Who are Ladies in White?
Ladies in White is a woman-owned business which employs women with wilderness skills, and reputations for compassion toward others and the land. The Ladies work to fulfill final wishes by scattering “cremains” in beautiful Montana wildlands. Following the scattering journey, the client family receives a photographic and written journal of the scattering, with GPS coordinates and a certificate of scattering. As a result of each scattering, Ladies in White makes a donation to an organization that works to save land or species, or to foster sustainable living practices.
May I, as a family member, accompany Ladies in White on the journey to scatter our loved one’s ashes?
At this time, Ladies in White does not take client families on scattering journeys. However, we may be able to refer you to an outfitter who can take family members into wildlands to conduct the scattering themselves. When the Ladies conduct a scattering journey, they will provide the GPS coordinates of the scattering location to the client family so that if, at any time in the future, family members want to visit the site, they can find it.
May I take part in choosing the team of Ladies who will perform the journey on behalf of my loved one?
Some choice is permitted. You may feel more at ease knowing that a team that reflects your spiritual perspectives will journey on your behalf. You may want to include team members with personal qualities or life experiences similar to those of your loved-one. We will try to assemble a team that gives you confidence. First and foremost, we must create teams that work well together, and which possess among their members the necessary range of wilderness skills.
Is pre-planning available?
Ladies in White is not currently providing pre-planning services. However, you may complete and sign the Preferences and Pricing Worksheet, and the Authorization and Contract, and attach these sheets to your will, along with any instructions for making payment, so that your relatives are made aware of your intentions.
ABOUT THE ASHES
I live in Connecticut. How do I get my grandfather’s ashes to you safely?
Please refer to Planning the Scattering for mailing cremated human remains. After you have read the instructions, feel free to contact us with any further questions.
My mother’s ashes are in an urn that the family would like returned to us. Can you mail it back once the scattering has taken place? We will be happy to return the urn to you. Please refer to Shipping for instructions. Note: it is unlikely that we can be persuaded to carry a breakable urn into the backcountry in our packs simply because of the risk of damage. Ashes in a fragile urn are removed to a light weight protective container just prior to the start of the journey.
What if it rains?
There are several events that could force the postponement of a journey, rain being one of them, extreme cold or heat being another. Road closures might occur due to flooding in spring, forest fires in late summer, or unseasonable snow. “In Montana, wait five minutes and the weather will change,” is a common saying that reminds us to be prepared for almost anything. Generally speaking, however, a little rain won’t deter us. We do hope for a sunny day so that the photographs we send you put the journey and the final destination in the best light possible.
What if the journey is postponed?
Part of our journey planning takes the potential for postponement into account. We plan alternate routes and destinations, and even alternate days in case they’re needed. However, we do make every effort to conduct the journey within the time frame specified in your contract.
Aren’t the Ladies afraid of bears and could the sighting of a bear stop a journey?
Well, no to both questions. First, we certainly respect bears and for that matter, other large wild animals that might be in the area. However, The Ladies are recruited for their experience in backcountry and for their ability to use avoidance and, if necessary, protective measures when confronted with danger. To be on the safe side, The Ladies carry bear spray which has proven to be very effective in stopping an overly-curious bear. Happily, the bear eventually gets over the effects of the spray and goes on about its business.
If The Ladies were to sight a bear in close proximity, we would in all likelihood decide to follow another course, as much for the bear’s peace of mind as our own. Since we always plan alternative routes for just such occasions, the journey will go on. Finally, let it be said that The Ladies are wildlife advocates and we will do our best to minimize human/animal conflict in wildlife habitat.
What if your vehicle breaks down on the way to the trail head? The vehicles which transport The Ladies come from a nationally recognized rental agency. The agency takes great pains to be sure each vehicle assigned to a journey is in tip-top working condition. Further, The Ladies purchase adequate insurance so that if any breakdown were to occur, a replacement vehicle would be sent immediately.
Why can’t the Ladies scatter ashes in Public Lands? When you stop to think of it, you have part ownership in America’s public land – we all do – and it’s fitting that, at life’s end, we might want to come home to those lands that belong to us. However, the Forest Service, which manages most of our public land in Montana, refuses to “officially authorize” the scattering of ashes on lands it oversees. The Bureau of Land Management, although initially encouraging, has opted not to offer a Special Use Permit to Ladies in White because of concerns brought forward by Native Americans. In the wake of these developments, others are offering the use of their beautiful wildlands, bordering or near to National Forests. Please see News for updates.
Do you scatter ashes in a water fall or river?
No. Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “We all live downstream.” Out of respect for those who may be drinking the water miles away, we will not scatter in waterways. However, we will scatter within sight of beautiful water falls, streams, rivers and lakes.
Will the scattering site ever be developed?
There are no guarantees, just as the “perpetual care” offered by cemeteries is never guaranteed. However, the Ladies journey into places where the possibility for development is very remote.
Will there be a commemorative marker placed at the scattering site?
No. As much as we may want to place something of a commemorative nature at the site of scattering, we are guided by “Leave No Trace” principles. However, The Ladies recognize the value of providing a place where the memories of those who have gone before us can be preserved. We are exploring the possibility of offering space on-line for the obituaries submitted by those who use our services. Meanwhile, there are other such services on line currently which you may want to use. Also, the photographs you will receive from us will show the proximity of a natural marker. A tall tree standing close by the scattering site, a boulder or other unique natural feature which was already there to begin with, can become significant as a marker nature has already provided.
