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Please
You may now dedicate your gift to someone who has made a difference in the world, or simply celebrate an important event in your life on our website IN HONOR OF
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Join a committee!
Conference & Events:
Peg Lorenz &
Kristine Bentz
Education: Susan Oppie &
Anne Murphy
Fundraising:
Sara Williams &
Anne Murphy
Finance: Lynn Barnett
Legislative:
Peg Lorenz &
Sarah Crews
Membership:
Zalene Corey &
Sarah Crews
Public Relations:
Lee Webster, Donna Belk & Kateyanne Unullisi
Many hands make light work, as home funeral guides know. If you'd like to be part of any committee, you can join any time by contacting the chair. Go to Board & Committees on our website for contact information. Welcome!
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Resources Revisited
DOWNLOAD YOUR NHFA MEMBER LOGO
Let everyone know you are a member of the NHFA by putting a member logo on brochures, letters-anywhere that will help promote awareness. Log in to the NHFA webpage and go to Member Resources to download!
GET YOUR EVENT LISTED AND SEEN!
Drum up some interest in your home funeral- or green burial-specific event by sending us your event information, including where, when, what, how, and how much to nhfa.paper@gmail.com.
GREEN BURIAL CEMETERIES IN THE US & CANADA
Check back frequently on our Green Burial website page for the most up-to-date list of green burial cemeteries. New entries are being added as they come online. Cemeteries must be verifiable by phone or website. If you know of a cemetery that accepts body-to-earth burial, let us know!
THE GREEN BURIAL COUNCIL WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
Are you interested in receiving newsletters and updates about the latest green burial news from the top authority in the world? Subscribe today by going to the Green Burial Council Facebook page and click on Newsletter Signup!
 JOIN OUR DIRECTORIES * Are you a home funeral guide eager to help families?
* Are you a funeral director supporting home funeral families and guides?
* Are you a minister or celebrant willing to make home visits and conduct ceremonies for home funeral families?
* Do you enjoy speaking to church groups, schools, civic organizations about the benefits of home funerals?
Join our directories any time! Go to the for directions
PS Selecting a directory on your application does NOT automatically add you to a directory! You must contact us with the required information and photo to be added. |
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In the dead of winter, you might think things would slow down for us all, but this newsletter belies that thought. Our members are just as busy as ever working to educate the public and each other about this amazing work we have taken up. Please take a moment to read these thoughtful essays, and to jump into conference planning with us as we prepare to meet in Los Gatos in October. Want to be included? We are looking for conference volunteers, sponsors, vendors, exhibitors, silent auction items, and more, and you can help. Come roll up your sleeves with us!
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THIS WORK TAKES COURAGE
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 "The direct care of a deceased family member or kin, whether at home or in a facility, presents a naked kind of honesty - feelings of exhaustion, joy, sadness, fear, elation, relief and humor come through - and more. Being vulnerable and open to all of these emotions? Not easy. Yet repeatedly, I hear families say they would not do it any other way."
Read more about the courage of home funeral work by Kristine Bentz, hospice spiritual care provider, home funeral guide and NHFA Board Secretary.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: NORA MENKIN
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 When new NHFA member Nora Menkin filled out her membership application this past week, she included a link to a recent blog entry published by People's Memorial where she is Managing Funeral Director of The Co-op Funeral Home.
Her story about taking her professional gloves off in order to care for a friend is moving and enlightening. Think you know what funeral directors are thinking? Think again. And read this wonderful article that has a special message for home funeral guides, Touching Death. |
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WALKING EACH OTHER HOME
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 "It is important, I believe, for us to talk with each other about these situations that will inevitably come up and begin to refine how we will talk and listen to people. There is a long and winding road to the subject of actual home funeral
with a possible green or conservation burial. Being comfortable with this stage of the process is a vital part of what we as HFG's need to do and provide."
Read more of Jennifer Down's insightful essay about having The Conversation here
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A CALL TO NURSES OF THE NHFA
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 As a registered nurse for the past 16 years, I have a personal interest in getting as many nurses as possible to attend our upcoming conference October 2-4 in Los Gatos. We are working to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to nurses.
In order to be able to offer CEUs, we will need to meet the specific requirements laid out by an accrediting organization and pay the application fee. Would you be more likely to attend the conference if CEUs were offered? I would love to hear from you. Please send your comments to me by email at nursedeathmidwife@gmail.com.
Susan Oppie RN BSN CHPN
Board Member of the NHFA
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VOLUNTEERS RAISE YOUR HANDS!
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CALL FOR
VENDORS & SPONSORS
2015 NHFA BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
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Courage, Confidence, and Connections:
Home Funerals Now!
5th NHFA Conference
October 2-4, 2015
Los Gatos, California
Do you have a business or interest you would like to promote? Conferences are a great way for members to help the NHFA and have a good time doing it. Become a sponsor and you'll get loads of benefits plus lots of attention. Or become a vendor, showing off your wares during the conference. Our members want to meet you!
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GATHER YOUR SILENT AUCTION ITEMS!!!
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 At our conference in Raleigh in 2013, we held our first silent auction to great success. Attendees had a ball sharing items of interest to home funeral advocates, and it proved to be a great way to help us talk to each other. Any and all items are welcome. Just drop a Silent Auction Form to nhfa.paper@gmail.com.
And plan to bring an extra suitcase to the conference!
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SURVEY FOR PRACTICING HOME FUNERAL GUIDES FROM GROUNDED GUILD
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 Grounded Guild is an organization whose mission is to grow the family-centered funeral and green burial movement while enabling sustainable livelihoods for home funeral guides. They envision a social benefit organization with guides as key stakeholders and beneficiaries.
In an attempt to understand current home funeral guide activities, priorities, needs and interests, plus what trainees and guides need, Grounded Guild has developed a short 10-15 minute survey for practicing home funeral guides to complete: www.surveymonkey.com/s/groundedguild
Please feel free to contact Tom Long at Tom.Long@GroundedGuild.com with any questions.
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WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
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 Do you have a home funeral story to tell but need an assist? Let us know about your idea and we'll match you up with another member who can help brainstorm or provide editorial support. Your experience is valuable! Write nhfa.paper@gmail.com
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JOINING MEMBER DIRECTORIES
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Have you asked to be listed on a directory or indicate you would like to be included on your application but don't see yourself there? Members may only be included by sending their specific info and photos to nhfa.paper@gmail.com. Read the JOIN OUR DIRECTORIES to the left for descriptions.
Let's get you on there!
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LEGISLATIVE TELECONFERENCES
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Next teleconference:
TBA, March 2015
MEMBERS: Log on to the NHFA website and go to Member Resources for the call number and directions.
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JOIN OUR MONTHLY TELECONFERENCES
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Sunday, February 8 p.m. EST
Don't miss the chance to talk with other home funeral advocates and ask questions person-to-person on our monthly member teleconferences every second Sunday of the month.
MEMBERS: You must log on to the NHFA website for access information on the Member Resources page.
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Dear Reader,
A word about privacy issues - I want to reassure you that your subscriber information is protected "with the heat of a thousand suns" as our new PR chair Kateyanne Unullisi says. Our subscriber database is not shared by us with anyone. Your contact information is shared at your discretion when you either sign up or go back into your profile to make changes. You choose whether you will be listed on the Member List accessed through the Member Resources page that is password protected.
From time to time, people look for others with similar interests near them. If you want to be found, you can do several things:
- say yes to public access on your profile
- join our directories if you serve families
- become an interview resource for the press
We can help you with these at any time with a simple email. Let us know how we can help -
National Home Funeral Alliance
nhfa.paper@gmail.com
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