Crestone End of Life Project (CEOLP) is a non-profit 501.C13 volunteer-run community service organization, initiated to serve community members’ end of life wishes. We are able to provide our services through charitable, tax-deductible donations. To support us, please consider making a donation today. Please click the button below to donate by credit card or paypal.

If you would like to donate by check or cash, you can mail your donation to:

CEOLP – ATTN: Donations
PO Box 1238
Crestone, Colorado 81131

We are always in need and appreciative of donations of time and resources. Please contact our General Inquiries Coordinator, Anna Louise Stewart, 719.256.5324, or via email, to let us know how you might be able to help out.

Volunteer opportunities
Crestone End-of-Life Project (CEOLP) is a microcosm of the greater Crestone community: diverse, respectful, supportive, compassionate, environmentally conscious, mindful, accepting and active. Volunteer roles that support and make possible the work of CEOLP and IFC. Please read over these areas to see where your particular gifts and energy might best fit and add to the teamwork at the heart of CEOLP and IFC.

“I guess I originally got involved because of love and continued to stay involved because of love. This process is so helpful to families and our community in moving through our grief. Also, I love to serve and I found ways to fit in, whether just bringing instruments, helping families, or keeping the sensor fire going, while maintaining mindfulness and prayer.”
– Elianna Krakauer

In the vision of the passionate and dedicated founders and volunteers of CEOLP, over the past 10+ years the organization has become recognized and respected not only in Crestone, but globally. As our local population expands and more people register with CEOLP, the organization’s growth represents an expression of trust that we will be here to serve them and their loved ones when the time comes.

END OF LIFE CARE ROLES
FACILITATOR
• After receiving call, contacts Team Leaders
• Contacts Fire Department
• Prepares Death Certificate and Authority for Disposition
• Contacts Coroner/Sheriff/ Hospice
• Remains in communication with all Team Leaders, etc.
• Oversees cremation from beginning to end

CARE OF THE BODY
• Assists family/friends with preparing the body for repose
• Oversees environment, temperatures, etc. during 72 hour period of repose
• Brings all need COB equipment to home and returns it to the location in Noah’s garage after event
• Arranges for stretcher to be brought to home and for transfer of body to stretcher/transport vehicle on the morning of cremation.

FAMILY LIAISON
• Liaisons between family and CEOLP Facilitator as per steps listed in CEOLP IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL, i.e., assisting family with planning ceremony; arranging for pallbearers and transport of body.
• Stays in contact with COB and others as needed through the end of the event
• Follows up with family and friends, without imposing

CEREMONY ROLES

“There is something that happens within the end of life process that gets facilitated by this group that is far bigger and better and wiser than you can imagine on your own. I was privileged to be just a parking attendant. It’s a bit like I would imagine if I was parking cars in heaven.”

M. Volchok

SITE PREP
• Put up/take down at pyre site
• Clean Porta Potty
• Keep shed in order
• Rake around pyre
• Keep Procession Path clear
• Keep ‘Celestial Bus Stop’ in order

HOSTING
• Parking
• Greeting Guests
• Handing out juniper
• Answering questions
• Assisting guests as needed with seating, etc.
• Greeting Family
• Leading Procession
• Ringing Gong
• During Ceremony, paying attention to family and friends needs
• Assisting with portable microphone: Use headset for best result

FIRE TEAM
• Fire Prep
• Sensor
• First Fire Team: Initiate Fire
• Second Fire Team: Responsible for latter stages of fire and closing pyre
• Third Fire Team: gathering cremains
*prepare site, pyre, etc for arrival of family
*after cremains have been gathered return site/pyre to original state

ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES

“Along with serving as secretary on the CEOLP board, I’ve written articles for the local newspaper, assisted with hosting a Death Café, and been part of a work crew clearing weeds and making other improvements at the cremation site. One reason I volunteer is simple: I really enjoy the people, the other volunteers involved with CEOLP. Beyond that, of course, is the fact that with many hands and hearts it’s easy to accomplish things that lead to making a difference in people’s lives—through CEOLP’s incredibly meaningful services to the community and through helping create opportunities for people to reflect, share, and make important decisions on issues that will face each of us at some point.”
– Gussie Fauntleroy

CO-DIRECTORS: The intention is to have many of the tasks cited below relegated to others.
• Share oversight of both CEOLP and IFC, making certain
that all required IRS and State filing is done in a timely manner and that all operations documents are renewed as per directed annually.
• Oversee both CEOLP and IFC banking; income/expenses
in conference with bookkeeper/treasurer
• Plan schedule for Board and Open Public meetings
• Communicate with CEOLP Team Leaders and CEOLP Site Manager to assure cremation preparedness.
• Communicate with IFC Educational Outreach presenters and provide supportive assistance.
• Continue to network valley, state and nationwide on EOL issues
• Oversee website and email, working with Website Content Manager and Email Host
• Coordinate with CEOLP Registrar
• Fund raise through Grants, Public Events, etc.

SECRETARY
• Takes notes at meetings; makes available to constituency
• Assists with Public Relations articles, ads, etc. by providing ‘copy’ and/or advice and editing as needed

TREASURER
• Oversees accounts/balances; develops budget and procedures
• Does annual reports/ EOY Letters/maintains spreadsheets, etc.
• Coordinates with grant-writers in developing grant budgets and seeing that, if grant is received, that the monies are expended as per written in grant budget.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:
• Web content
• Email list maintenance
• Dropbox
• Electronic archives (scan historical archives and update)
• Historian – host, maintain, and update hard copy scrap book