 Dear Friends of Gowanda Pine Hill Cemetery, January 2025 The Happiest and healthy New Years to you all!! As noted at the top of our donor list for 2024 we have established a new benchmark level for giving. This enormous achievement will provide us the funds necessary to work on some important areas. Specifically we will put a new metal roof on the Tool House, plant several replacement trees, and several smaller projects falling under General Maintenance. Many of you designated your donation to our General Maintenance fund. This will ensure our ability to fund our employees who will carry out these tasks. We can’t emphasize enough how grateful we are for all your contributions. Since we as volunteers don’t need to embark on “fundraising projects” we can focus on the real and important tasks at hand. We appreciate your trust in us and want you to know we will continue to work diligently to accomplish as much as possible with the funds we have received. Our list of Qualified Charitable Contributions (QCD’s) doubled this year. Please consider this option in 2025 as it not only benefits us, but you who contribute from your RMD’s. Despite several wind storms this year we thankfully have had no substantial damage to our trees or the graves surrounding them. This is directly attributed to the work of our arborist who monitors the health of our trees. This work is an example of the important tasks we have accomplished through your contributions. One area of importance is yours’ and others’ pre-planning. It is never too early to make your wishes known. Whether you wish to have a traditional burial, full body donation to science, or a cremation, it is critical that your loved ones understand your plans. It is also VERY important that your loved ones have access to your written plans and especially to your deed and/or receipt for your gravesite. If you have not purchased a grave we encourage you to do so soon. Too often we witness struggles, disputes, and unnecessary decisions which need to be made at an emotional moment. Consider, please, how much you can lighten the load of those who remain after you bsimple and specific plans constructed at this time. Finally, if you own a grave in Pine Hill and wish to transfer it to someone else, we MUST have a letter indicating your desire. For more help visit gowandapinehillcemetery.com. Click on Our Services, then on Considerations. All our volunteers on the Board of Trustees work diligently. I would like to acknowledge the outstanding efforts by Martha Boutet with these newsletters, Phil Palen as secretary and ombudsman, and Jill Smith for the complicated duties as treasurer. These three really “make it work! Scott Campbell, President GPHC Board of Trustees You, our donors, have surpassed our Annual Appeal goal with a total amount of $14,289.00 We are astounded! Your outstanding support will help us complete projects for 2025. Thank you very much for your generosity and care for GPHC. from The Board of Trustees. Margaret Allen Walter Welch Bailey Phil Palen Sherrie Berger Doug and Helen Pine Martha Boutet Peter C. and Susan Plumb, Jr. Craig and Susan Brown William Plumb Sandra Brzezinski George and Erin Poff Ron and Mary Burnside Patti and Russell Pound Scott and Candice Campbell Martin and Bonnie Price Mary Lee Campbell-Wisley Mary T. Rice and Makenzie Carroll Frederick Williamson Ruth Creamer Bard Schaack Walter and Lorissa Darling Ronald and Dianna Stelley Dennis and Jane Derby Ricki and Debora Story Kurt Doehnert John Tagliaferro and Tina Fursback Mark and Miriam Doehnert David and Leena Taylor John and Susan Edwards Sylvi Taylor Jim and Barb Ferro Jack and Sue Torrance Marlene and Jeff Gaffney Sue Trewer Douglas and Luann Heckman Alice Tschopp George and Barb Hutchinson Judith Vogtli K & L Lanes Margaret and Patrick Walsh Barbara Minner Brian and Amy Louise Webb John Nowak Fredric and Linda Weyand Get to Know a Board Member…. Phil Palen Phil is a ‘born and bred Gowanda native’. He was delivered by Dr. Norris Frank at Tri County Hospital in 1954 and grew up in a friendly place. He loved learning and became an honors student at Cardinal Mindszenty HS, graduating in 1972. He continued his education earning a B.A. at St. Bonaventure University in 1978. Phil sold real estate at Ed Tarbox Agency for 45 years to numerous local people. He learned about the history and people of the Cattaraugus and Erie County areas. His love of knowledge, history and people made natural traits to become the official Gowanda Historian. A visit to the Gowanda Historical Building unveils black and white photos of the events, citizens, streets and artifacts from the past. Using his fascination with geography, Phil explains the natural beauty of the hills, valleys, roads and fields that surround Gowanda. In 2001 Phil and a committee of hard-working citizens applied for a “Tree City, USA” grant. Upon receiving the grant, over 1,000 trees were planted in three local parks: Chang Hu, St. John’s and Gateway Parks. For twenty-four years we have enjoyed their beauty and shade. Phil joined the Pine Hill Cemetery as a Board Member and became the Recording Secretary in 2012. He continues in this position and provides details of discussion, decisions and actions to improve the cemetery. He imparts his love for local lore and historical knowledge to anyone who asks Phil a question about Gowanda’s past. Listening to the details of his historical knowledge is like being in a classroom. It is evident as he walks through the cemetery and recounts details about the contributions of local friends, families and its citizens. Phil’s geographical sense is impeccable when he speaks of the influences of ‘life in the valley.’ His love of nature along with his hard work ethic, are witnessed as he voluntarily mows grass, rakes leaves, trims branches and shows up with a truck full of topsoil. With tools in hand, he is ready to volunteer and improve this small part of the Earth. Phil also photographs nature at its best and knows the flora and fauna that naturally decorate Pine Hill through the seasons. One of Phil’s passions is to use “Find a Grave,” a website of genealogical information that family members may input and save. He suggests that we explore findagrave.com and record what we know of our families. It is also a fascinating site to find the burial sites of famous people. I hope you get to meet Phil one day and talk to him about Gowanda. His love of his home town, history and the cemetery is unwavering. By Martha Boutet Phil and Martha hung the wreaths at the front gates.  ArchivesArchives Our 2023 Annual Appeal has surpassed our goal! Our total is $8755.00. We are most grateful for the generosity of the following 44 donors: Margaret Allen Martha Boutet Craig and Mary Brown Ron and Mary Burnside Scott and Candice Campbell Mary Lee Campbell-Wisley Mike Cassidy Ruth Creamer Walter and Lorissa Darling Dennis and Jane Derby Kurt Doehnert Mark Doehnert Tom and Joan Duffey John and Susan Edwards Jim and Barbara Ferro Lew Gabel Marlene and Jeff Gaffney George and Barbara Hutchinson Rick (Coyle) Knowles Wanda Koch Barbara Minner Philip and Edward Palen Diane Badurek Perl Douglas and Helen Pine Peter Plumb Patti and Russell Pound Martin and Bonnie Price R. Ferris Randall Kevin and Carol Regan Constance Rice Bard and Debbie Schaack Carol Sheibley David and Jill Smith Ronald and Dianna Stelley Ricki and Debora Story John Tagliaferro and Tina Fursback David and Lena Taylor John and Susan Torrance Ted and Susan Trewer Alice Tschopp Nancy Unger Judith Vogtli Margaret and Patrick Walsh Fritz and Linda Weyand *For immediate notifications and to help us reduce our mailing costs, would you please share your email address with us? Just a quick email to Martha Boutet [email protected] or to Scott Campbell [email protected] would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Get to Know a Board Member… Jill Smith Jill has served as our Treasurer for the past 4 years. She maintains extremely important financial record keeping and is required to submit reports to New York State Office of Cemeteries. As a dedicated kindergarten teacher for 28 years, Jill’s students at Frewsburg School District enjoy learning and achieve their best. They love Jill! She is married to David Smith who serves as the Mayor of Gowanda. They provide a biweekly Facebook address every other Sunday to encourage local citizens to become involved in their community. Look for them on “You Know You’re from Gowanda if…” Jill and David’s families mean the world to them. They often travel across country to visit relatives and welcome new babies to the family. Because community members like Jill care so much about its residents, Gowanda remains a vibrant village with a positive image. She is proud to call Gowanda her home. We are thankful for Jill’s talents and hard work with the cemetery. President’s Address: Happy New Year to all our Friends of GPHC! As we begin our 2024 year it is clear to the Board of Trustees that there is much to do. However, we are encouraged by your support and hope to make this another year of significant improvements. I noticed an interesting trend and want to share a thought as a result. Please excuse the volume of abbreviations in the following information. GPHC = Gowanda Pine Hill Cemetery. If you are over 72 1/2 years old and receiving an RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) from your IRA’s, there is an option called a QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution) which can benefit both you and GPHC. At your request GPHC can receive your next contribution directly from your RMD. Since RMD’s are considered income, and therefore taxable, any QCD to a charitable organization reduces your tax burden by that amount. So before you write your next check to us (and we truly hope you do!) why not consider this option and simultaneously reduce your taxes?! The only caveats are you need to request this through your tax professional, financial advisor or financial institution where you have an existing retirement account. The donation must come directly from them. (most ROTH IRA’s do not qualify) Finally, it needs be done in time for him/her to accomplish the logistics. (Think October or November.) Here is a link to an IRS site which contains more information: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/qualified-charitable-distributions-allow-eligible-ira-owners-up-to-100000-in-tax-free-gifts-to-charity. You can also find this link on our website, gowandapinehillcemetery.com. Sincerely, Scott Campbell, President FRIENDS OF GOWANDA PINE HILL CEMETERY FALL NEWSLETTER |
AuthorMartha Boutet, Vice President ArchivesCategories |
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