Memory Garden Policy Statement Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, Florida April, 2008 1. The Memory Garden Committee, for decision-making and care of the Garden consists of Chair, Co-chair, other members and at least one minister as ex-officio member. Members serve indefinite terms and are appointed by the UUF governing board. Funding is provided through an off-budget account within the funds of UUF (that means it doesn't receive an annual budgeted amount), but relies on donations, grants, and bequests.
2. Permanent additions to the Garden (such as listed below) within the existing physical limits of the Garden should be requested from the committee together with a description of the proposed addition so that it conforms to the current plan as designed by Paul Bird and approved by the UUF Governing Board. Approval of additions including individual plants, plantings (such as multiple bulbs), seedings (such as a bed of wild flowers) stone works, fountains, buildings, statuary and the like will be guided by the number of similar items present and the availability of space. Donors are responsible for care of such additions until they are established (no longer requiring regular care and watering). The Committee will be responsible for the general maintenance of the Garden and the over-all ambience and care of established additions in consultation with donors.
3. The committee organizes work parties of volunteers throughout the year to maintain and care for the Garden, and may contract with suppliers for services for such maintenance.
4. After plantings are placed and established, responsibility for long-term maintenance of additions to the Garden rest with the donor or a representative in consultation with at least one representative of the committee.
5. Requests for the addition of individual names to the plaque on the memorial stone not otherwise added may be made to the Committee. Names on the plaque are generally limited to deceased members and friends of UUF. Name plaques are ordered from the supplier through Creative Workshop on NW 13th Street at a cost of $70 each, paid from Memory Garden funds.
6. State law permits the deposit of cremains or ashes of deceased members or friends of UUF within the limits of the Memory Garden. Because the soil in the Garden may contain such ashes the removal of plants with soil is not permitted. Ashes may not be buried or deposited in containers. Frequent requests for information about whose ashes are present in the Garden suggests that we continue to keep a list of such names. [Should our policy be that cremain deposits are personal and known only to loved ones?] If we agree that cremains should be recorded and if you know a name that should be on such a list please inform a member of the committee or leave a note with Cam, our administrator in the office.
7. List of Cremains Deposited in UUF Memory Garden will be kept by the committee. If anyone knows of names that should be added to the following list please notify a member of the Committee or return a marked copy of this form.
Cremains Deposited in UUF Memory Garden
Stanford C. Ericksen
Glenn Hoffman
Andy Anderson
Dick Ernst
Paul Bird
George Philips Should these names be added? Please indicate if you know of cremains that have been added to the UUF Memory Garden
Willard Stone ? Yes( )
Ray Roberts ? Yes( )
Bill Weber ? Yes( )
Mel Wagner ? Yes( )
Robert Primack ? Yes( )
Ed Nelson ? Yes( )
Buddy Davis ? Yes( )
Several policy questions remain to be determined, based on the following suggestions and practices included in four policy statements from other UU congregations:
1. In addition to names, should a biographical record be kept by the committee, if so what information should be included in the biographical record; options include name, date/place of birth and death, occupation, major achievements, family, and/or an obituary,?
2. Should such records be written and kept in a book or as a computer file available to anyone with access to the UUF website or in both forms?
Chair, Robert Kendall, Co-Chair, Anne Margoluis |
