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I will certainly recommend your company to anyone I know who wants to memorialize someone they have lost.
You will find attached photos showing you how it looks in my back yard. I also am including a message that I sent to the many friends and family who have followed me to this point in my grieving process. It will give you an idea of how important it is for you and your company to continue to produce these wonderful products.
To all my Dear Friends and Family,
I have reached a milestone here in my life and wanted to share it with each of you.
It was always my intention to create a memorial place (a headstone) in memory of Jack. He will be gone from each of us four years at the end of July. At first, it was my intent to have two trees planted in Fountain Hills as a memorial to what we meant to each other. That never went anywhere mainly because of problems that the city was having with their watering system.
I then turned my attention to the possibility of a memorial marker in Norway, Michigan, the place of Jack's birth. I finally decided that this option was nonsensical for me because I would seldom if ever be able to visit a cemetery so far away. Moreover, Jack never wanted to return to Norway (he loved Arizona).
Therefore, I gave up on that idea. I contemplated having a headstone at a local Scottsdale cemetery, however, that too seemed mired in a lot of expense for something I would seldom venture out in public to view.
I finally decided on a Memorial Rock for Jack in my own back yard. The pictures attached are the result--the living memorial to Jack.
For me the process of grieving Jack has been long and torturous. However, I have worked every moment of it--every minute, hour, day, week, month and year of it. If you do not, you are unable to emerge from the other side of grief.
I am 85 percent there, I have 10 percent more to go, and 5 percent will remain a life long journey. I suppose only those of you who have lost a spouse or mate will be able to understand that 5 percent which will simply stay with me forever. I am living proof that you can transcend this type of loss. I wear the scars of this process with honor, and would have taken no other path to arrive at where I am.
The Memorial Rock for Jack, as well as the book I wrote in his memory, are two of the greatest tangible examples to that recovery. If you are receiving this message, it means you mean something to me or you were someone special to Jack.
As Jack would have said in closing, a phrase that means something if you have read (my book) "Finding My Banana Bread Man"......."Love you--lots lots"
John R. Davis, Author
"Finding My Banana Bread Man: A Journey Through Mourning",
268 pages, is available in paperback through Wheatmark Bookstore.
"...a moving memoir that reveals the resilience of the human spirit in the face of personal tragedy. I only wish every patient could be so lucky to have such a devoted partner and advocate as John Davis."--Katrina Firlik, MD, neurosurgeon and author.
"My boss just came into my office to tell me that our donor loved 'the rock.' Your staff was so easy to work with and the follow-up was appreciated. I would recommend your products to anyone looking for quality donor recognition."
Julia Waterfall-Kanter, Dir. of Development
Tuscon Jewish Community Center
www.TucsonJCC.org
"Our new nature trail for cremation burials has been a home run for us on all accounts. We have a large wooded area that is crisscrossed with ravines. Environmental regulations prohibit us from filling these ravines, so they cannot be used for traditional cemetery burial areas or roads.
Fortunately, we discovered these magnificent rock memorials in a trade publication and they led us to the creation of our nature trail, which winds through the woods and along the ravines. The memorials are very natural looking, yet far more functional than an actual rock.
Since they are hollow, they can quite easily be lifted so that our interment crew can bury cremated remains directly beneath the rock. Also, the space for the bronze memorial is molded right into the rock for easy and permanent installation. Last, but not least, an eye bolt in the artificial rock can be used to secure it by means of a chain looped through it and into a small pillar of concrete.
Our customers have greeted this new product with great enthusiasm. They love the rocks and the great variety of styles and colors that are available. We offer the rock memorials in three different settings at three different price points, with the most expensive locations being right alongside a babbling brook and koi-filled pond.
I am happy to say that our cremation burial sites in this premium area are selling for more than any of the full-sized graves in our cemetery and they are selling well!!
(The memorial rocks) have helped us find a use for difficult to develop areas of the cemetery, they are maintenance-free because we don't have to trim around them as we do the other memorials in the cemetery, and they provided us with an exciting new product to offer our customers as an alternative to scattering or other forms of non-memorialized disposition. This is truly an innovative product and just what our industry needs to keep pace with an ever-changing marketplace."
Andrea L. Vittum, President
White Haven Memorial Park, Rochester, NY
www.WhiteHavenMemorialPark.com
"The (Recognition Rock) arrived today and I am so pleased. Although I read the testimonials and heard from you that it would be indistinguishable from a 'real' boulder, I couldn't quite believe it until I saw it. It's mass, color, shape and texture are very convincing! I know our donors will be happy, and I appreciate the ease with which we were able to select and order such a high quality recognition piece. Thank you for answering all my questions and keeping me updated every step of the way. "
Suzanne Stallone, Director of Major Gifts
St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center, Roslyn,NY
www.stfrancisheartcenter.com
"I just wanted to say thank you. The Memorial Rock looks amazing and so does the plaque. The customer was very pleased today when she came here and we both could not believe how much the rock looked so realistic. So thanks again and I hope to do more business in the future with your company. You guys do fantastic work!"
