Burial Options Society in Strathcona County

6th Autumn Cemetery Walk + Talk

Saturday, September 21, 2019 9:15 am - 3:30 pm

“Life fails to be perfect, but never fails to be beautiful.
There is something incredibly nostalgic about the annual cascade of autumn leaves.”

The Strathcona Cemetery Tour is an awareness building event, with a little heritage, fun and death chat thrown in.

We will visit three cemeteries and make a stop at the Scotford Hutterite Market Store. This is a family friendly event where questions are encouraged and dark humour is appropriate. It is a timely event as many Strathcona County seniors and their families consider what is available for a “final address” in our community.

Tickets: $15.00 on Eventbrite - search cemetery tour (includes bus ride and lunch)

Further info: 780-910-6432 Departure and return at Trinity Baptist Church parking lot

1 km east of Hwy 21 on Baseline Road

Burial Options Society in Strathcona County

Providing education about the:

environmental, emotional and economic benefits

of a more natural,

less commercial approach to death.

Advocates for development of a community cemetery.

About

The Burial Options Society in Strathcona County (BOSS) is a non-profit society registered in 2016.

We are a group of community minded folks, with a shared interest:

in the environment,

a last fixed address for County families,

and the green or natural burial movement.

The original concept for BOSS was to start the discussion of different ways to approach end of life.

Our mission is the development of a hybrid (options) community cemetery in Strathcona County.

We provide education about the:

the environmental, emotional, and economic benefits

of a more natural, less commercial,

approach to death and body disposition

Like, who isn't talking about death these days? :-)

BOSS works to:

1. Provide educational events around end of life, death care and burial options.

2. Advocate at the County level for development of a community cemetery.

This is no small undertaking (pun intended)!

We are eager to involve others who are interested. After all, death is not optional.

BOSS board members include the following community volunteers:

Bonnie Hoffmann – Board Chair

Marion Zerr – Board Vice-Chair/Secretary

Judy Swan – Treasurer

Gayle McCarthy - Director

Bryan Tower – Director

Jacqueline Clark - Director

We currently meet once per month, believing that food and hospitality builds relationships.

Our meetings are currently held at HQ Restaurant on Granada Blvd.

The Burial Options Society in Strathcona is grateful to Strathcona County and other community supporters for their contributions as we continue forward in:

volunteer advocacy efforts, and

community education endeavours.

Finance

The dollars and "sense" of it all…

Whether it is a family seeking less costly options for final disposition, or a non-profit organization intent on making a change in the community, finances impact many of our end of life decisions.

To build a community cemetery is a solid investment in our social culture

and provides a grief repository for families and our seniors.

The Burial Options Society of Strathcona is pleased to report that Strathcona County Council

has budgeted $60,000.00 in 2019 for a review and report back with regard to

the cemetery needs and availability in our community.

More information to follow here with regard to the review process and how community members

can participate in determining need in our Strathcona County. Please check back.

Final Disposition

(yes, disposition is the word we use)

Just as there are varying degrees of “green routine,” the final placement of human remains also follows a continuum of green or natural.

In its purest form, green burial is:

- body burial without the use of chemical embalming fluids

- the containment of the body in a fabric shroud or wooden box (casket)

- burial without the placement of an external liner (concrete)

Alberta statistics report that cremation is the body disposition of choice for more than 70% of deaths.

Is cremation a more environmentally considerate option than green burial? It’s not, but that doesn’t make the process wrong. At life’s end, there are many choices and decisions to be made.

Cremation is thought to be the least costly option. However, decisions will need to be made and action taken on what to “do” with cremated remains. Leaving cremated remains in a closet, laundry room, or on a mantle may help avoid making final decisions but they shouldn't stay there long term. They too require final disposition; scattered, buried, cast to the wind.

Body burial is final with regard to placement.