McCall’s Proud Winner of Best Funeral Home in Victoria
October 26, 2011
Victoria, BC – McCall Bros. Funeral Directors Ltd was awarded the Best Funeral Home of the City for 2011 as rated by readers of Victoria News, Saanich News, Oak Bay News and Goldstream News Gazette. http://www.mccallbros.com/
The 17th Annual Best of the City Survey held by Black Press News via an online ballot process awards accolades annually allowing readers to vote and award best businesses in the city. Readers are asked to tell about what they like, love and are passionate about in this great city and companies are awarded for outstanding service by their own community.
Trevor McCall, Funeral Director, stated, “We are very honoured that we have been recognized by the citizens of Greater Victoria as the best funeral home in the city. Such an award is a reflection of our staff and we are very fortunate to employ funeral directors and support staff who put families first and are 100% dedicated to the families we serve.”
Quality service at McCall’s means the following;
- Always offering valuable information, care and assistance for families suffering loss of a loved one.
- An After Care program ensuring that surviving family members receive guidance on dealing with estate matters and provides grief support references if required.
- Being served by a family who has served Greater Victoria for 90 years and is proudly, locally owned and operated in an environment where most funeral homes are owned by public corporations.
- Availability of 3 locations in Greater Victoria broadening reach to the constantly expanding city and surrounding communities.
- Providing preplanning options for those wanting to make provision for their survivors to ease uncertainty of wishes and financial stresses in a time of loss.
About McCall’s Funeral Home
McCall Bros. Funeral Directors Ltd., established in 1921 by David M. McCall and James M. McCall, has provided four generations of capable and compassionate service to the Victoria community. The McCall funeral home occupies the same site it did 90 years ago. The firm was founded with the purchase of an older residence built by Victoria pioneer, J.H. Todd, who had established the Todd Fish Canneries located where the Empress Hotel now stands. Over many years the old Todd residence would be substantially improved to be what it is today. There are fourteen full-time and ten part-time staff members.
For immediate access to information about funeral options and the McCall’s free Pre-Planning Guide visit http://www.mccallbros.com/
Contact Information:
Trevor McCall
250-385-4465
trevor.mccall@mccallbros.com
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Should Children Attend Funerals?
June 28, 2011
Children grieve just as adults do. Any child old enough to form a relationship will experience some form of grief when a relationship is severed.
Dr. Alan Wolfelt says, “If someone is old enough to love, they are old enough to grieve.”
As adults we may not view a child’s actions as grief as it often is showed in ways which we misunderstand as “moody”, “cranky”, “withdrawn” or other behaviors which do not appear to us to be grief. Children need to be comforted by feelings of warmth, acceptance and understanding when someone close to them dies. This may be hard for adults to identify as they are probably experiencing their own grief.
Caring adults can help children through this difficult time when the child is experiencing emotions for which they cannot convey in words. This can be a growth experience for the child, teaching about love and relationships. The first step is to create an environment in which the child’s thoughts, fears and wishes are recognized. This means that they should be allowed to participate in any of the arrangements, ceremonies and gatherings which are comfortable for them.
First, explain what will be happening and why it is happening at a level the child can understand. A child may not be able to speak at a loved one’s funeral but would benefit greatly from the opportunity to draw a picture to be placed in the casket or displayed at the service. Be aware that children like to dose themselves by only viewing the deceased for short intervals. This is not a sign of disrespect or a sign that they cannot cope with the viewing process. Adults can learn from children’s behaviors as the child doesn’t have any preconceived notion of what is the proper length of time, they haven’t been influenced by the options of others – they do what is natural to them.
At the funeral, families should identify a non-immediate family member or friend to care for the children in this event. The key is to allow the participation, not to force it. Do not force participation on the child as this can be harmful as children instinctively have a good sense of how involved they wish to be. They should be listened to carefully.
We welcome you to share your experiences and comments below. If you have any other questions about death, grief and creating meaningful funerals, please use the “Ask the Director” form to the right and we will answer your question in a future blog post.
McCall’s Westshore Open House April 24th & 25th
April 13, 2010
Support Sooke & Victoria Hospice
Sooke Hospice
McCall’s Westshore is proud to support Sooke Hospice and Victoria Hospice. Stop by McCall’s Westshore during the Open House on Saturday, April 24, or Sunday April 25, and enter to win a 3 night whistler vacation when a donation is made to either Victoria Hospice or Sooke Hospice.
3 Night Whistler Vacation Details
The draw will take place at McCall’s Westshore on Sunday, April 25, at 4pm. Vacation dates exclude December 17, 2010 to January 2, 2011 and are subject to availability.
Media Release: Broadening the McCall’s Community Reach – New Westshore Location
April 7, 2010
Broadening the McCall’s Community Reach– New Westshore Location
Langford, BC – McCall Bros. Funeral Directors Ltd announces its new location: Offering personalized cremation and funeral services for the WestShore and Sooke Communities. http://www.McCallsWestshore.com
For four generations, McCall Bros. Funeral Directors Ltd. has served Greater Victoria and Sooke since 1921. Over the years, we have established a caring and supportive relationship with families who require our assistance. Our newest office, McCall’s Westshore Funeral & Cremation Services is located at Sooke and Jacklin Roads, providing a convenient and affordable alternative for families living in the Westshore and Sooke region.
