Green Burial Seminars to Be Offered
at Kessler Woods at Washington Park North
June 23 and June 27
Seminars will provide information on first certified “green burial” site in central Indiana

Seminars on “green burial” will be available on June 23 and June 27 at Kessler Woods at Washington Park North Funeral Center and Cemetery, 2702 Kessler Boulevard, West Drive.

The seminars, conducted by Barb Milton, a Certified Celebrant and Vice President of Community Relations, Buchanan Group, are free and open to the public. To attend, RSVP to Becky Borel at 259-1253.

During the seminars, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. each day, Milton will provide details about Kessler Woods, the pastoral green burial site on the grounds of Washington Park North, and share pre-planning information with her audiences.

With 14 funeral centers and seven cemeteries, Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Centers and Washington Park Cemetery Association are the largest privately held cemetery and funeral complex with a natural burial site in Indiana, according to Joe Sehee, Executive Director of the Green Burial Council, a national organization.

“Flanner and Buchanan is one of the most well regarded firms in this industry,” Sehee said. “They have connected this idea to the fact that they are known for always standing for serving families in the manner they choose. This embracing of eco-friendly death care is yet another example of the options they offer families.”

Milton will discuss and answer questions on this “retro” burial method, becoming more popular throughout the country, which is a return to the burials that were standard practice up until the mid-1800s. She will provide details on such burials, the ecological factors involved, and the requirements that need to be met both by the cemetery and funeral center and by the families in order to qualify for burial at the site.

Those attending the seminars are advised to wear or bring sturdy shoes for the visit to Kessler Woods, weather permitting.

To qualify for natural burial in Kessler Woods, some basic stipulations must be met. These include the use of a biodegradable burial container such as a wood casket or shroud and the preservation of the body without formaldehyde-based embalming.

Kessler Woods will not have a formal, manicured appearance, but will be maintained in its natural rustic state. In a rustic setting, located where farmland was many generations ago, the green burial site is accessed by a gravel road that leads from the main part of the cemetery.

Kessler Woods represents one of many “green” programs offered by Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Centers and Washington Park Cemetery Association (WPCA).

“This new green burial site goes along with the conservation and natural preservation efforts we have been involved in for years with such groups as Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Indianapolis Downtown Inc., in the tree-planting efforts of the city and state, as well as our own Gift of Life program, where Flanner and Buchanan plants a seedling in the Hoosier National Forest in memory of every person whose funeral is handled by the firm,” Milton said.

“We have already planted hundreds of trees in our cemeteries,” she added. “Our motto for a long time has been ‘Community, Commitment, and Compassion.’ The natural burials embrace our belief in conservation and preservation. Much like we facilitated cremation for our Indiana consumers in 1904, Flanner and Buchanan is poised to facilitate natural burial for our environmentally committed Indiana families from today forward.”

For more information, call (317) 259-1253, visit http://www.flanner-buchanan.com/green/index.htm or email bmilton@buchanangroup.org.

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