October 2018

Page A42 OCTOBER 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A The National Museum of Funeral History Houston, Texas Museum Corner The National Museum of Funeral History, located in Houston, Texas, houses the country’s largest collection of funeral service artifacts and features renowned exhibits on one of man’s oldest cultural customs. It belongs to YOU and everyone in the funeral industry. Visitors can discover the mourning rituals of ancient civilizations, see up-close au- thentic items used in the funerals of US Presidents and Popes and ex- plore the rich heritage of the industry which cares for the dead. The museum is located at 415 Barren Springs Drive, Houston, TX 77090 and is open Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm, Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 12pm-5pm. Admission is $10 for adults and children age 12 and older, $9 for seniors and vet- erans; $7 for children 6-11 years old; and free for children age 5 and younger. For more information, visit www.nmfh.org, “like” the museum on Facebook or call 281-876-3063. www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. Blogs and arts and crafts for the kids, great food from local ven- dors, a live DJ, silent auction and more. Everyone is encouraged to wear Halloween costumes to this one-day only event. Children can trick or treat from trunk to trunk as families enjoy the Halloween-themed cars. Visitors can marvel at the exquisite artistry and touching tributes of Dia de los Muertos, the color- ful religious celebration honoring deceased loved ones that is practiced by Meso-American cultures. Learn about the Latin customs surrounding the Day of the Dead celebrations held for deceased loved ones. Explore authentic altars made by local artists, com- memorate your loved one by leaving them a message in the Book of the Dead. Admission includes fun parent-supervised activities for the children and viewing of Coco , the 2017 Disney ani- mated film about a boy who journeys into the Land of the Dead to seek forgiveness from his ancestors and lift a curse. The History of Cremation Exhibit Now Open On September 17, 2018 the National Museum of Fu- neral History celebrated the opening of its newest per- manent exhibit. This exhibit is a joint project developed with CANA, Cremation Association of North America , to tell the full-circle story of cremation in America. October Brings Chills, Thrills to National Museum of Funeral History 11th Annual Family-Friendly Haunted House Families will have a spooktacular time wandering through the Mu- seum’s Haunted House, open- ing October 1. Explore the town of Dreadford Falls and enter different scenes that are designed to give goose bumps to young and old alike. The haunted house is rat- ed PG-13 and is recommend- ed for children ages 12 and up. Children under 12 are wel- come, but must be accompanied by an adult. The Haunted House is open every day from October 1 through November 4. Tickets are half price when purchased with Museum admission. Bring the whole family and make a day of it! 11th Annual Halloween Classic Car Show On Saturday, October 27 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., the Museum will host the 11th Annual Halloween Classic Car Show. Come out and see more than 150 cars from classic to contemporary, from motorized to hoof, while helping to support local charities. Enjoy the fall festival atmosphere, including face painting Any car is welcome to participate and compete for a chance to win the “best decorated” award. Awards in- clude Special Trophies for Best of Show Car, Truck and Modern Vehicle. To register, Contact Charles at 281- 804-0355 or email halloweencarshow@yahoo.com Proceeds from the event benefit to Star of Hope, De- Pelchin Children’s Center, Houston Food Bank, The Shriner’s Burn Hospital, The USO, Morning Glory Ranch and others. Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Celebration From November 1-4, Museum admission includes par- ent-supervised activities for children near the Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos exhibition that includes ceram- ic skull painting, sweet treats and more. News Association ContinueD New CANA Benefit: Crematory Management Program Larry Stuart, Jr WHEELING,IL— The Cremation Associa- tion of North America (CANA), in partner- ship with Cremation Strategies &Consult- ing (CSC), has developed a new, exclusive member benefit to ensure crematories’ op- erating policies and procedures are compre- hensive and customized to their needs. CANA staff report that the sample document most commonly requested by cre- mationists is a Standard Op- erating Procedures Manual. In response to their mem- bers’ needs, CANA pres- ents the Crematory Man- agement Program as a new benefit of membership from the only association that is all things cremation. “I have observed CANA members’ business growing organically over time, but too often the details of policies and proce- dures haven’t kept up with this success. This benefit is a great opportunity to get your house in order, on your own or with assis- tance,” says Barbara Kemmis, executive di- rector of CANA. CANA engaged Cremation Strategies & Consulting to develop and provide this new benefit. “I’m really proud of the work we’ve done on this because this will also reduce your liability. We’re guilty of outdated poli- cies and procedures because we’re busy, but we have to make sure that our crematories have comprehensive, implemented, and en- forced policies and procedures to train em- ployees and protect against liability,” says Larry Stuart , Jr., CSC principal. All CANA members have access to a com- prehensive table of contents broken into four main categories: core policies and procedures; equipment operations procedures; forms and authorizations; and human resources. Designed to organize a business’s existing standard operating procedures, the full outline, acts as a guide to prompt the creation of new procedures to fill existing gaps. CANA members have exclusive access to a com- prehensive table of contents plus samples and a template to develop a fully custom- ized SOP Manual. The benefit includes a com- plimentary 30-minute phone consultation with Stuart, Jr., to address these gaps and to identify any blind-spots. The program also al- lows for further development to customize a SOP Manual specific to their business. Founded in 1913, the Cremation Associ- ation of North America (CANA) is an in- ternational organization of over 3,300 mem- bers, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consul- tants. CANA members believe that crema- tion is preparation for memorialization. Vis- it www.gocana.org/crematorymanagement to get started or email CANA’s membership manager at Brie@CremationAssociation.org with questions.