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Orange County Cemetery District

25751 Trabuco Road

Lake Forest, CA 92630

(949) 951-9102 – Phone

(949) – 951-0236 – Fax

www.occemeterydistrict.com

Tim Deutsch, General Manager

NOV. – DEC. 2015

TRUSTEES

Leslie Keane, Chair

Vivien Owen, Vice Chair

William E. Nelson

Maureen Rivers

Cynthia Ward

27th

Annual Veterans Day Observance – Nov. 11th

at 11:00 a.m.

In 2016, the Orange County Cemetery District would like

to host an inaugural Day of the Dead event at Anaheim

Cemetery that we hope will become an annual tradition.

However, we need input and support from interested

community members. If you would like to be on the

Committee to plan and organize such an event, please

contact the District Office at (949) 951-9102 to sign up.

This year, in honor of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the

Dead, families are invited to build ofrendas or personal

altars on the gravesites of their loved ones. If you would

like to honor a loved one who is not interred at Anaheim

Cemetery, you may construct an ofrenda on the steps of

the Community Mausoleum. Please do not leave items of

value and candles with real flame are prohibited.

Decorations may be placed beginning on Thursday,

October 22nd

until Tuesday, November 17th. On Sunday,

November 1st and Monday November 2

nd, Anaheim

Cemetery will remain open until 6:00 p.m.

The 27th Annual Veterans Day Observance at El Toro

Memorial Park will be held on Wednesday, November 11th

at 11:00 a.m.

The Keynote speaker will be Mr. David K. Hayward, who

was a First Lieutenant with the U.S. Army Air Corps during

World War II. Mr. Hayward flew 53 combat missions as a

pilot of a B-25 medium bomber in the China-Burma-India

Theater of operations. He is also the author of “A Young

Man in the Wild Blue Yonder” which chronicles his military

experiences.

Holocaust survivor, Charlotte Van Steenbergen will also

speak about her concentration camp experiences and what

Volunteers Wanted to Plan Anaheim

2016 Day of the Dead Event

2nd

Annual Holiday Memorial at

Anaheim Cemetery Coming in Dec. The holidays can be a difficult time when you have lost

a loved one. Anaheim Cemetery will be holding a

special memorial service in December for anyone who

would like to pause the seasonal commotion, and reflect

on and remember those who have passed away.

We will have a special guest speaker who will talk about

coping with grief during the holidays. Each attendee will

also be given a blank card where they can write their

loved one’s name and a favorite memory. During the

program, families will be invited to speak their loved

one’s name and place the card on a special memory

wreath that will be displayed on the doors of the

mausoleum. There will also be foam ornament craft kits

available that you can take home that hold wallet sized

photos of your loved one. You do not have to have a

loved one buried at the cemetery to participate. All are

welcome! Cookies, coffee and water will be served.

Watch our website for postings on the date and time!

Veterans Day means to her in light of those terrible days.

Other plans for the program are currently ongoing and

will include: massed color guards, a wreath laying

ceremony, and an honor guard firing salute. Special

music will be performed by John Huntington and Gene

Smith. “Amazing Grace” will be played on the bagpipes,

and a bugler will perform “Taps.”

This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage and thank

the men and women who have faithfully served in our

Armed Forces. Please come out and show your support.

Admission is free and the event will take place rain or

shine.

ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 2

El Toro Memorial Park will be hosting the 14th Annual “Angel

of Hope” Candlelight Service on Sunday, Dec. 6th at 7:00 p.m.

The Angel of Hope monument is a place for grieving parents

to gather who have lost a child of any age, for any reason.

The annual memorial service is an opportunity for parents and

friends to gather and remember these children who have left

our lives too soon.

Candles will be handed out to the adults and glow sticks given

to children. White carnations are also provided. During the

program families are invited to speak their child’s name and

place flowers at the Angel of Hope monument. Please bring

flashlights and lawn chairs as seating is not provided.

Angel of Hope Candlelight Service at El Toro Memorial Park – Dec. 6th

El Toro Memorial Park to establish the Orange County

Garden of Innocence for Abandoned & Unidentified Children

Garden of Innocence National is a non-profit organization that is

dedicated to providing dignified burials for abandoned and unidentified

deceased children. Elissa Davey, the organization’s founder and CEO

worked to establish the first Garden of Innocence in San Diego in

1999 when she saw a story on the news about the body of a baby boy

who had been found in the trash in Chula Vista, CA. Since then, the

organization has provided respectful interments for nearly 300

children. Gardens of Innocence have been established in three other

states and they hope to eventually have at least one Garden in every

state. Garden of Innocence is non-denominational. Children from all

faiths and all nationalities are served and all volunteers are welcome.

