The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) KIP Award winners recognize the best in personalization in the cemetery and funeral service profession.

Created by the ICCFA Personalization Committee, the KIP program honors recipients in four categories: Most Personalized Service/Memorial for Funeral Home, Most Personalized Service/Memorial for Cemetery, Most Personalized Pet Service, and Innovative Personalized Product, which is only available to supplier members.

Jefferson Memorial received an Honorable Mention in the category Most Personalized Service/Memorial for Cemetery for our Paint the Park Pink initiative created last year. Following its 10th Annual Car Cruise which raised over $2,200 in support of the American Cancer Society, Paint the Park Pink continued the park's goal of charitable outreach with the American Cancer Society in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all the families we serve who have lost a loved one to cancer.

Paint the Park Pink partnered with Relay for Life/American Cancer Society Northeast Region to provide free pink flowers to all families visiting a loved one at the cemetery to place at their graveside, thus painting the park grounds pink. Cemetery staff met with families and answered pre-planning questions, handed out maps, surveys, and assisted families navigate the cemetery grounds. The Relay for Life/American Cancer Society Northeast Region staff also met with families and discuss activities, programs, fundraising and provide more information for those seeking cancer resources.

Every single person we spoke to had either battled cancer themselves or lost a family member to the disease. The cemetery’s aim in hosting events is to help promote healing, friendship, and stewardship with the community we are proud to be a part of for nearly 95 years. As a memorial park, we aim to destigmatize the notion that cemeteries are a place of burial only. Jefferson Memorial plans to continue its Paint the Park Pink initiative next year and hopes to expand its partnership with Relay for Life/American Cancer Society Northeast Region for an even bigger, multi-day event.

Read the full ICCFA press release on the winner here! To learn more about ICCFA and the KIP Awards, please visit their website at iccfa.com/awards.