Volume 66, Issue 4 April 2017 TexasThe Official Publication of the Texas FuneralDirector Directors Association www.tfda.com Meet Kermit the Dog, Austin’s First Grief Therapy Pooch 50 Years of Service: Winston Moore, Jr TFDA 2017 CONVENTION AND EXPO Join your colleagues for food, fun and adventure Veteran San Marcos Director Pennington Honored by Hays County Scouting Organization We Leverage technology to grow your preneed business. Service Growth Stability Contact us to learn how our customized PreNeed programs will help grow your business. Plans for every customer Outstanding Marketing support Multiple growth options Daily competitive commissions Fast claims processing Exceptional customer service Easy Agent sign-up Bilingual staff and forms Texas owned & operated 800.756.7306 ◆ www.tslic.com Life Insurance or Annuity Underwritten by Texas Service Life Insurance Company. For More Information: www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov www.dob.texas.gov Table of Contents April 2017 TEXAS FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION 1513 South Interstate 35 Austin, Texas 78741 512/442-2304 TFDA 2017 Convention and Expo Fax: 512/443-3559 Join your colleagues for food, fun and adventures 16 www.tfda.com (with a helping of education) STAFF URE T EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ann Singer EA Speakers for All Directors 16 [email protected] F ER Continuing Education Schedule MEMBER AND REGIONAL SERVICES V 18 Joyce Dawson CO [email protected] Convention at-a-Glance 19 FINANCE Karen Grice Exhibitors 20 [email protected] DIRECtoR OF LEGISLativE AffaiRS AND FINANCE Marco Mancillas [email protected] FEATURES LoBBYIST Meet Kermit the Dog, Austin’s First Grief Therapy Pooch ........... 12 Bill Haley [email protected] Veteran San Marcos Funeral Director Honored by Hays County Friends of Scouting ............................... 14 PUBLISHER Watch Your Language ....................................... 28 Sail House Publishing Tips on Helping Patrons with Physical and/or Intellectual Disabilities. 3510 Crowncrest Dr., Austin, TX 78759 50 Years of Service: Winston Moore, Jr. ......................... 30 512-346-0892 [email protected] The Move to Vendor Life ..................................... 32 PUBLISHER Kim Scheberle EDUCATION EditoR SAFETY/Is Your Firm a Danger Zone .............................. 34 Alice Adams WORKFORCE/Why Coffee Breaks are Important .................... 36 ART DIRECtoR/DESIGNER Kiki Pantaze President’s Message ......................................4 AdvERTISING SALES S Patty Huber T TFDA Leadership ........................................6 512-310-9795 TFDA News ...........................................8 EN 210-579-7054 - Fax Emerging Leaders ......................................10 [email protected] TM Community News ......................................38 AR Endorsed Providers .....................................42 P TFDA Services Inc. ......................................44 DE Index to Advertisers .....................................45 Calendar of Events .....................................45 President’s Message Heather Edwards Hauboldt The Evolution of Change As our seasons change, and advance, which means we have from our membership on loca- a family friendly fundraiser at the flowers are all in bloom, it made commitments to room tions you would like for us to Hill’s Café on Sunday evening occurs to me that not everyone nights, reserved space for our consider for our future conven- this year, which will include live may realize how change hap- expo, our meeting and class- tions and for any ideas you have music out on the patio with a pens in this great association. It room space, and ball rooms for in further improving our events, southern buffet. There will be has taken five years to make the our various events, etc. As you expo, continuing education, etc. games to play, such as jumbo changes we have made to our can imagine, getting venues to Please feel free to email me your jenga, bean bag toss, horseshoes, annual convention, and while I make changes to these commit- suggestions at hhauboldt@tslic. etc. They will also be doing a Twinwood Mortuary Service know some are not comfortable ments can be difficult and the com or give me a call at 325- live auction again to raise mon- TOLL FREE: (844) 2-EMBALM with change, the overwhelming earlier you start talking to them 370-3645. ey to be used in the unfortunate response has been very positive. about changes the better chance Well, enough about that! I event of a disaster in this great Houston Local: (713) 526-1234 Fax: (713) 529-1113 These “Waves of Change” you have to accomplish what encourage everyone to visit the state of Texas. They are ask- started with Darryl Thompson you need to accommodate this Texas Funeral Service Commis- ing for items