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                    In Marilyn George and Steve Hellus attendMarilyn George and                                       2010

Troy McClain, finalist from Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" is Keynote Spaker at International Pet Crematory and Cemetery Convention in San Diego, CA.  (September 2010) 

Marilyn George and Steve Hellus of White Rose Pet Crematory, Brattleboro, VT,  recently returned from the 39th Annual Convention of the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories (IAOPCC) in San Diego, CA, held from Sept. 24-27, 2010. IAOPCC was founded in 1971 and its members are the recognized leaders in the pet aftercare industry, maintaining the highest standards and adhering to a strict code of ethics. George and Hellus have attended the convention every year since their business opened in 2002.

Keynote speaker at the convention was Troy McClain (finalist from the first season of Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice”). Troy has inspired, entertained and educated thousands over the years.  At the convention he encouraged members to “take a step back and look beyond the obvious to see outside everyday paradigms and shift their thinking through the eyes of compassion.” Troy’s high energy, positive attitude and real life story brought crowds to their feet and enabled all in attendance to find inspiration and direction for their future. As an entrepreneur, award winning television host, international public speaker, business coach, and mentor to thousands of kids and the special needs community, Troy is himself an inspiration who epitomizes the American Dream.   

White Rose Pet Crematory provides cremation services directly to pet families and through area veterinarians. By attending the conventions, listening to motivated speakers such as Troy, and meeting with other seasoned and talented crematory and cemetery operators, George and Hellus continue to gain valuable insight and education to help them continue to evolve and improve their participation in the pet after-care industry. 

White Rose is also a member of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB.org), an organization devoted to providing resources for families grieving the losses of pets.   

Troy McClain's contact information:

http://www.troymcclain.com

http://www.themcclaincompanies.com

New Booklet Helping Children Through Pet Loss, March 2010 ve ewsHellus attNew Booklet Helping Children Through Pet Loss

Marilyn George, author and publisher, recently published a 32-page booklet geared to helping children cope with the loss of a beloved pet. Helping Children Through Pet Loss is a carefully chosen selection of tools for a parent or guardian to use in helping a child to understand, accept and move through the grieving process in a healthy and healing manner.

Included in the booklet are stories about life cycles that can be shared with the child, instructive articles by prominent pet-grief specialists, suggestions for exercises to help both the the adult and child understand what the child is feeling, and charming illustrations by Brattleboro, Vermont, artist Sara Adam. Helping Children Through Pet Loss is an indispensable guide for any adult who desires to support and assist a child through the grieveing process that follows the death of a beloved pet.

The soft cover booklet is 5.5” x 8.5”, and retails for $5.99 (shipping included). It is available in wholesale quantities to veterinarians, pet crematories and humane societies (with custom imprinting if requested). The booklet is also included (when appropriate) in the White Rose “going home” packages that accompany the final cremains of cremated pets.

George’s lifetime of affection and compassion for animals led the accomplished businesswoman to find her calling in helping other people cope with the loss of their own cherished pets. She and Steve Hellus, founded White Rose Pet Crematory in Brattleboro, Vermont in 2002. They focus on providing a warm, comforting and healing experience for those in mourning, and on helping others celebrate the gifts of love they have shared with their companion animals.

In March of 2009 George published Gifts of Love: Inspiring Words to Cope with Pet Loss Grief, a 32-page soft cover booklet created to help grief-stricken people cope with the trauma of losing their “best friends,” not only by helping them to grieve the deaths of their pets, but also by encouraging them to continue to celebrate the lives of their beloved companions. Gifts of Love contains compassionately chosen words of comfort, sorrow, joy and wisdom.

For more information on Helping Children Through Pet Loss (ISBN 978-0-9844402-0-7) and/or Gifts of Love (ISBN 978-0-615-22219-6), or to place an order, contact Marilyn George, 884 South Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301, at 802-254-4749 or www.whiterosepet.com.

endLoving 22MeMay 2008MaamMmory of  Susan McBean Hamilton

Pet Loss and Bereavement Conferen20092

                              April 9, 1952 - April 22, 2009
                                 2009

Pet Crematory Operators Attend the 38th Annual Convention of the IAOPCC in New Orleans (September 2009)

Marilyn George and Steve Hellus of White Rose Pet Memorial Services, a pet crematory in Brattleboro, Vermont, recently attended the 38th Annual Convention and membership meeting of the International Associaiton of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories (IAOPCC), held in New Orleans.

Keynote speakers were veterinary technicians Christine Robinson and Annette Pecak, of Cambridge Ontario, who delivered a heart-felt account of their experiences in New Orleans as volunteers with the animal rescue effort following Hurricane Katrina.

The goals of animal rescue operations were to care for those animals that were left behind, and also to reunite them with their owners whenever possible. During intake, each animal was photographed and given an identifying microchip. The address at which the animal was found was also noted. The animals were then registered with Petfinder.com, a Web site that helps owners search for lost pets.