Presently, no Garden of Innocence exists in Orange County, so Elissa

Davey contacted the Orange County Cemetery District to see if that

could be changed. After meeting with the Board of Trustees, the

Board enthusiastically supported the establishment of The Orange

County Garden of Innocence at El Toro Memorial Park. The Garden

will be adjacent to the Baby Section in view of the Angel of Hope

statue. The Garden’s current plan can accommodate up to 115

cremation burials with room to expand as needed.

Garden of Innocence National will pay for the interment service which

covers the interment service fee, endowment care fee, and marker

setting fee. Each Garden depends on the help of community

volunteers to arrange these beautiful services. In fact, each Garden

typically has 16 to 21 volunteer positions performing a host of various

roles. The Knights of Columbus always attend and provide a color

guard, handmade wooden urns are donated from volunteers all across

the country, and other volunteers make small blankets and provide

small toys like Beanie Babies that are placed with the children.

Future newsletters will announce when Garden

of Innocence services are taking place. Service

times will also be posted on the District website

at www.occemeterydistrict.com. The public is

encouraged to attend these services to help us

give each child the loving goodbye they

deserve.

If you would like to learn more about Garden of

Innocence, or if you think you may be interested

in volunteering, please visit their website at

www.gardenofinnocence.org. Garden of

Innocence volunteer, Marla Kennedy will serve

as the Orange County Garden of Innocence

Director.

Founder, Elissa Davey, pictured above with donated urns.

ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 3

Finally, at the main entrance, the old cobblestone stamped

concrete driveway that had broken apart in areas and the

lower brick planters were removed. A new entrance was

created with brick pavers laid in a herringbone pattern. The

Iower brick planters were reconstructed with new brick and

slightly reconfigured to make pedestrian access to the park

easier and safer.

Construction began on Monday, October 12th and during the

project the front gate to the park had to remain closed to all

traffic. Mortuaries and vendors who commonly make

deliveries to the park were notified, as well as those who are

on the District’s newsletter mailing list. Detour signs were

posted on Trabuco Road and Lake Forest Drive showing how

to access the rear entrance to the park and flyers announcing

the closure were posted at the Cemetery. The project was

completed in just ten days and the front gate was reopened

on the Thursday, October 22nd

. Our thanks to Roadway

Many Improvements at El Toro Memorial Park Since the middle of August work has been ongoing on several significant

improvement projects at El Toro Memorial Park. New concrete curbing has been

installed all around the Centennial Lawn, the Evergreen Lawn, the Northeast Section,

the Baby Section and in front of the Niche Garden to replace the deteriorating asphalt

curbs (pictured right). A new

dirt storage facility is also

being constructed next to the

Northeast Section and the

Centennial Lawn. Old

fencing was removed, a

water line was rerouted, and

the entire area was

excavated and prepared for

the construction of a new

block enclosure. Each block

weighs 4,000 pounds, and

when complete, the area will have a new concrete pad and a

rolling gate. The area is graded so that any rain will roll back

into the dirt storage area rather than emptying out onto the

cemetery roads as was previously occurring.

Engineering & Construction for their superior workmanship and efficiency. The final

project will be the renovation of the rear entrance which will take place in late

October to early November. The rear entrance will also be closed during the

duration of this work. We apologize for any inconvenience these projects have

caused and appreciate your patience during the construction process.

ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 4

Members from the University of California Humanities

Research Institute (UCHRI) contacted the Orange County

Cemetery District wanting to learn more about the death

care industry. The group is studying the concept of

mortality and the moral and ethical questions that it raises

and wanted to explore more about funerary practices,

customs, and beliefs of modern day society compared to

those of ancient cultures.

Please join us for the 26th Annual Veterans Day Observance

on Tuesday, November 11th at 11:00 a.m. at El Toro Memorial

Park.

This year’s program is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the

Vietnam War and will feature Keynote speaker, 1st Lieutenant,

Frank Pangborn, 1st Cavalry Division, Vietnam.

This is a wonderful opportunity to show your support for all the

men and women who have sacrificed so much in service for

our nation. Admission is free and the program will offer a

variety of guest speakers, music, wreath presentations, and

honor guard participation.

For more information, please contact Mary Funk at El Toro

Memorial Park at (949) 951-8244. Additional information is

also posted on the Orange County Cemetery District website

at www.occemeterydistrict.com.