Steve Elliott, Owner
Trinity Sign Company, LLC
Huntington Beach, CA
"In April 2006, Mission Children's Hospital in Asheville, NC opened a new children's outpatient center away from our main campus. Since Asheville is in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Southern Appalachians, our building was designed to look like a mountain lodge with a nature theme, both very welcoming to children and parents.
Asheville is a community with a wide array of talented artists who've located here from all over the world. For the final 'welcoming touch' to this new builder we commissioned Ukrainian sculptor Vadim Bora to develop a sculpture outdoors that children could play on and that followed both a healing and nature theme.
He created a circle of (bronze sculptured) children and animals in playful poses titled "On The Mend." We used a vary natural-colored Estate Boulder with bronze plaque to recognize both Mr. Bora and the donors of the sculpture.
Everyone loves it as it fits in with our natural theme for this building and looks a lot like boulders you would find in this area of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Valley Monuments was fantastic! They were quick, responsive, kept us totally informed and delivered a quality product that fits the decor of the region and blends perfectly with the sculpture."
Bruce Thorsen, President
Mission Healthcare Foundation, Inc., Asheville, NC
www.MissionHospitals.org
"We used the rock (with bronze plaque) as a way of recognizing donors who contributed towards a major work project by the Boy Scouts of America at a public school in The Woodlands, Texas. After placing the rock, I cannot believe how real it looks, and how much it supremely compliments the overall project.
I have worked with countless merchants over the years. I have never been more satisfied than with the quality of the product or service provided on this job by Valley Monuments. They answered every question promptly, and made certain that I received exactly what I had ordered. I would recommend Valley Monuments to anybody looking for a first class way to recognize another's efforts."
Judge William B. Howard
Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 772
The Woodlands, Texas
"The Estate Boulder (I ordered) arrived today. It rained heavily all day but Lee (my son) and my grandson Chris decided that they wanted to bring the boulder to the Medlin Cemetery this evening and install it.
Fortunately, the rains stopped in the late evening and the saturated soil (actually clay in Texas) allowed us to "sink" the boulder to a perfect depth. It looks absolutely MAGNIFICENT---it's so natural looking that I'm sure no-one would ever believe that it's not a real boulder! In fact, we all stood back and admired it as the sun slowly sunk in the west. It was a perfect moment and (my husband) Marc would have loved the moment, the setting and, especially, the boulder.
Thank you again for providing us with the "perfect" memorial. I will be eternally grateful that I discovered Valley Monuments (or, as I suspect, did Marc lead me to you?). It's a rarity in this day and age to find a company with such high standards---a company that believes in excellence; takes great pride in their product; and treats their customers with such loving care and respect.
You have achieved that and you should be very proud of yourself and your company--you have every right to be! Thank you again for everything. Fondly, Grace."
Grace Richards
Trophy Club, TX
"I liked the look of your Recognition Rocks. Great idea! We would appreciate receiving information to provide our team of experienced campaign directors. CDS is a full-service fundraising consulting firm specializing in the strategic planning and tactical execution of capital campaigns for both large and small non-profit organizations throughout the United States and Canada.
"We are constantly looking for fresh, innovative ways our clients can effectively recognize donors. We have earned a reputation for our unique and successful fundraising solutions and your products for 'Donor Paths' and 'Donor Trails' appear to have real potential."
David G. Phillips, President,
Custom Development Solutions
www.CDSFunds.com
"The (Memorial Rocks) were delivered here by the shipping company and were eagerly unpacked by myself and my staff and put in place in our dry river bed feature immediately.
I am delighted with them and the staff's reaction was that they are brilliant and should prove to be good sellers, so much so that one of my staff (who is my wife) wants me to reserve one for us!
I think we may well be back for some more of these as not only are they obviously well made in every detail, but the color and style of the (Memorial Rocks) fit in so well with our grounds that the possibilities for further projects are endless.
If you have (interested cemetery managers) in the UK then I am more than happy for them to visit us and use our site as a showroom if they require. If not then please feel free to recommend a visit to any other potential buyers here in the UK as I am very pleased to be able to promote Valley Monuments."
Jon Cox
The London Cremation Co.
Banbury Crematorium, Oxfordshire
Our dedication event (for the United States Post Office's new state-of-the-art Michigan Metroplex Processing & Distrib. Center) was a tremendous success, thanks in large part to the boulder-plaque from Valley Monuments. Thank you for coming through for us on very short notice. The boulder arrived on Thursday afternoon, which gave us ample time to determine the ideal placement. Your informed assistance throughout the process couldn't have been betterŠand the boulder looks fantastic!
I've attached a couple photos of the unveiling ceremony. (One of our employees), who is a disabled war veteran, was instrumental during the planning of our dedication ceremony; and he was extremely pleased with--and proud of--the outcome.
Once again, thanks for everything you did to make the dedication of the Michigan Metroplex Processing & Distribution Center a most memorable event.
