive training, certified celebrants have found a way to step outside the box of “traditional” funerals while still providing a meaningful ceremony.  If you’re interested in having a celebrant conduct your loved one’s funeral, White Haven Memorial Park has celebrants trained and certified by In-Sight Institute.  

White Haven charges a small fee of $100 to have one of our on-staff certified celebrants plan and conduct your service.  Since the celebrant will spend approximately 10 hours in preparation for a service, it is customary for the family to present the celebrant with an honorarium for their services as well.  To learn more about our certified celebrants, Nanci Deleo and Donna Miller, please contact White Haven at 585-586-5250 or browse our memorial services online.

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's Audubon Program

Started in 1991, the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System is a not-for-profit environmental organization specializing in sustainable resource management.  The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program works with landowners to find creative solutions benefiting both the environment and the landowner.  In 1993, White Haven became the first cemetery to join the program and become fully certified in all five categories including Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Resource Conservation, Waste Management, and Outreach & Education.

This organization has helped White Haven manage its property with wildlife and the environment in mind.  To help our wildlife, we keep two ponds open throughout the winter – one behind Creation Chapel and the other at the beginning of our Nature Trail.  The moving water in these ponds provides an open source of water for wildlife in the winter, when most other sources of water are frozen.  Attracting and caring for wildlife is one of the many ways we try to make White Haven a beautiful place to remember.

We have also found creative ways to offer new burial options without destroying the great variety of plant materials and wildlife habitats we have on our property.  For example, instead of cutting down trees to make more lawn burial areas, we created our unique Nature Trail within a natural, hardwood forest.  We also found a way to use an existing wildflower meadow for green burials.  By preserving both the forest and the meadow, we not only created unique, new burial options for our community, we protected those two wildlife habitats and all of the deer, fox, coyotes and hundreds of birds, insects, reptiles and smaller mammals that call those places home.

With the help of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, the projects White Haven has undertaken have benefited the environment, increased wildlife, saved money and delighted our visitors.  To learn more about the nature, wildlife and unique burial options at White Haven Memorial Park, please browse our website at www.whitehavenmemorialpark.com.

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.

Fall Season in White Haven Memorial Park

The fall season brings the arrival of cooler temperatures, brightly colored foliage and falling leaves.  At White Haven Memorial Park, we offer a great outdoor area to enjoy autumn colors, a large selection of trees and an assortment of plants.  For anyone planning a family trip to the Powers Market before Halloween, we are right across the street!  Why not drive through White Haven while in the neighborhood.  Our grounds have plenty to offer as the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon in the park!

Green Burials

White Haven offers eco-friendly burial options designed to be kept free of herbicides and pesticides.  This is a lovely wildflower meadow that is home to a variety of wildlife including birds, deer, foxes, and turkeys wandering by.  During the fall season, enjoy frolicking in the changing weather and foliage.

Nature Trail

White Haven’s Nature Trail is a stunning forest with plenty of wildlife and added waterfalls.  Join us this autumn and listen to the soothing sounds of babbling brooks, serene ponds and peaceful pine trees.  This picturesque setting is a calm and peaceful place to celebrate the beauty of life.  This season, you can enjoy our unconventional nature trail as the leaves start to change.  It is truly a beautiful sight you do not want to miss.

Morton Register

White Haven Memorial Park’s nature trail has over 100 species of trees and is certified as a level 1 Arboretum by the Morton Register.  This is a great honor as the Morton Register of Arboreta is a comprehensive list and database of public gardens that has a substantial focus on woody plants.  The purpose of the Morton Register is to identify all of the organizations in the world that collect and display trees, shrubs and other woody plants for the benefit of the public, science and conservation.  The Morton Register is a constantly growing database and we are happy to be part of a group that has an impact on our community.

White Haven is not just your ordinary cemetery.  In addition to beautiful scenery and wildlife, we also offer burial options in our natural settings.  From full casket to cremation burials, contact White Haven Memorial Park for more information!  Browse our website at www.whitehavenmemorialpark.com or call 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.