Funeral Home Offers Families Outdoor Alternative for Services
A funeral home with facilities in White Plains and Elmsford is offering families an outdoor alternative to remember and celebrate their loved ones.
Ballard-Durand Funeral and Cremation Services has at its disposal a 40-foot x 50-foot event canopy if an outdoors memorial reception is something friends and family would like to consider.
“Our new Canopy of Ceremony gives families the opportunity to celebrate and remember their loved ones in a different environment outside of a place of worship or the funeral home,” said owner Matthew Fiorillo CFSP.
In adhering to the current Center for Disease Control and federal regulations on gatherings, Ballard-Durand’s Canopy of Ceremony will allow friends and family members to attend a funeral service or reception while maintaining six feet social distancing.
“Open air (funeral) services and receptions outside of a facility is a growing trend. We wanted to give families who’ve preplanned their arrangements and families who are in immediate need a new and innovated option to celebrate, remember and begin the healing process in a different fashion; we’ve done just that,” Fiorillo said.
Fiorillo said the tent has only been installed for a week and is already getting a positive response.
“We have it booked three days for next week already,” Fiorillo said last week. “We have received many calls from families inquiring how it can be used and several questions and positive comments as well as likes via our Facebook page.”
For the protection of the community and staff, Ballard-Durand will continue to adhere to the State of New York’s mandate which states all guests entering a facility or attending a service in the Canopy of Ceremony are required to wear properly fitted face coverings.
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