It’s hard to believe that another year is coming to an end and we’ll soon start a new year with new beginnings and new adventures.
As we take some time to reflect on the year 2022, and what has taken place on our grounds, here are a few notable events from Woodlawn Memorial Park:
- We welcomed you back. We welcomed families back into our office after closing our doors due to the pandemic. We got to see a lot of familiar faces as well as some new faces stopping in to say hello. Being open to the public made for some busy times in our office, but we appreciated your patience as we worked through the transition of being back to our “normal” routines.
- We hosted many great community events. We were fortunate to host events this year, including our Kisses to Heaven event in May, where we recognized all mothers and those who play a mother role in our lives. At our Classic Car Night, we had over 100 vintage vehicles on display and Beaver Tails on site for a sweet treat. At our Remembrance Day Service, we were blessed to have so many participants and attendees. It was wonderful to see our families and members of the community attend and enjoy our 2022 events.
- Our team grew! As we made our way into the summer and fall seasons, we welcomed two new Grounds Team members to our Woodlawn staff. They bring maintenance, landscape, and horticulture experience, which will be used well in our 80-acre memorial park.
- Our grounds grew! Our General Manager, Rebecca Kit, has been working hard on our expansion development, located across the railroad track near our current Block Lilac. We are excited about this new addition as it will offer more options to help serve our families. We are developing a Natural Green Burial option, offering additional traditional and cremation burial space, and some new, unique cremation options to serve our families of all faiths and religions. stay tuned for updates!
- We found new ways to remember loved ones. We added a new Niche Wall in our Upper Cremation Garden and we created a new Dedication Program for memorial benches and trees. Contact our office if you would like more information about the program and how you can take part.
Though there have been many things that we have accomplished throughout the year, we have also faced a few challenges. We experienced the hottest and driest summer in several years, which made the beautification of our landscape difficult. Our team did their best to water and replace the flower beds and grass, and we were thankful for the cooler fall weather.
Our trees are such an important part of Woodlawn, including trees that still stand from when we first opened our gates back in 1854. Reviewing our records from this past year, we lost and had to remove 16 trees. With every tree removed, we always try to replant a new tree to offer new life to our ecosystem, and we rely on our Arbour Fund to help accomplish this goal.
Things are a bit quieter at this time of year, as the temperature drops and people tend to stay inside a bit more. As the pace slows down, we are able to catch up, take a breath, and reflect on how far we have come as another year draws to an end.
The team at Woodlawn Memorial Park wishes you a Happy Holiday and ‘cheers’ to a New Year.