Dan Orton, Communications Specialist
USPS, Southeast Michigan District
"Since it's founding, CPRA Studio, LLC's single goal has been to create an alliance of partner firms and suppliers who share the same vision of providing cemetery and memorial park clients throughout the United States with quality, cutting-edge products and services that meet the demands of today's and tomorrow's ever-changing marketplace.
I'm proud to say that Calif.-based Valley Monuments, Inc. is one of those suppliers who strives for the same level of excellence that CPRA Studio does in their quality products, uncommon customer service and extraordinary marketing support. Nowhere, I believe, will you find a company more interested in working hard for their customers to achieve the success their businesses deserve.
It's been my experience that you just don't find that kind of dedication from many manufacturers and is the reason CPRA Studio has chosen Valley Monuments to be among a select group of companies that we rely upon, primarily for their unique replicated rock memorials and urns which are among the most practical and profitable answers for cemeterians who are retaining us to design new or expanded cremation gardens at their properties nationwide."
Doug Flin, Principal
CPRA Studio, LLC
www.CPRAStudio.com
"The rocks we ordered look fabulous! The service was excellent too. I only wish I had known about you, and that your product was available, years ago!
It would have saved me a lot of money and trouble! Thanks so much. I'll pass your details along when we have our next development directors meeting in Cleveland. Why don't you send me some brochures. Great product!"
Barbara Gross, Director
Menorah Park Foundation, Beachwood, OH
www.MenorahPark.org
"I put the (Recognition Rock) sample you sent me in our backyard to see how it ages. We had some landscaping done last fall. One of the guys went to pick it up and almost threw it across the yard because he didn't know it was fake! They loved it and wished all the rocks they worked with were your product. They put my sample in a place of honor in their landscape design when they were all done."
Chris Adams
Custom Recognition, LLC
Partners In Recognition, Inc.
www.goPIR.com
A memorial rock ordered by Southfield, MI-based Federal-Mogul, a global supplier of automotive components (www.FederalMogul.com), will honor the memory of a valued employee and National Guard reservist from its plant in Glasgow, KY.
The memorial rock from Valley Monuments will memorialize U.S. Army Specialist Eric L. Toth, 21, of Edmonton, KY who was killed in Iraq on March 30, 2005, in his humvee after escorting a convoy on the main supply route in Baghdad.
The company's corporate headquarters in Michigan issued a statement to the media expressing "deepest sympathies" to the Toth family.
"A memorial stone will be set in place at the Glasgow facility to commemorate his service and dedication to his family, country and Federal-Mogul," said the statement by company spokeswoman Tracy Cassady.
"When I saw your memorial rock on a website, I knew it would be perfect for my husband. Before his death, he completed landscaping our front yard and was especially proud of an area with boulders, rocks, driftwood and a large sequoia tree. I plan to put the memorial rock with urn in that area of the yard, a nice place I can sit and talk with him or just remember him."
Lori Muehlbauer
Sequim, WA
"My father has always been fond of the dog that we had while we were growing up. Her name was Lady. She was the nicest dog that you could ever hope for as a family pet. Lady's favorite thing to do was taking the long car ride to our friend's ranch out in East Texas, because she knew that she would have a full day of exploring to do.
As the years went on and Lady's health started to deteriorate my parents made the hard painful choice to put her down. Since Lady and my Dad had such a great bond, my Dad got permission from his friend to put Lady to rest at the ranch which she enjoyed so much during her lifetime.
My parents thought that she needed a headstone for her grave, found a rock that would work and wrote her name and years on it in with a permanent marker. As the years passed, I noticed every time we visited the ranch the headstone was getting worn down by the elements.
So as a birthday surprise for my Dad I decided to get him a new monument that would show the love we had for Lady. After searching the Internet I came across Valley Monuments where I was able to find the perfect pet monument.
The staff at Valley Monuments did such a great job of ensuring every detail was covered from the spelling of Lady's name to the years of her life (on the bronze plaque). They also made sure that the monument arrived on time for my Dad's birthday and that meant a lot to my family and I.
The new monument is perfect and we can't wait to get out to the ranch and put it in place for Lady. Thank you, Valley Monuments!"
Elizabeth Reeder
Frisco, TX
"I helped choose a community project for which the tourism board was granted $1,000. The project was to mark the site of an African American school that had been built in 1925. The school burned in 1953, but a flagpole remained. The first thought was to restore the rusted, bent flagpole and mark the site somehow (but) we did not know of a way to mark it.
While driving around, I noticed some people had large landscape rocks. I checked the Internet for landscape rocks and found your website. We had a dedication with some of the people who attended the school past and present. The memorial rock seems to please everyone who sees it. Thanks."
Yvonne Kolbenschlag
Columbia, KY
"Thank you for your patience in working with us. I must say that the process of putting together the text and design for the marker has brought my family closer together in this difficult time, and we really appreciate the service that you provide.
At first we weren't sure if we could ever agree on the right lines to immortalize in bronze, as each of us remembered (our father) differently. But surprisingly, and thanks to your flexibility, we were able to do so rather easily and the process was healing and endearing for us. I hope other families can experience the same."
I. Hutabarat, Virginia |
