9/11 Essay Writing Contest
It is a pleasure to announce our 9/11 Essay writing contest. We invite all 6th-8th grade students (as of Spring 2017) in North Pinellas County to submit an original essay addressing the theme "What 9/11 Means to Me". Deadine for entries is Friday, August 25h. First prize winner receives $500 and will be invited to read his or her winning essay at the 9/11/17 Memorial Event held at Curlew Gardens. See below for further details regarding this very special contest.
Click here for details
Curlew Hills Named Business of the Year by the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce
We are thrilled to have been named the Business of the Year by the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. It is such an honor to win such a prestigious award!
Some Curlew Hills' team members, including President & CEO Keenan Knopke, were present to accept the award at the Safety Harbor Chamber's annual dinner held on Wednesday evening, September 21. It was a very special night and a great compliment to be selected from all the great businesses in our area.
Thank you Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce!
Curlew Cares Award Winners
We are thrilled to announce the winners of our Curlew Cares Award. Yes, we said winners -plural! For the first time ever, we chose two award winners - Erica Lynford, Director of CSA Palm Harbor - The Centre and Winna Morrin, The Lyn Fund. Both are incredibly deserving and ironically, both woman nominated one another for the award!
Winna Morrin is a breast cancer survivor who has dedicated herself to helping others through countless hours of volunteering and donating to various charities. In 2015, Winna created a nonprofit organization called the LYN Fund - which stand for Love Your Neighbor. The organization pays living expenses up to $3000 for patients in Pinellas and Pasco Counties who are in active cancer treatment for a female cancer. So far they have helped 12 people in our community to the tune of $36,000 and the organization is continuing to grow.
Erica Lynford - Winna's nomination of Erica stated that Erica would give the shirt off her back to someone in need. Once you meet Erica, you will soon recognize how true that is. Erica serves as Director of CSA Palm Harbor - The Centre. The programs for seniors and families offered there touch the lives of so many. in addition to all she does there, Erica is Vice President of the LYN Fund, serves weekly at Pinellas Hope and volunteers for numerous local charitable organizations.
We are lucky to have two such amazing women here in our community. Both were surprised and humbled to receive the Curlew Cares Award. Each received a $500 check, which they quickly said would be donated to the LYN Fund.
Following the award presentation to Winna and Erica, Keenan Knopke, Curlew Hills President & CEO, presented them with a $1000 donation for the LYN Fund.
If you would like to nominate someone to receive a Curlew Cares Award, please email mary@cmsa.com with a nomination of 500 words or less.
Thank you Erica and Winna for all you do for our community!
Curlew Hills receives Angie's List 2015
Super Service Award!
Curlew Hills Memory Gardens has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2015.
Curlew Hills has won the
ACE Award for Excellence!
This prestigious national award presented by American Cemetery & Cremation Magazine to the best cemetery in America. The criteria for this award included our community activity, ground maintenance and our innovation.
Here is a kind quote from the magazine's editor about us;
“We received dozens of entries from cemeteries throughout the world – all of them doing great things to serve their communities. But Curlew Hills stood out in so many ways, and it truly exemplifies that cemeteries can be relevant, beautiful and an integral part of the community,” commented Patti Barsch, Editor of Cemetery and Cremation Magazine.
Keenan Knopke Recieves Award
We are thrilled that Keenan Knopke, President & CEO of Curlew Hills, was recently given the Palm Harbor Fire Rescue Board of Fire Commissioners Award. It was presented to him for his "significant and continuous selfless contributions toward the overall efforts of Palm Harbor Fire Rescue within the Community." Congratulations Keenan!
Curlew Hills Named 2015 Business
of The Year by Dunedin Chamber
We are thrilled to be been selected as the Medium Sized Business of the Year by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce. We were proud to be selected from a fine group of local businesses our size. Judges selected winners based on work ethic, integrity, community involvement and the financial success of the company. Thank you Dunedin Chamber for the honor!
Have You Seen Our New Eagle?
We are very proud to have added a new masterpiece to our cemetery. The Cast Bronze American Bald Eagle is now magnificently perched beside our Circle of Valor. With a wing span of 58 inches, this beautiful solid bronze eagle weighs nearly 300 pounds and is almost 50 inches high. The American Bald Eagle was adopted as the national bird symbol of the United States of America in 1782. It was chosen for its majestic beauty, great strength and long life. Please stop by the cemetery to see our new American Bronze Eagle soon.