We don’t want The Ladies to scatter our loved-one’s ashes where people might later walk. What assurances can you give? The Ladies scatter “off trail,” which is to say that we do our utmost to find places we believe hikers or campers are unlikely to be. We take time and care as we decide where to scatter, being sensitive to the wishes of the families for whom we work.
To what kinds of organizations does Ladies in White give its donations?
The privilege of being laid to rest in one of the earth’s most beautiful places inspires the desire to give back to the earth in some way, to protect that land for generations to come. Ladies in White makes its donations primarily to organizations and agencies which work to preserve wilderness and other wild lands; to entities that teach and demonstrate sustainable living practices that can help people live upon the earth with less impact and greater respect for the natural world; and to land stewardship programs.
What is the amount of the donation?
10% of the price of the scattering. Any family willing to offer more is invited to do so. We know the organizations receiving the donations will be very grateful, for many are accomplishing heroic tasks with limited resources.
May I select the organization that will receive the donation from the Ladies?
The Ladies currently retain the right to select the organizations that will receive donations. We screen recipient organizations for their ability to manage the donations wisely and to use them for the intended purpose.
How soon are donations sent to recipient organizations?
The Ladies try to present their donations within the week following the journey. In some cases donations are mailed, but when possible, they are hand delivered. On occasion, The Ladies will wait to make the donation if by waiting they can add significance to a special event.
How can we be sure the donation was made?
Those families who use the services of Ladies in White may specify on their Preferences Worksheet that they would like acknowledgment of the donation. In that case, The Ladies will provide the family’s address to the recipient organization so that acknowledgment can be sent. This may result in the organization placing your name and address on their mailing list to receive future mailings. If it is not your desire to be on the mailing list, it will be your responsibility to communicate directly with the recipient organization.
Is the donation made by Ladies in White tax deductible for us?
Because the donations are made directly by The Ladies in White to the nonprofit organizations, they are not tax deductible for those who use our services.
You charge too much. Can’t you lower your prices?
If you haven’t seen our prices, please go to Preferences and Pricing Worksheet which is found under Planning the Scattering.
Frankly, we believe the cost of funeral services in our country are, in many cases, out of hand. According to a 1999 National Association of Funeral Directors survey, the average cost of a funeral followed by burial in the United States was $6,000 - $10,000. Honoring a loved one shouldn’t have to encumber families with debt. By choosing cremation rather than burial, families can reduce those overall costs. By taking responsibility for the scattering yourself, you can reduce costs even more and Ladies in White encourages a “do it yourself” spirit.
So it is with a certain amount of concern that we have had to set our prices where they are in order to conduct both a viable and ethical business. Keep in mind that there is much to be gained from participating in a program that works to conserve the earth’s most precious places as opposed to putting money into the purchase of burial plots.
This having been said, we will always look for ways to trim our costs so that the cost to clients can in turn be reduced. Currently, we are working on a program that will be easier on more moderate budgets. We plan to introduce it in 2008, so please stay tuned.
Are there any hidden costs?
No. You pay outright for the cost of shipping the ashes to the Ladies. The costs for the scattering service itself are spelled out in the Preferences and Pricing Worksheet.
Disclaimer
Before any discussion of ethics and standards can begin, The Ladies must offer a disclaimer. Although we believe in and promote everything you will read below, it is with humility that we must report we are not perfect. We constantly challenge ourselves and one another to the highest standards of conduct and practice, knowing that the best way of holding to those standards is to maintain personal and corporate vigilance. The input of our readers and clients will also help to shape our thoughts and actions.
How do you set standards for your business?
We are guided by the standards set forth by the Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA). FCA is a federation of nonprofit consumer information societies whose purpose is to protect a consumer’s right to choose a meaningful, dignified, affordable funeral. It promotes the highest standards for deportment in the funeral industry and exposes industry businesses that fail to meet those standards.
Ladies in White opposes deceptive practices where ever they occur in the funeral industry. Conversely, we strongly support all funeral industry professionals who are doing their difficult jobs with honesty and compassion toward bereaved families.
Do you abide by the Federal Trade Commission’s “Funeral Rule?” Yes. Your rights as a funeral consumer are protected under the Funeral Rule. A plain-English version of the rules can be found here. For more detailed information, click here. Ladies in White encourages an informed public.
Do the Ladies practice the “Leave No Trace” principles of outdoor ethics?
Yes. These principles are known to many and promoted by Ladies in White. Developed by the US Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, these principles help us humans do our utmost to protect natural areas. The principles are:
- plan ahead and prepare
- travel and camp on durable surfaces
- minimize campfire impacts
- respect wildlife
- be considerate of other visitors
- dispose of waste properly
- leave what you find
By now, the obvious may have occurred to you. “Leave No Trace” implies that one leaves nothing behind. Yet, under the agreements made with those who oversee the land in which we journey, we may leave behind ashes, in recognition of the fact that any impact is mildly benign.
Sustainability
The Ladies challenge themselves to live according to principles of sustainability and we encourage others to seek ways to live sustainably so that the human impacts upon the earth may be reduced. The Ladies make an effort to avoid the unnecessary use of resources. We travel together when ever possible (which is most of the time). We look forward to the day when we may be able to acquire a hybrid (gas/electric) vehicle for our work. For more information on living sustainably, click here.
© 2006 Ladies in White SM
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