|
|
 Eyeglasses Needed |
The Lions Clubs International has long been known for its involvement in helping to meet major humanitarian challenges. Perhaps best known for their work in conquering blindness, local Lions Clubs place receptacles in public places for the collection of eyeglasses. The Lions Club appeals to community members to search for eyeglasses that are no longer being used. It is said that the Lions Club is "Changing lives ... one pair at a time."
The Lions Recycle for Sight program collects used eyeglasses and delivers them to the regional Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers where volunteers sort them by prescription strength and type. The glasses are cleaned and stored in the warehouse until they are requested for a mission.
When areas of Sri Lanka were devastated by the tsunami of 2004, more than 2.5 million people were displaced by the tragedy - and thousands lost their eyeglasses and their ability to see clearly. Working together, Lions in Sri Lanka and Massachusetts collected more than 30,000 usable eyeglasses. With support from Lions Clubs International Foundation and Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers worldwide, an emergency mission team provided eye examinations, eyeglasses, and training to help local Lions run a permanent clinic and recycling program. In all, 100,000 pairs of eyeglasses were provided, giving thousands the sight they needed to read, study, manage daily tasks, and earn a living.
Lions recycle glasses at 17 centers worldwide. They support Lions Eye Banks, which annually provide quality eye tissue for 30,000 sight-saving surgeries, medical education and eye research. The Lions support vision screenings for hundreds of thousands of people every year.
In 1925, Helen Keller challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." They accepted the challenge and today sight programs remain one of their defining causes.
Keohane Funeral and Cremation Service has set up a Lions Club Used Eyeglass Collection Box at their Quincy location at 785 Hancock Street. Please stop by to donate your used eyeglasses and help "save lives ... one pair at a time."
|
|
Harvest Helpers a Rewarding Experience | |
Scott Whittemore, facilities manager, at Keohane Funeral and Cremation Service for more than 27 years, was the driving force behind Harvest Helpers, a project in partnership with Interfaith Social Services to grow vegetables for needy families in the area.
Scott dug and planted tomatoes, beans, peppers, squash and herbs that were tended from seedlings to harvest. "Planting a garden in a small space by the funeral home carport was quite a challenge, but it yielded a lot of fresh produce that we donated to the Interfaith Food Pantry in Quincy," Scott said. "It was hard work, but it was a very rewarding experience."
John Keohane added, "We are very pleased that we have been able to help our neighbors in such an innovative way. This was a win-win for everyone involved."
 |
|
|
Spotlight on ...
Kathleen Kane | |
Some people take a long time to decide what they want to be when they grow up, but Kathy Kane knew at a very young age that she wanted to be a funeral director. She was only six years old when her grandfather, who lived with her, and who she loved very much, died at home. Kathy wanted to go to his funeral and her mom allowed her to go.
Later when she expressed her desire to become a funeral director, her parents did not encourage her. They told her that to become a funeral director you had to have a family-owned funeral home. Her mom and dad didn't believe being a funeral director was an appropriate career choice for a girl.
Kathy attended Northeastern University and graduated as a para-legal. After working in that field for a few years, she realized that she didn't want to do this for her whole life. Why did she choose the legal field when what she really wanted to do was be a funeral director? "It was a safe choice. I was told I could earn good money ... but even while working for the law firm, I decided to go to embalming school."
While attending the New England Institute (now called New England Institute at Mount Ida College), she was assigned to work for a week at Keohane Funeral and Cremation Service in Quincy. "It was a school assignment, but I never left! I did my apprenticeship there and here I am 24 years later!"
"Kathy is a determined individual who sets a goal and works diligently towards it," says Dennis Keohane. While working here, she decided to attend nursing school - the Laboure College Nursing School and she became a registered nurse."
"I see nursing and being a funeral director very closely related. Both require compassion and a nurturing personality," Kathy explained. "I work a ten day schedule at Keohane's with four days off. On three of those days, I work as a nurse caring for patients in their homes."
Kathy says being a funeral director is what she always thought it would be ... a very rewarding experience. "I get letters and cards from families after the funeral. They express gratitude and thanks. People say, 'thank you for your kindness in helping us cope ... we will always hold a special place for you in our hearts.' That is what it is really all about - I am given the honor of taking care of a family and I always try to exceed their expectations."
Kathy lost both her parents at relatively young ages so she has experienced loss and the hurt and grief that follows. She feels that this experience just makes her a better funeral director.
In her spare time, Kathy enjoys reading and taking vacations and quick get-aways with friends. She and a large group of friends she grew up with have visited Aruba and Las Vegas and love weekends at the Cape or in Maine. What she enjoys most of all, however, is working... Will she think about retirement? "OH NO!" she emphatically answers. "I can't see myself retiring. I love my work and I plan to just keep right on doing it ... to the very end." |
|
Coping with Grief
during the Holidays
| | The holidays can be difficult for those of us who have lost a loved one, particularly if this is the first holiday season without that person. This usually joyous time of year is often accompanied by painful reminders of the person we are missing and apprehension about how we will cope with the festivities all around us.
