July 2021

Page A40 JULY 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Order Direct at 1-800-782-8249 Free UPS Ground Shipping www.mccordcasketsandvaults.com 3” HEARSE NAMEPLATES 1-8 spaces $80.50 per nameplate 9-13 spaces $92.50 per nameplate 14-15 spaces $109.00 per nameplate 16-18 spaces $119.00 per nameplate Many Letter Styles and Sizes Available DEDUCT $10.00 each for Satin Aluminum Finish NFDA is looking forward to gathering with everyone in the historic “Music City” - get ready for the reunion of a lifetime! This is your chance to reunite with colleagues, reexplore ideas for business, and renew your passion for this rewarding industry. Registration is open! nfda.org/nashville2021 NFDA International Convention & Expo October 17 – 20 • Nashville, TN Together Again! Reunite. Reexplore. Renew 2021_Convention_1/4 NOMIS Ad2.indd 1 5/25/21 10:34 AM Spring commencement is upon us and many new gradu- ates of mortuary science have donned their cap and gown to celebrate. COVID-19 social distancing rules did not interfere with ceremonies around the country. The graduating class of the Department of Mortuary Sci- ence from the University of Minnesota found a distinct and unique way of making graduation ceremonies memorable. Since indoor facilities on campus are closed down due to the pandemic, the graduating class stepped outdoors and onto the historic and breathtaking grounds of Lakewood Cem- etery on Friday, May 7th. While the class could have gone to an auditorium or on a football field to mark this moment, they wanted to highlight the impact of COVID-19. Nineteen students from the class of 2020 and 28 students from the class of 2021 all had de- grees presented to them. The University of Minnesota’s mortuary science program is the only one in America that has been affiliated with a medi- cal school for the last 103 years. HudsonValley Community College also held commence- ment activities with more than 1500 graduates in varying fields on May 15th. Some in-person ceremonies were held in the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on campus, while a virtual cel- ebration also took place. Both 2020 and 2021 graduates were invited to attend the ceremonies. The spring commencement was held in accordance with New York State gathering requirements. Graduates were asked to enter the stadium with a maximum of two guests and take their seats. President Roger Ramsammy, Vice Presi- dent for Academic Affairs Judith DiLorenzo, and each aca- demic dean were scheduled to give their remarks before the students received individual recognition, crossed the stage, and received their diploma covers. They then could pose for photos before returning to their seats. All four ceremonies were livestreamed and shared online. Following the ceremonies, graduates, families, and friends were asked to join the college for the Virtual Commencement Celebration on Saturday evening. They would enjoy musical performances, special award recognition, success stories, and other traditional commencement elements. College, student, and local leaders would also speak at the event. Ogeechee Technical College (OTC) had its commence- ment ceremonies on May 13th at the Statesboro High Audi- torium. Alumnus Alvie Coes, who graduated with an associ- ate’s degree in Funeral Service Education in December 2011, was asked to provide the commencement address. While at OTC, Coes was named the 2011 state Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner for the Technical Col- lege System of Georgia. News Educational ContinueD Bogati Urn Company Accepting Applications for 4th Annual Scholarship SARASOTA,FL— After more than a year of navi- gating the COVID-19 cri- sis, it’s more apparent than ever just how essential our funeral and mortuary pro- fessionals are - and will con- tinue to be. To support a se- lect few who actively and passionately seek a place within this challenging in- dustry, Bogati Urn Com- pany is now accepting ap- plications for the fourth annual Bogati Urn Compa- ny Scholarship Fund. This scholarship provides funeral service or mortuary science program students with financial awards rang- ing from $500 to $2,500 per school year. In its first three years, a total of 43 students from 16 different funer- al service or mortuary sci- ence programs in 12 states have applied, and 7 recipi- ents have been awarded for a combined total of $9,000. “It’s been such a tough year for everyone, but this is a bright spot for our team,” said Andrea Bogard LeB- lanc, founder of Bogati Urns. “Being able to sup- port those who are still pas- sionate for this field and forging ahead in their fu- tures means a lot to us.” To be eligible for consid- eration for the 2021 schol- arship, applicants must be United States citizens who have already complet- ed one or more terms of study in funeral service or mortuary science educa- tion. To be considered for a full award, students should have at least one term or se- mester remaining in his/her program. Students with less than a full term of study re- maining will be considered for partial awards. In addition to these re- quirements, students must complete all forms and follow all proce- dures as outlined online at https://bogatiurns.com/ scholarshipapplicationinfo/. The deadline for consider- ation is July 31, 2021. Stu- dents may apply once per calendar year. If chosen, the award will be applied directly to the winning student’s tuition charges for the Fall 2021 term and can be used for tu- ition, books, or other pro- gram required supply costs. “Now more than ever we can see the importance and necessity of the work that our funeral directors and funeral care providers do. Bogati Urns is proud to continue to reward stu- dents who show their call- ing for this industry,” said Bogard LeBlanc. Founded in 2004 by An- drea Bogard LeBlanc, Bo- gati Urn Company offers funeral homes and crema- tories unparalleled service and wholesale pricing on an equally unparalleled variety of urns, scattering tubes and related products. Its original lead crystal line has expand- ed to feature a diverse and hand-selected product line from trusted manufacturers and skilled artisans world- wide. Its inventory now in- cludes hundreds of memo- rial urns for adults, children and pets in varying materi- als, including glass, marble, wood, porcelain, brass and metal. Custom options are also available. Bogati Urns is headquar- tered in Sarasota, FL and is a proud member of several industry organizations, in- cluding the Association of In- dependent Funeral Directors of Florida; Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Associ- ation; Cremation Association of North America; and Pet Loss Professionals Alliance. To learn more about the BogatiUrns Scholarship, vis- it https://bogatiurns.com/ scholarship/. Spring Commencement Is Not Stalled by COVID-19 By Laurie Esposito Harley Coes works with the Gardenview Funeral Chapel in Athens, GA and is a licensed embalmer and funeral direc- tor. He, along with his sister Alvita, are co-owners of Coes Funeral Home, a business started by their parents in 1982 in Unadilla, GA. Coes also serves as the Dean of Engineer- ing and Industrial Technologies at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, SC. Coes also attended Georgia Southern University where he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a double master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and Business Administration. He serves our country as a Cap- tain in the United States Air Force Reserve as a Medical Ser- vice Officer with the 94th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. “This is an incredible milestone for our graduates, especial- ly having persevered through such trying times,” says OTC President Lori Durden. “We are honored to have Mr. Coes share his experiences with us as we celebrate their hard work.” The ceremony was for graduates only, but was live-streamed for supporters and family members on the college’s website and Facebook page. 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