Robinson and Pecak helped with medical treatments for animals that were injured or sick with infections. They encountered a large number of gastrointestinal problems in animals that had been left to scavenge for food and to eat whatever they could find, including garbage. Each night, mobile triage centers were set up for pets that had been rescued throughout the day. Statistics show that approximately 250,000 pets were left trapped in the city; about 15,000 were rescued by various animal welfare organizations; and roughly 3,000 have been reunited with their families.

George and Hellus also toured Heaven’s Pets at Lake Lawn Metairie Cremation and Bereavement Center, hosted by Brian and Jen Melius. Heaven’s Pets is located on the serene grounds of Metairie Cemetery and Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home in New Orleans.

George and Hellus welcomed the opportunity the convention provided for them to meet other pet loss professionals from around the country and to discuss with them issues relevant to the pet loss industry.

White Rose provides cremation services directly to pet families and through area veterinarians. Visits by families are encouraged. All appointments must be scheduled, assuring complete privacy with one family at a time. White Rose may be contacted by phone at 802-254-4749 or by e-mail at whiteros@sover.net. Its Web site is www.whiterosepet.com.

Marianne Lawrence Joins White Rose, May 2009

Marianne Lawrence recently joined White Rose Pet Memorial Services of Brattleboro, Vermont, as a part-time assistant. Marianne has owned and operated a home-based grooming shop “Paws to Claws Pet Grooming” for nine years. A longtime animal advocate, Marianne worked previously as a veterinary technician at Peachtree Corners in Atlanta, Georgia for several years. She recently moved to Vermont to be closer to her family, having lived in Georgia for 30 years. Marianne lives in Guilford with her husband, two children, and three companion animals—Ben, Missy, and Smudge.

In Loving Memory of

Susan McBean Hamilton, April 2009

Susan McBean Hamilton, age 56, of East Dummerston died peacefully in her home April 22, 2009. Susan worked as a paralegal for many years, but left the legal field to pursue her love of animals. One of her greatest professional pleasures was her work as an advocate and active caregiver for animals through several local organizations. She also enjoyed gardening, reading, summers in Maine, and walks in the woods with her canine friends. Susan leaves her beloved husband, Douglas B. Hamilton, and her cherished dogs, Ralph and Ruby.

"Susan truly was a gift to us at White Rose. Her love, compassion, and empathy for people and animals were evident in everything she did. She touched the hearts and lives of many people, as was so well demonstrated by the huge turnout for her memorial service. Our world is better place for having had Susan as such a joyous and active participant in so many ways. Susan will forever be remembered by those who benefited from her friendship and kindness. She had a very strong faith in God and followed his path confidently and gracefully. She was perfectly suited to help others when they were sad or going through difficult times, even going to a family's home one Christmas morning to help them with a memorial service and burial for their cat. She was an inspiration to all who had the good fortune to know her. She will be sorely missed."

In June of 2006 Susan Hamilton of Dummerston joined White Rose Pet Memorial Services as an assistant.  As a child, Susan spent summers with her grandparents in Dummerston. She moved to Vermont in 1978. Throughout a 15-year period she worked periodically for the Vermont-New Hampshire Veterinary Clinic as an animal assistant, tending to all the animals with love. 

Marilyn George, Steven Hellus
White Rose Pet Memorial Service

New Pet Loss Booklet Released - Gifts of Love:Inspiring Words to Cope With Pet Loss Grief 

Marilyn George, author and publisher, recently published a 32-page booklet designed to help people cope with the loss of a beloved pet. Gifts of Love: Inspiring Words to Cope with Pet Loss Grief includes selected essays, poems, prose, prayers and adages, as well as valuable lists of additional resources — both in print and on the Net.

Gifts of Love was carefully designed to fill some of the gap — to help grief-stricken people cope with the trauma of losing their “best friends,” not only by helping them to grieve the deaths of their pets, but also by encouraging them to continue to celebrate the lives of their beloved companions. Gifts of Love contains compassionately chosen words of comfort, sorrow, joy and wisdom.

Gifts of Love has received endorsements from Bert Troughton, Senior Director, ASPCA®; Dr. Wallace Sife, founder and chairman of the board of The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, and author of the award-winning The Loss of a Pet; and Rita M. Reynolds, author of Blessing the Bridge, What AnimalsTeach Us About Death, Dying and Beyond, and Ask the Cow, a Gentle Guide to Finding Peace.

The soft cover booklet is 5.5” x 8.5”, and retails for $5.99. It is available in wholesale quantities to veterinarians, pet crematories and humane societies (with custom imprinting if requested). The booklet is also included in the White Rose “going home” packages that accompany the final remains of cremated pets.

George’s lifetime of affection and compassion for animals led the accomplished businesswoman to find her calling in helping other people cope with the loss of their own cherished pets. She and her partner, Steve Hellus, founded White Rose Pet Crematory in Brattleboro, Vermont in 2002. They focus on providing a warm, comforting and healing experience for those in mourning, and on helping others celebrate the gifts of love they have shared with their companion animals.