In "Coping with the Holidays - The Road to Recovery," published by the International Order of the Golden Rule, an anonymous writer says, "I thought I was doing much better. The pain had subsided: I could laugh again. I was beginning to spend time with friends. My eating and sleeping patterns were back to normal. Then, I had to face my first holiday without him. I felt the familiar effects of grief wash over me and it was just like the healing process had never even begun."
The key to managing grief during this time is to give yourself permission to be flexible and to try to anticipate changes you may wish to make. We have listed some suggestions below which we hope will help you face the coming season knowing that you are not alone in your ambivalence about the holidays, and that there are coping strategies available.
1) It is important to acknowledge that adjustments will be necessary in the traditions and celebrations of the holiday season.
2) Use a journal to write down your feelings and fears concerning the holidays. Clarifying your thoughts will help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed. View the holiday season as a series of small events, rather than as endless commitments and demands.
3) Plan ahead to participate in some holiday activities to avoid having to make decisions under pressure. If you are not sure about an invitation, be tentative. Explain that some days are better than others and you may attend if you feel up to it.
4) Build in quiet time to your schedule so you don't resent having too much to do.
5) Getting into the spirit by decorating can bring warmth into your home. Ask family and friends to help if it all seems too much to do alone.
6) If you are not ready to celebrate this year, that's OK. If you have children, discuss holiday changes with them so they don't feel confused or punished.
7) If you find yourself alone for the holidays, use the time to pamper yourself - do something you've wanted to do and haven't had the time for.
8) If you don't want to be alone, make a plan not to spend the holidays by yourself. Call family and friends and tell them you'd like to spend some time with them.
9) Do for others: Put together a holiday gift package or basket of food for a needy family.
10) Start a new tradition in memory of your loved one.
There are several local resources in the area that offer support for individuals experiencing grief. These include, but are not limited to: The South Shore Family Health Collaborative in Quincy (617-745-4100); Teravive, an online resource for grief counselors: www.theravive.com/services; and The Compassionate Friends, a support group for families after the loss of a child (781-749-3401).
Remember that there is no right or wrong way to experience grief; nor is there a time limit for our feelings. We all experience loss differently. We hope that the suggestions listed above will help you get through this time of year and to choose the strategies that are right for you.
Back to Top |
|
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to have a Memorial Service to celebrate my Dad's life. He was cremated after his death a few weeks ago. Family and friends will be getting together for the holidays and this will be a perfect time to have a Memorial Service ... but, I just don't know where to start! Is this something a funeral home can help with? | |
We are often asked to assist family members to plan a Memorial Service. A Memorial Service is different than a funeral. It is held without a body present and can be scheduled after cremation or burial, no matter when death occurred. A Memorial Service is a unique way to honor the memory of a loved one, to express your love, and to celebrate a life. Often called a Celebration of Life service, a memorial service is a meaningful commemorative ceremony that needs scheduling, pre-planning, a bit of creativity, and a focus on celebrating a life, rather than mourning a death.
We meet with the family to review what they would like to see included in the service. Sometimes their loved ones have left their own written wishes. We'll help set a date and secure a location, whether at the funeral home or a nearby venue. Where you hold the event is up to you and you have several choices. The Memorial Service can be at the funeral home, a nearby restaurant, a church, or even at a favorite park, beach, or lake. If you would like to have clergy officiate or have other speakers for the service, the funeral director can may those arrangements for you.
We'll help you decide on the components, the flow, and the order of the service. Do you want the event to be formal or informal with family and friends telling stories and sharing memories? Will there be a eulogy and/or speeches? Will additional readings, poems, or scripture passages be included? Will there be music? Singers? What types of decorations are desired? Is there to be a theme, based on the vocation or hobby of the deceased? What about food and beverages? The funeral director, as coordinator of the memorial service, can obtain food service, which can range from light refreshments to seated luncheons or elaborate catered dinners.
Sharing memories and preserving memories are important elements of a Memorial Service. They may include having guests bring a favorite memento, photos, news clippings or recollections that can be assembled into a Memory Book. A video montage of photos can be created and shared at the service. Artwork that the deceased created can be on display and enjoyed by all. There may be a butterfly or dove release. A tree may be planted in the loved one's memory or a special tribute gift like a plaque or bench may be unveiled.
There is no end to the creativity that can be exercised when planning a Memorial Service. The focus is on remembering and celebrating a loved one's life. It helps to affirm the worth of our relationship with the one that has died and to remember and share those memories with others. While there are no rules in planning a Memorial Service, there are a lot of decisions to be made and the funeral director as event planner and coordinator of the Memorial Service will handle all the details.
|
|
Family owned and operated since 1937, Keohane Funeral & Cremation Service has three locations: 785 Hancock Street, Quincy; 333 Hancock Street, North Quincy; and the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home at 21 Emerald Street, Hingham.
Keohane Funeral & Cremation Service 617-773-3551 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