The Orange County Cemetery District Receives Recognition at the California Special District Association Annual Conference

The group was given a tour of the grounds at El Toro

Memorial Park on Wednesday, Oct. 7th and had the

opportunity to meet with District Staff for a question and

answer session. General Manager, Tim Deutsch, El Toro

Memorial Park Cemetery Manager, Bud Bales, and Santa

Ana Cemetery Manager, Julio Amarillas all participated in

the event. O’Connor Mortuary then hosted the group for

dinner and provided a tour and presentation at their facility.

The California Special District Association (CSDA)

held its Annual Conference in Monterey in September

and was attended by Chair Leslie Keane and Trustee

William Nelson. Not only did the conference provide

a host of informative seminars and speakers, but our

own Trustee, William Nelson, was elected to be the

President of CSDA for 2016; and the Orange County

Cemetery District (OCCD) was recognized three

times by the Special District Leadership Foundation

(SDLF) for its commitment to training and Special

District Governance.

In 1999, the non-profit organization, SDLF, was

formed to provide educational opportunities to special

district officials and employees to enhance service to

the public. The Orange County Cemetery District

was awarded the following:

Gold Recognition in Special District Governance

Recognition in Special District Governance honors

special district board members and trustees, and is

comprised of two distinct parts: the completion of the

Special District Leadership Academy and 10 hours of

continuing education. The Academy is comprised of

four courses: Governance Foundations, Setting

Direction/Community Leadership, Board’s Role in

Human Resources and Board’s Role in Finance and

Fiscal Accountability. SDLF has endorsed the

Academy as the core special district governance

training in California. In order to achieve the Gold

Recognition, every Trustee in the District must have

completed these requirements.

District of Transparency Certificate of Excellence

This program was created to promote transparency in

the operations and governance of special districts to

the public. To achieve this award Districts must

demonstrate proper policies and procedures in

UCHRI Tour at El Toro Memorial Park and O’Connor Mortuary

regards to such things as Public Record Act requests, Brown

Act compliance, Conflict of Interest policies, ethics, website

requirements and outreach requirements.

District of Distinction Accreditation

This accreditation is awarded to districts that have

demonstrated they have sound fiscal management policies

and practices in place among other areas of importance in

district operations. Just a few of the requirements include:

undergoing regular financial audits with no major deficiencies

and successfully applying any recommendations to future

years; maintaining operations that conform to all statutes and

regulations under state law as reflected in a policies and

procedures manual.

All Trustees and the General Manager must have received

training in governance as well as compliance with AB 1234

Ethics Training and AB 1825 Harassment Prevention Training.

Chair Leslie Keane (pictured left) and Trustee William Nelson (pictured right) accept the District of Distinction Accreditation from CSDA CEO, Neil McCormick (center).

ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 5

Meet Our New Irrigation Specialist – Martin Galvez

Cemetery Managers Receive Training at CAPC Annual Conference

The California Association of Public Cemeteries

presented the Annual Education Seminar on October 9

and 10th in Ventura. The conference is designed to help

Trustees, Managers, and staff increase their knowledge of

public cemetery district governance, operation and

administration.

This year the conference was attended by: Trustee

William Nelson; General Manager, Tim Deutsch; Anaheim

Cemetery Manager, Bill Stelter; Santa Ana Cemetery

Manager, Julio Amarillas; and El Toro Memorial Park

Cemetery Manager, Bud Bales.

The program featured seminars on employee

management, cemetery management, harassment

training, legislative updates, and a presentation on the

ongoing drought and its effect on Public Cemeteries.

There were also two discussion group workshops, one for

Trustees and one for Managers, where attendees had the

opportunity to share information and ask questions about

problems that are common to other districts.

Orange County Cemetery District wishes to thank the

California Association of Public Cemeteries and all of the

guest speakers for their efforts in delivering such an

informative and beneficial program. Providing

opportunities for our employees to network with other

cemetery professionals and to receive continuing

education related to our industry is a high priority for the

District. We believe that investing in our staff’s growth will

translate to improved service for our families.

Leadworkers Tour Temecula Public Cemetery District On September 17

th, Temecula Public Cemetery District

hosted a Local Area Meeting where staff from other public

cemeteries are invited to come, tour the grounds, learn

more about that particular cemetery and their operations,

listen to a special guest speaker, and enjoy lunch.

Attendees from the Orange County Cemetery District

included: Trustee, William Nelson; General Manager, Tim

Deutsch, Anaheim Cemetery Leadworker, Joel Torres,

and Santa Ana Cemetery Leadworker, Tony Gallegos. “I

was really impressed with the grounds,” stated Tony

Gallegos. “It was great to get to know their staff and see

firsthand how they operate. They are a really respectful

crew and so efficient and incredibly organized!”

Steven Quintanilla of The Law Offices of Quintanilla &

Associates, who also provides legal counsel for the

Orange County Cemetery District, served as the special

guest speaker and gave an excellent presentation on the

legalities of making interment decisions. Counsel

Quintanilla discussed how to determine who has the right

to make interment decisions and defined the order of

priority that should be followed when establishing who can

make such decisions.

Martin Galvez has worked for the Orange County Cemetery District for the

last thirteen years and has just recently been selected to serve as the

District’s new Irrigation Specialist. Mr. Galvez will be responsible for the

daily upkeep and maintenance of the irrigation systems at El Toro

Memorial Park, Santa Ana Cemetery and Anaheim Cemetery. He will also

monitor each cemetery’s water efficiency program and inspect the

condition of turf, trees and plants to ensure proper watering. In addition. he

will oversee the maintenance and operation of the groundwater wells,

pump stations and motor operators at Santa Ana Cemetery and Anaheim

Cemetery.

Martin is a life-long resident of Orange County and enjoys spending time

with his family (including four children), camping, riding bikes and

motorcycles, and visiting his parents’ home town of Zacatecas, Mexico.

When asked about his new position as Irrigation Specialist, Mr. Galvez

said, “I like to challenge myself with new projects, both at home and at

work. I’ve been in this role now for about one month and am really

enjoying it. Every day is something new.”

ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT Page 6

The Orange County Cemetery District

manages and maintains Orange County’s

public cemeteries in a manner that preserves

their beauty, dignity, historical and cultural

values, and offers affordable interment service

for County residents.

Our Mission Statement and Core Values

HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURES

The Cemetery Offices at:

Anaheim Cemetery

El Toro Memorial Park

Santa Ana Cemetery

Will Be Closed On:

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015

In honor of Veterans Day

Thurs./Fri., Nov. 25-26, 2015

In honor of Thanksgiving

Friday, Dec. 25, 2015

In honor of Christmas

Friday, Jan. 1, 2016

In honor of New Year’s Day

The offices are also closed on weekends.

Flower Removal and Holiday Schedule

Every Wednesday, groundskeepers remove flowers

throughout all three cemeteries. Living plants in

approved containers or planter dishes and other non-

perishable items placed on graves will be taken to the

pick-up locations near the maintenance yards at each

cemetery and held for a reasonable amount of time.

Unless claimed, they will be disposed of.

Families are encouraged to remove their flowers or

decorations on Tuesday night; you can then place the

flowers back on the space on Wednesday afternoon.

The District does allow for flowers and decorations to

be left on the spaces during holidays/events or for

special occasions, such as anniversaries, birthdays

and for new interments. Please come to the cemetery

office and let us know that you have a special

occasion and request that the flowers and decorations

be left on the space. We do ask that you empty the

vase and place fresh water in the container every four

to five days to eliminate mosquito breeding sources,

which can cause serious health issues. Your

cooperation in this regard is greatly appreciated.

In honor of Thanksgiving, flowers and decorations

may be placed on gravesites beginning on

Thursday, Nov. 19th

until Tuesday, Dec. 8th. In

honor of Christmas, flowers and decorations may

be placed on gravesites beginning on Thursday,

Dec. 10th

until Tuesday, Jan. 5th

.

A complete listing of the District’s extended holiday

flower schedule for 2015 is available on our website at

www.occemeterydistrict.com. Click on the tab for

Rules, Regulations and Flowers for more information.

ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY DISTRICT

November and December Board Meetings

The Board of Trustees for the Orange County Cemetery District holds regular meetings the first Tuesday of every month at 11:00 a.m. at the District Office located at 25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630. The public is welcome to attend.

Agendas are available at least 72 hours prior to each meeting and are also posted on our website at www.occemeterydistrict.com. In November and December, meetings will be held as follows:

Tuesday, November 3rd

at 11:00 a.m.

Tuesday, December 1st

at 11:00 a.m.

If you have any questions or need additional information please contact the District Secretary, Mary Funk at (949) 951-9102 ext. 110.

The Trustees and staff of the Orange County

Cemetery District are committed to the

following values:

Integrity Respect Accountability

Responsiveness Empathy Transparency

Appreciation for Diverse Needs