2016 Dr.Wolfelt Seminars Scheduled
In October we held our free grief seminars with renowned grief expert Dr. Alan Wolfelt. With a touching message of hope and healing, Dr. Wolfelt uplifted guests at our community seminar and the educational seminar. Mark your calendars for October 20 & 21, 2016 to hear Dr. Wolfelt’s inspiring words at our seminars again.
28th Annual Veterans Day Service
Our Veterans Day Service in 2015 was very special. Our program highlights included:
Guest Speaker: Sgt. Major Steve Houten U.S. Army
Musical Performances by: Westlake Christian School and
Palm Harbor United Methodist Church Choir
Presentation by: American Gold Star and Blue Star Mothers of Tampa Bay
We also had a presentation of colors, local honor guards & boy scout troops and much more. Thanks to all who attended on this special day to honor America's veterans. Join us Friday, November 11, 2016 for our 29th annual service.
Thanks to All Who Attended Our 9/11 Event
On September 11th, we proudly hosted our 4th annual memorial service in honor of the tragedy that occurred in America on September 11, 2001. The program featured Reginald Roundtree as our Mater of Ceremonies and will include Honor Guards, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Flyover, U.S. Coast Guard Flyover, Tarpon springs Conservatory of Music, the East Lake High School Choral Group and Olivia the Lowry Park Zoo Eagle.
We are proud to have a one-of-a-kind 9/11 Memorial. A 150-pound piece of rusted steel beam, which was once part of the World Trade Center Towers, is its focal point. The memorial is constructed with nearly 30 tons of American granite and features an eternal flame at its base.
To view photos of this wonderful event, visit our Facebook page. You can also view a video of the event on the homepage of this website.
Our 30th Annual Memorial Day Service was Beautiful
Our 30th annual Memorial Day Service was a beautiful remembrance to those who gave their lives for our freedom. The bravery, honor and unselfish dedication of all our military veterans past & present should never be forgotten.
Our special Guest Speaker this year was U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Jared D. Hill.His numerous awards include: Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, The Combat Infantry Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge.
A highlight of this year’s Memorial Day service was the display of the one-of-a-kind "Remembering Our Fallen" exhibit. This exhibit features names and photos of Florida soldiers who have died fighting the War on Terror since September 11, 2001. There are 304 Florida soldiers who died from wounds suffered in the war zone while wearing our country’s uniform that are honored on the display. Curlew Hills Memory Gardens is the first on Florida’s West Coast to display this exhibit.
Memorial Day music was provided by the outstanding Palm Harbor United Methodist Church Choir as well as the talented Bones South trombone group. Both groups added great enjoyment to all.
2015 K-9 Service Dog Memorial Service
About 100 guests attended the K-9 Service Dog Memorial Tuesday, April 14 to pay tribute K-9 heroes placed in our Garden of Heroes. K9 service dogs and their handlers from many area police and sheriff’s departments including the Clearwater Police Department and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office were in attendance at the service to remember deceased service dogs from both agencies. At this year’s memorial, the 54 dogs that are currently interred at the Memory Gardens will be remembered and reflected upon.
Curlew Hills Memory Gardens features one of Florida’s only authentic pet cemeteries. The company proudly donates burial plots in the pet cemetery to all service animals of both law enforcement agencies. Without this donation, the handler would typically pay out of his own pocket for the burial of the animal upon his death.
Remembering Florida's Fallen Event
Curlew Hills Memory Gardens was proudly the first on the Florida West Coast to display the "Remembering Our Fallen" on Saturday, March 21. This special, one-of-a-kind exhibit features names and photos of Florida soldiers who have died fighting the War on Terror since September 11, 2001. There are 304 Florida soldiers who died from wounds suffered in the war zone while wearing our country’s uniform that are honored on the display.
A beautiful ribbon cutting ceremony included the parents of Army Corporal Frank Gross, who was killed in action in 2011 as well as Kim Allison the mother of Army Spc. Zack Shannon, who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, in 2013. Congressman Gus Bilirakis will also participate in the ceremony.
This is the only memorial which honors by state soldiers who have died fighting the War on terrorism.