If you’ve got human cremated remains that you’d rather not keep around your house, mark your calendar for Saturday, August 26, 2017. The fine folks at Sunset Memorial Park invite you to bring those remains to scatter them in their cremation rose garden or ossuary, an underground structure that provides a secure resting place for multiple cremated remains. They’ll even provide a free marker to help memorialize that person.
Here’s the news release with all the details:
Sunset Memorial Park Announces “Scatter Day” for Cremated Remains
After a cremation, the deceased don’t always rest ensconced in a treasured urn or scattered in a favorite spot. The reality is that thousands of people’s cremated remains end up each year in cardboard boxes, stacked in the back of coat closets, or even thrown in the garbage. One in five Americans has human cremated remains in their home, and often that’s not because of an intentional decision. It’s estimated that at least ten thousand people in Albuquerque have loved ones’ remains at home only because they don’t know what else to do with them.
Local cemetery Sunset Memorial Park is bringing light—and a solution—to this dark problem. The park is offering a new event called “Scatter Day” as a public service for Albuquerque residents who would like to find a permanent resting place for their loved ones. On Saturday, August 26, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the park will offer free scattering or a free memorial engraving for anyone who comes to the park.
“We want to help the people suffering in silence,” said President and CEO Tom Antram. “Our research tells us there are thousands of people in this community who would like to find a permanent place for their deceased loved ones, but don’t know how to go about that. No one is talking about this problem, so people just don’t know what’s okay. We want to reassure people that they don’t have to feel guilty, or ashamed, or squeamish about asking for help, whether their loved one passed away last week or 50 years ago.”
As cremation has grown more popular in recent decades, it has become commonplace for families to take loved ones home with them. But after that, almost anything can happen. Sometimes, people decide they’d like to lay the remains to rest somewhere outside the home, but feel uncomfortable returning to a mortuary or cemetery. In other cases, they may realize they’ve forgotten to hold a ceremony or scattering like they’d intended. Very often, another death will mean someone inherits the remains of a distant relative or acquaintance when dealing with an estate.
No matter the situation, Sunset Memorial Park wants people to know that the problem is normal.
“A resting place—a memorial to remember someone permanently—is an important part of saying goodbye,” said Antram. “There are many reasons that people might not want to part with a loved one’s remains immediately after a death occurs. We’re finding that as people begin to process and heal, they might decide later on that it’s time to find a permanent resting place. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion and uncertainty about what to do next. We created this event to provide some answers—to walk with people through just one more step of the process of grief and healing.”
During the event, which will be all day on Saturday, August 26, Sunset Memorial Park and French Funerals and Cremations will have staff on hand to answer questions and help families make arrangements. Families who come to Sunset on “Scatter Day” can create a unique experience to meet their needs: visitors may leave remains for scattering with no questions asked, or they may make arrangements for a ceremony, burial, entombment, or other options at a later date.
Questions may be directed to Sunset Memorial Park at 505-345-3536.
WHO: Anyone who would like to find a permanent resting place for cremated remains
WHAT: “Scatter Day,” a new public service event at Sunset Memorial Park
WHEN: Saturday, August 26, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm
WHERE: Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107
WHY: To serve the community and bring light to the importance of memorialization
About FRENCH Funerals & Cremations: Founded in 1907, FRENCH has deep roots in Albuquerque and is the area’s longest standing family-owned funeral service company. Today, FRENCH is part of the FRENCH Family of Companies, which includes Sunset Memorial Park, the Cremation Society of NM, Best Friends Pet Cremation Services, and FRENCH Advance Planning. A leader in the funeral services industry, the FRENCH Family of Companies is deeply invested in the community and dedicated to helping New Mexico families honor and remember their loved ones.
About Sunset Memorial Park: In 1929, Mr. French opened Sunset Memorial Park to provide a beautiful and comfortable environment for families to honor their loved ones. Today, Sunset remains the most highly endowed cemetery in the Southwest and is poised to serve the greater Albuquerque community for years to come.
FRENCH is also a sponsor of the inaugural “Before I Die” ABQ Festival, six days of upbeat activities to get you thinking about, talking about, and doing something about our mortality.