to be donated for at his convention in Galves- evolution of change. sion’s website for the updates on the live auction, so if you want HOUSTON’S PREMIER INDEPENDENT MORTUARY SERVICE ton, continued with “Change That, in and of itself, is one the proposed rule changes that to donate an item, please call is Making a Difference” with of the major reasons why these were discussed at their meeting Karen at the TFDA office and *Rapid *Excellent *Superior Charlotte Chism Waldrum in ideas started back with Past on March 21. Some were ap- let her know. Arlington, and then Charles President Darryl Thompson proved and others were tabled The welcome party is going Removals Embalming Service Hauboldt got us “Moving in and are finally really coming to for further due diligence and to be held on Monday night the Right Direction” in Cor- fruition this year. Our Conven- will be brought up again at their this year and will also be fam- We offer Removals, Embalming, Refrigeration, Ship-In and Ship-Out Service, pus Christi, which brought us tion Site Committee is working next meeting in June. ily friendly at a great venue. We International Ship-Outs, Overland Transportation, Airport Transfers, to “Don’t Stop Believing and on the location and venue for Whew, they say time flies will have buses at the Hyatt Documentation Service, Complete Cremation Service, Take the Journey with TFDA” our 2020 convention and trying when you are having fun, and Hotel to take us to The Do- and Funeral Director’s for Graveside Services. in Austin this June. to find a way for us to try some that is certainly true about my main to Punch Bowl Social, We all worked together, along new locations, but the difficulty year as your president! Can’t which has vintage bowling Learn more about us by visiting our Website: with our convention commit- is finding a place that can ac- believe as you read this I will be lanes, a 16-person foosball table tee members, suppliers, board commodate the space we need taking my “Spring Tour of Tex- (I definitely see some tourna- TFDA www.twinwoodmortuary.com NFDA members, past presidents and and will guarantee us the space as” installing our new officers in ment opportunities with this!), Ann, Karen and Joyce to create and room nights. our regions and attending the pool tables, ping pong, shuffle- this evolution of change. For some of our major cit- NFDA Advocacy Summit in board, vintage arcade games, I am not sure who all is aware ies, we are just simply not a big Washington, DC. karaoke rooms, you name it of this, but our Convention enough convention for them to I will actually have to miss and they have it. I truly think Site Committee is responsible guarantee us that if a larger con- the Panhandle and West Texas it will be lots of fun and will for finding new places for us vention wanted the same time- regional meetings because they create a little competition. Of to hold our annual convention frame we wouldn’t get bumped. are the same week that I will be course, we will have food and and we are typically booked and As the president of this as- in Washington, so I would like drink stations scattered about, contracts are signed five years in sociation, I would love to hear to say a big thank you to Past so no reason to leave hungry President Charlotte Chism or thirsty! So again, mark your Waldrum for taking care of calendars because you do not Emerging Leaders Planning Session their installations. I will sure want to miss the 131st TFDA miss seeing everyone in Lub- Convention! Tuesday, June 6, 6:30 a.m bock and San Angelo! In closing, I would be remiss Dominican Joe’s Coffee Shop, 515 S. Congress Ave. In continuation with last if I did not wish many, many month’s article, I would like to blessings for each and every one The Emerging Leaders will meet to go over current plans as showcase a few more events of you during this this month of well as future goals to gain momentum and build value in for our annual convention be- renewal and reflection. I hope joining TFDA and the Emerging Leaders. This will be an ing held in Austin June 4th your Easter basket is full of all open discussion and everyone is invited to attend. through the 7th. The TFDA of your favorite candy and gifts. Disaster Committee is hosting Happy Easter! J 4 Texas Director • www.tfda.com Feature Twinwood Mortuary Service TOLL FREE: (844) 2-EMBALM Houston Local: (713) 526-1234 Fax: (713) 529-1113 HOUSTON’S PREMIER INDEPENDENT MORTUARY SERVICE *Rapid *Excellent *Superior Removals Embalming Service We offer Removals, Embalming, Refrigeration, Ship-In and Ship-Out Service, International Ship-Outs, Overland Transportation, Airport Transfers, Documentation Service, Complete Cremation Service, and Funeral Director’s for Graveside Services. Learn more about us by visiting our Website: TFDA www.twinwoodmortuary.com