Page A4 JUNE 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A By Nancy Weil Ah, June the month when schools end, graduations are celebrated and the summer season officially arrives. The urgency to savor each ray of sunshine, each new flower that blooms, eagerly awaiting the harvest of the vegetables you just planted and, perhaps, a much-needed vacation. For many of you reading this, that vacation seems like an impossible dream. I have heard again and again (and again…) that you are busier than you have ever been and working without enough staff. “If only I could hire one more person, I would be able to take a day off,” is a common phrase and desire. I wonder if the rest of the world understands that funeral service is truly a 24/7/365 job where closing the door for a weekend off is not likely to happen. Not unless… A. You have a large enough staff to work with one person away B. You have a good relationship with a funeral director who is willing to cover for you in your absence C. Nope…can’t think of another scenario where leaving the funeral home with coverage and without you can occur. Cemeterians are in a similar position. Yes, there are regular posted hours. Yes, burials are scheduled in advance. However, the office lights need to be on during those hours and grave diggers need to be in position to open and close those graves when needed. Calls must be answered, families guided to their loved one’s grave and the business of the cemetery must continue. So, what does a vacation look like for you this summer? For some, it may be a visit to family or friends. For others, a cruise, a trip to the beach, a camping (or glamping) adventure. A lucky few may be off to an exotic retreat an ocean away. Perhaps it is a “staycation” and an opportunity Random Musings to enjoy time at home. No matter the destination, the need for a pause/an exhale/a rest is more needed than ever. Here’s why: • Burnout is real and it is causing some dedicated funeral directors to rethink their professional options and leave to work in other trades. With a shortage of qualified funeral directors already, losing even one is a very big loss. For those who remain, this burnout leaves you not working at your optimal level with a “too much to do, too little time” mindset. This leads to… • Stress overtaking your entire being. As cortisol levels rise and the adrenaline flows, the fight/flight/freeze response kicks in and your entire physiology changes. Breathing changes, blood pressure rises, heart rate increases and all of this leads to… • Your Health being impacted. Trying to push through and work even when you know you need a rest, can result in a health crisis where you are not able to work. The phrase I ask myself is, “Will the world still be turning tomorrow if…?” The sun will rise even if you take a day off. Even if you must close your doors for a day or turn the phones over the answering service. Of course, no one wants to do this, my grandmother taught me that, “Mother Nature makes big loans, but she collects.” In other words, you can push your body only so far before it eventually catches up with you. So even if you don’t do this for yourself, do it for the ones you love for this leads to… • Reconnecting with yourself, your family and your friends. Taking a vacation/break allows you time for long conversations, fun adventures, bonding opportunities and space to ponder and dream, which always leads to… • New ideas and clarity. When you step away from your work-life, it allows you to gain a new perspective on what I Need a Vacation Serving as Member Resources Director at the International Order of the Golden Rule, Nancy Weil brings her years of experience working in the funeral industry to funeral directors across the globe. Her professional experience includes serving as Director of Grief Support and Community Outreach at Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater, FL and at eleven cemeteries in Western New York. Nancy travels throughout the country offering presentations on how to reduce stress, combat compassion fatigue and offer support for those who are grieving through her company, The Laugh Academy. With certifications as a Grief Services Provider and Grief ManagementSpecialist, FuneralCelebrant, Soul InjuryAmbassador and Laughter Leader, Nancy is uniquely qualified to bring new perspectives into how to best meet the needs of the families you serve. For more information on how Nancy can help you and your company grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or email Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com. F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columnsonline at you are doing and why you are doing it. You return to the office re-energized filled with a newfound enthusiasm for the work you do. Taking a break also allows you to realize that a perfect balance between work/ home will never be achieved, however this realization also leads to… • Realizing that the #1 reason to take a vacation is because, you Deserve it. As hard as you work, so too must you have planned time off to shift to doing the other things that fills your soul and brings you joy. So, find the time, make the time or run away and join the circus, but in the next few months, have a much-needed, well-deserved, and fun-filled vacation. You will benefit from it, but so will your funeral home or cemetery. 2022 INTERNATIONAL EMBALMING & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY CONFERENCE FOR PROFESSIONAL EMBALMERS Register to attend the professional conference entirely focused on Embalming & Specialized Reconstructive Surgery Techniques and dedicated to the Value of Open Casket Viewing. Embalming and reconstructive subjects will be presented by multiple speakers, providing information on the latest and best techniques to deal with difficult and special cases. Open to all licensed, qualified and apprentice embalmers as well as Mortuary Science students. Attendance is accepted on first-come-first-served basis and limited to first 150 registrants. Fees are refundable if you cannot attend. Register online at FNACADEMY.COM or for more information contact: Vernie R. Fountain, Embalmer, Reconstructive Surgery Specialist, CFSP vrfountain@earthlink.net or (417) 833-5130 Donn Kell Floyd and wife Mary Floyd Rollings Funeral Service Announces Addition of South Carolina Funeral Home Floyd Funeral Home the next chapter of his life. When asked why he decided to choose Rollings Funeral Service, Floyd said “I didn’t want to go with a big corporation. Greg and Debbie are a husband-and-wife company which would allow the funeral home to still be family owned.” Floyd also noted the ease with which the whole process went left him feeling he definitely made the right decision with Rollings Funeral Service. “I would recommend Rollings Funeral service 1,000,000%,” Floyd commented. Annually, Floyd Funeral Home serves around 100 families. With over 80 locations, Rollings Funeral Service is one of the largest private funeral home owners in the eastern United States. With each of their firms operated on the local level, their managers work directly with Rollings Funeral Service to establish budgets, pricing, and best practices. They also pride themselves on being a great alternative to selling to a publicly traded company and they continue to search for firms that will be a great fit to their growing family of funeral homes. TYRONE,GA—Rollings Funeral Service is proud to announce their recent addition of Floyd Funeral Home in Olanta, SC. The funeral home, which has been serving its community since 1927, was formerly owned by Donn Kell Floyd. Greg Rollings, president and CEO of Rollings Funeral Service, commented “Floyd Funeral Home has over 90 years of experience serving Olanta with care foundation of service in their community.” Rollings also mentioned that this marks his eighth location in South Carolina. Speaking with Donn Kell Floyd, he mentioned that with the over 40 years in funeral service and ongoing health issues, it was time he started looking at slowing down and beginning and compassion. Kell’s grandfather founded the funeral home in the ‘20’s and it has been in the Floyd family ever since. Debbie and I look forward to helping continue the Floyd family legacy and help build upon their strong Send Us Your News! We welcome news of the industry. info@NomisPublications.com PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 CALL 1-800-321-7479 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS
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