Post Classifieds
Memorial services offered
By Caitlin Waters
On April 15, 2012
For those who have lost someone while attending Buffalo State and for those lost
from Buffalo State, a memorial service will be held to honor their memories.
The Celebration of Life Memorial Service will take place for the eleventh consecutive
year on April 20. It will be held in the auditorium of the Burchfield Penney Art
Center.
The Critical Incident Support team, CIS, created the event in 2001 to help
commemorate Buffalo State College students, faculty and alumni whose lives were
lost in the past year. This year's event will cover any deaths from April 10, 2011 to
April 10, 2012.
Modupe Akin-Deko, the associate director and clinical coordinator of Buffalo State's
Counseling Center, has been involved since the first service in 2001 and said that
previous year's events have been a success.
"We've had between 40 and 120 people at past events over the years and it has
always been successful," Akin-Deko said. "The idea is that death is a part of life and
this event allows people to grieve and celebrate lives lost together."
The service is spiritual but non-denominational, starts at noon and goes for about
40 minutes. It is completely free and open to the public. People are encouraged to
come to commemorate anyone in their life who has died in the past year who was
close to them, whether they were involved with Buffalo State or not.
This year, people who attend the service will come and sit down in the auditorium,
where the president of Buffalo State, Aaron Podolefsky, will read a poem to open the
ceremony.
Four poems will be read after that, one for the students, one for the alumni, one for
the faculty and staff and lastly a unity poem. The unity poem is designed to tie all
previous poems and people together as a community. The Buffalo State Chamber
Choir will also perform at the event.
Victoria Furby, the director of Buffalo State's Chamber Choir for three years, said
she looks forward to being part of the ceremony.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for the Buffalo State College community to
celebrate the lives of those folks who have been influential to the college," Furby
said.
The names of those lost from Buffalo State will also be read and a bell will be rung
after each name said.
Refreshments on the second floor of the Burchfield Penney will follow after the
event. The president and vice president will also be there to meet and greet with
anyone who would like to.
The presentation of a wreath to President Podolefsky will end the event to mark all
of those who have passed away and will be displayed in the front of Rockwell Hall.
Jackie Hirtreiter, part of the support staff in the Counseling Center, has also been
involved for the past 10 years and said she agrees that the event is a great success.
"Families really appreciate that their family members are being commemorated and
their lives celebrated," Hirtreiter said.
Caitlin Waters can be reached by email at waters1.record@live.com.
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