David McCall, third generation owner of McCall Bros., stated, “Though we have been serving the WestShore and Sooke region for generations, with the growth of Victoria and the growth of the these regions, we believe that to better serve the people we need a physical presence in order to be involved in the community and be a part of the Westshore.”
Westshore resident, John Ellwood had been named as the manager of the McCall’s Westshore location. With over 22 years experience as a funeral director in Victoria with McCall’s, Ellwood has also been very involved with the local community by serving the Westshore RCMP as an Auxiliary Constable from 1994 to 2002 and also working part-time at Westshore Parks & Recreation Bear Mountain Arena as the lead security. He has resided in the Westshore area since 1994 and has a deep-rooted connection to the community. He is extremely pleased to be appointed Managing Director of McCall’s WestShore.
“It demonstrates the commitment the McCall family has for the Westshore and Sooke region. The convenience of having McCall’s Westshore Funeral & Cremation Services located at Sooke and Jacklin Roads provides families a low cost alternative in their own neighbourhood,” Ellwood said.
The communities of WestShore and Sooke are invited to attend the open house at the new location at 3212 Jacklin Road at Sooke Road in Victoria, BC on Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
CONTACT:
John Ellwood , Manager
250-478-4467
john.ellwood@mccallswestshore.com
Add An Obituary To FaceBook
March 2, 2009
We recently received a question, “How do I add an obituary to my FaceBook profile?” This is an easy way for who use FaceBook to inform their friends on FaceBook that a loved one or friend had died also to inform them when the funeral service will be held.
There are 5 simple steps to add an Obituary Link to FaceBook:
- Go to the page where the obituary is for your loved one or friend
- Copy the web page URL (address) from the Address Bar in the top of the Browser
- Select the address and then Copy it “Ctrl + C”
- This is an example of what the Address looks like:
http://www.mccallbros.com/wm-dwight-egan-of-portland/
- Log into FaceBook and press the “Profile tab at the top
- Press “Post Link”, Paste the link into the bar, press Preview
- Select the appropriate picture, add a comment (optional), and press Post
Please let us know if you have any other questions – just fill out the “Ask The Director” form to the right.
Press Release: McCall’s to host Canadian War Veterans Documentary
October 21, 2008
Unique documentary captures Canadian War Veterans in their own words
Western Canadian Premiere Screening in Victoria on November 9th.
Local communities are joining forces with award winning filmmaker, Larry Cappetto, to honour the remembrances of today’s war veterans. Mr. Cappetto has appeared recently on CityTv in Toronto as a guest on CityTv Breakfast Television and CP24 with Ann Rohmer as well as CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, MSNBC with Alison Stewart, the QVC Home Shopping network and FOX television.
Mr. Cappetto has produced several unique American war documentaries that capture the memories of World War II veterans in their words. Local communities, schools, and veteran organizations are supporting the effort. He is now coming back to Canada to premiere his new film, “Lest They Be Forgotten – CANADA.”
SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE DAY FILM SCREENING –
Mr. Cappetto’s film, “Lest They Be Forgotten – CANADA,” will be screened at McCall Bros. Funeral Directors on Sunday, November 9th at 2:00 pm. Admission is free and open to the public. To RSVP or for more information, please call 250-385-4465.
Mr. Cappetto’s unique and compelling series of documentaries are historically important as Canada’s war veterans are dying every day. His documentaries are unusual in that the entire narrative is drawn from the memories and monologues of today’s veterans. According to Mr. Cappetto, “I named this series ‘Lest They Be Forgotten’ because this generation of veterans sacrificed so much, but asked so little.”
“What has been missing,” said Mr. Cappetto, “is to hear the story of their patriotism, sacrifice, and love of country in their own words.” “I purposefully seek to document and honor their remembrances and memories without editorial comment,” added Cappetto.
The entire film series and presentations are an opportunity to publicly acknowledge, on local and national levels, the many contributions and sacrifices of the veterans, and to instill in people everywhere the pride and gratitude that the veterans truly deserve.
“My race is against time,” said Cappetto. “There is an urgency about my work and I feel it is important for veterans in Canada to come forward and tell their stories for history’s sake so that future generations will hear and learn from the stories.”
These documentaries are an excellent way to teach young people about history, the sacrifices of war, and the spirit of patriotism. “I am proud to help make this part of every community’s education, and I am dedicated to preserving and celebrating the memories of those who have gone before us,” stated Larry Cappetto.
McCall’s Honoured as Finalist for the 2008 Business of the Year
May 25, 2008
McCall Bros. Funeral Directors was a Finalist for the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year for the category 26 to 75 employee category.
Ask The Director: