1. Lake View Cemetery
Project Manager: James Choinski
Consultants: Connor Herlehy, Devin Carroll, Jasmine Le, Zack
Griswold, Olivia Weldon
Fall 2015
2.
3. Table of Contents:
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………..4
Brochure……………………………………………………………………………….....5
Lake View Website……………....……………………………………………………...7
Involvement with The Ithacan…………………………………………………………..9
Volunteers………………………………………………………………………………...10
Future Involvement/Fundraising………………………………………………………..13
4. Executive Summary
The Lake View Cemetery approached the Ithaca College chapter of Student’s Consulting
Non-profit Organizations (SCNO) in the fall of 2015 for help in researching and recommending a
variety of fundraising strategies to increase donations and to determine effective ways to
increase community awareness and communicate the history of Lake View Cemetery.
Through a semester-long project that lasted from September 2015 to December 2015, a team of
SCNO members focused exclusively on creating a brochure to spread community awareness
and positive word-of-mouth, a recommendation on what to include on the Lake View website, a
press release for The Ithacan to show the changes the Cemetery underwent, how to recruit
volunteers, and a plan for fundraising opportunities within the Ithaca Community.
This booklet is meant to aid Lake View Cemetery in increasing community awareness, to help
them recover from the embezzlement scandal, and increase funds so they can accomplish their
future goals.
5. Brochure:
A brochure is a small book or magazine containing pictures and information about your product
and/or service. It is important to have a brochure because it will market your non-profit
organization while encouraging people to donate to the cemetery. We recommend that you
have your own brochure because it tackles two of your major problems at one time. The Lake
View Cemetery will become well known within the Ithaca Community and increase the inflow of
funds.
Where to put the brochure:
1. Nursing Homes: Nursing homes, like Longview, are an important place for these
brochures to be available for obvious reasons. Many people in nursing homes are
nearing their end of life, and their loved ones might have to start thinking about what to
do when they are gone, even if it is difficult. Having the brochures right there and
available not only provides them with information on somewhere to lay their family or
friends to rest, but also about the financial help the Lake View Cemetery needs. It could
entice them to want to donate to the cemetery since it might now be relevant to their
lives.
Longview
607-375-6300
1 Bella Vista Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850
Oak Hill Manor
607-272-8282
602 Hudson Street, Ithaca, NY 1480
Bridges Cornell Heights
607-257-5777
407 Wyckoff Ave, Ithaca, NY 14850
2. Grocery Stores: There are multiple grocery stores within the Ithaca community.
Wegmans is a great place to put these brochures. By the front door of Wegmans, there
is a stand that holds flyers and brochures. Also, Walmart has a customer service section
that holds advertising materials for organizations within the Ithaca area. People will see
this, pick up a brochure, and begin to research the Lake View Cemetery. The availability
of the brochure will also increase “word of mouth,” which will increase the amount of
donations to the cemetery.
6. Wegmans
500 S Meadow St, Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 277-5800
Walmart
135 Fairgrounds Memorial Pkwy, Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 277-4510
3. Community Locations: The Ithaca Commons has multiple locations where brochures
could be placed. One place could potentially be at Center Ithaca. Inside of Center Ithaca
there is a Visitor’s Center where many people go in to ask questions about Ithaca and
what there is in the town. The Visitor’s Center collects brochures from companies within
the Ithaca Community. Another location could potentially be the DeWitt Mall. This mall is
not in the Ithaca Commons but very close by on N. Cayuga Street. The placement of
these brochures will allow people to raise more awareness of the cemetery and could
allow for an increase in donations.
Visitor’s Center
171 East State Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 273-7482
DeWitt Mall
215 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 273-6464
7. Lake View Website
Lake View can improve its awareness by creating a website. This will promote a positive
image through pictures, as well as text. Not only does it create a positive image, but it also makes
getting in contact with Lake View that much easier. With contact info directly on the page, potential
donors have an easier way to get in touch to donate. In terms of donating, including a PayPal link
will also give donors an easy way to contribute whatever amount of money they would like to give to
Lake View Cemetery. Providing a visual image of improvements made to Lake View will also give
donors a better idea of where their money is going as well.
What to Have on the Website:
-Top Contributors: Top contributors are essential to make it somewhat of a competition with
an end goal and price in mind as to who donates the most. The top donator each month will be
recognized on the website and could possibly receive some sort of discount or award.
- Paypal: Paypal is necessary for the simple fact that it makes donating that much easier.
Instead of sending payments through the mail to the cemetery, an online payment is quick, easy,
and painless. To set up a PayPal account simply go to paypal.com, click sign-up, and enter all of the
required information.
-Where are donations going?: It’s important to show donors where their donations are
going so they know their money is being put to good use. For example, showing new equipment that
has been bought to keep up maintenance (lawn mower, weed whacker), fixing broken tombstones,
or reconstructing and fixing the mausoleum.
-Available Lots: Availability of lots on the cemetery can give potential donors and the
deceased an in-depth look at the areas that could be used for burial. Pictures of these lots with a
view may be a nice addition to the site as well.
-Yearly Goals: Some yearly goals as to what the cemetery wants to accomplish so donors
know their money is going to good use and will be used effectively. This also shows the progress the
cemetery has made since the embezzlement scandal and further encourages the Ithaca community
to donate. Examples of goals would be monetary amounts the cemetery is looking to earn in order to
improve the physical appearance of Lake View.
-Price of cemetery right now $500: Lake View Cemetery plans to increase the price in the
future. An increase in funds will allow Lake View to easily achieve their yearly goals. Most of the
$500 goes to outside sources that are involved in the burial process. Increasing the cost will
increase the quality of the cemetery and will provide families with a better resting place for their
loved ones. However, it will be difficult to raise prices before improving on the cemetery first.
Unpaid Websites
The following websites are all free sites that can be used to create a web page. They offer templates
to choose from, and from that template, they allow the user to customize the features they want. One
downfall is that the website won’t let the user have their own url, rather they will have a url through
the website creating the web page.
8. 1. Web.com
2. Wix.com
3. Weebly.com
4. Aws.Amazon.com
Paid Websites
The advantage to having a website that is paid for monthly is that it is completely customizable. The
user will have their own domain name along with the customizability of their choosing. Paid websites
run as low as $2.75 a month.
1. Squarespace $8.00/Monthly
2. Godaddy.com $9.99/Monthly
3. Ehost.com $2.75/Monthly
Internship Program
An internship program is a great idea to bring in potential Ithaca and Cornell students who are
looking for internship experience. With the vast number of students, there are plenty of available
opportunities to help Lake View. Putting students in charge of social media, website maintenance, as
well grounds maintenance and in charge of contacting and recruiting volunteers gives them
experience, as well as helps Lake View keep the cemetery running.
Recruiting Interns at Ithaca College
Potential Majors of Interest: Integrated Marketing Communications, Communication Management
and Design, Business Administration (Marketing and Finance)
Ithaca College Office of Career Services
careers@ithaca.edu (607)274-3365
Ithaca College uses ICHired to post thousands of job, internship, fellowship and volunteer
opportunities. It gives interested students a chance to look at all the organizations looking
for interns. To post an internship opportunity onto ICHired, go to
www.ithaca.joinhandshake.com/login. Once on this site you will be allowed to create an
account and register as an employer.
Lake View Cemetery can also set up a visit to the Ithaca College campus. During the Visit,
you will have the opportunity to present an information session about the cemetery and why
it would be a great place to be involved with. From there you can reserve rooms to hold
interviews for internship positions.
9. Involvement with the Ithacan
Example story-pitch to the Ithacan
Kira Maddox
The Ithacan, Editor in Chief
There are a lot of historic places in the greater Ithaca area that engage the community
and ignite their interests. One of these lesser-known historic landmarks, spreading over the
rolling hills behind the Ithaca high school, once with a beautiful view of Cayuga Lake, is known
as the Lake View Cemetery. If you are not familiar, it would be well worth your while (and your
readers) to learn more.
8,000 people are buried on the Lake View property, spanning more than 120 years.
Famous families like the Wycoffs and the Cornells have been laid to rest among the rolling
grounds, but their legacy is being tarnished. Two separate incidents of embezzlement have left
the Lake View Cemetery nearly bankrupt and struggling to give those who are laid to rest on
their property their due respect. Tombstones are coming out of the ground, unmarked graves of
babies are being discovered, the cost of equipment and maintenance services are becoming too
much, and the once beautiful mausoleum that holds hundreds of bodies is falling apart.
Enter Tom Wakula, the fairly new President of the Lake View Cemetery and board
member that is making more changes and progress in the last year than anyone else has in
recent history. With the recent embezzlement still hanging over the cemetery, Wakula and his
fellow board members are doing everything in their power to raise money and keep the
cemetery as maintained as possible with little to no funds at all to do so. Even so, during his
time as President he has made great strives to make a difference, but he needs help. Help from
the community, from the families of those who are buried there, and from anyone who will help
or donate funds. Volunteers are vital to make sure literal graves and tombstones are not falling
apart and bodies can continue to rest in peace. Wakula is the most recent, and maybe their last
hope.
We think this could be a great story and spark a lot of interest in our community. The
students at Ithaca College as well as the town residents care so much about the greater Ithaca
area, its environment, and the people who live here. Showing the story of how the Lake View
Cemetery was facing defeat and is now rising back up, grasping for any chance to increase the
quality of their facility, is the story of an underdog that has a lot of history in Ithaca. There is so
much more to learn about the cemetery, it’s history and what is in it’s future, as well as a chance
to help them just by getting the word out.
Sincerely,
The Lake View Cemetery &
Student’s Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations
10. Volunteers
How to recruit volunteers:
● Contact organizations (see list of ideas for recruiting volunteers below) by phone or
email, explain what you do, why you need help, and what you specifically need help with
● After initial contact with the volunteers, invite them to take a tour by Tom of the cemetery
so they can get a feel for it. This provides an opportunity for these volunteers to learn
more about the history and builds excitement and dedication
● Provide reason that it will be beneficial for these volunteers to help your organization.
People are more willing to help out if they feel like they are important and are motivated.
● Make sure you provide flexibility for your volunteers. This way they can work around their
own schedules. They will also be more likely to invite friends and family to help out.
Step by Step Process:
● Asses what you need from volunteers
● Research sources of potential volunteers in the community
● Plan and implement a recruitment strategy (see example letter below)
● Find volunteers by sending out letter, making phone calls, or visiting volunteer groups
● Convince potential volunteers to become active volunteers
● Identify the skills needed for volunteering
● Work with the volunteers to make them comfortable and full of knowledge
● Show your appreciation
Ideas for recruiting volunteers:
● Student organizations at Ithaca College that are volunteer based
○ Circle K (circlekic@gmail.com)
○ Service Saturday (austin@ithaca.edu)
○ Helping Hands (Acohen8@ithaca.edu)
○ Big Brothers/Big Sisters (cmcneis1@ithaca.edu)
● Ithaca High School students looking for volunteer opportunities (607) 274-2143
● Internship programs
● Churches, temples, synagogues, etc.
● Local businesses
● Reach out to the mayor at (607) 274-6501
● Juveniles
● School honor societies (ex. Beta Alpha Psi) and school fraternities and sororities are
required to perform community service
Why you should reach out to these people:
● Reaching out to potential volunteers can be helpful for any part of the non-profit
organization. You can utilize these volunteers for a certain event, a particular period of
11. time, or for an indefinite period of time. For example: raking leaves during the fall,
planting flowers during the summer, shoveling snow during the winter, etc.
● You can also increase the awareness and understanding of the cemetery and all the
help it needs by reaching out to these people.
Methods for recruiting volunteers:
● Place brochures in stores and around town
○ Courthouse (118 E Clinton St)
○ Ithaca College (953 Danby Road), Cornell, Ithaca High School
○ Ale house (111 N Aurora St), Collegetown Bagels (203 N Aurora St) & (415
College Ave)
○ Grocery stores, Wegmans (500 S Meadow St)
○ Nursing homes (602 Hudson St)
● Send out a press release or newsletter
● Contact schools and churches, temples, synagogues, etc.
● Approach businesses and other non profit organizations
● Contact local sororities and fraternities
12. Example letter:
Dear…
The Lake View Cemetery needs your help!
Lake View Cemetery located in Ithaca overlooks beautiful Cayuga lake and is the perfect
resting area for your loved one. Here at Lake View, we strive to make our cemetery the most
beautiful, and rise to our full potential.
Two separate incidents of embezzlement have left the Lake View Cemetery nearly
bankrupt and struggling to give those who are laid to rest their due respect. Tombstones are
coming out of the ground, unmarked graves of babies are being discovered, the cost of
equipment and maintenance services are becoming too much, and the once beautiful
mausoleum that holds hundreds of bodies is falling apart.
With your help we can keep this historic cemetery a private non-profit organization and
fix all of the problems we are currently having. Now, the Town Hall of Ithaca handles all of our
donations so the Ithaca Community can be sure that their generous donations go to a good
cause. You can also look at our website and choose which major project you want to donate to
and see our progress on this project throughout the year.
We can not make the cemetery a better place without your help. Please help us make the Lake
View cemetery a better, prosperous place.
Currently we need help with the following:
1. Donations to main mausoleum, stone maintenance and new equipment!
2. Volunteers needed to clean up overgrown weeds and bushes that are covering potential
plot locations. All help will be greatly appreciated
3. Help with keeping this historic cemetery a private nonprofit organization
4. And much, much more!
Our email is twak.lake.view.ithaca@gmail.com and we are located at 605 E Shore Rd, Ithaca,
New York 14850. Check out our website for more information! Any assistance you can give us
will be greatly appreciated. We need any support you can give to us!
Sincerely,
Lake View Cemetery
13. Future Involvement/ Fundraising
1) Historical Graveyard Tour
Hosting a historical graveyard tour would be a great way for Lake View Cemetery to raise
awareness about the cemetery. Possible target audiences could potentially be families and
schools for field trips. An ideal time to host these would be during the fall and around Halloween
time. Some other cemeteries in different locations have done this before including New Orleans
Cemetery. On the New Orleans Cemetery website, it talks about how this is a major tourist
attraction. Some pros of this would be people would be more aware of the cemetery and attract
attention.
New Orleans Cemetery website:
http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/attractions/cemeteries.html
2) Set Up Tables at Festivals
As many gather in the Ithaca Commons for arts, food, and other amazing things Ithaca has to
offer, Lake View Cemetery could set up a table giving people information on the cemetery and
the history about it. You could also provide awareness to people about how they could donate
and/or have people donate at the table. Some of the festivals may include: Apple Fest,
Oktoberfest, and Winter Festival. To find out how you are able to set up a table, you should
contact the Downtown Ithaca Alliance.
Website: www.downtownithaca.com
3) Youtube’s Nonprofit Program
Lake View Cemetery could potentially create a Youtube channel and be apart of Youtube’s
Nonprofit Program to raise money. With this you can make a video about the organization and
tell the story about it. This could potentially help the cemetery gain the money they need. To
learn more about you can go to https://www.youtube.com/nonprofits.
4) Ask College Organizations
Lake View Cemetery could possibly ask local colleges, Cornell and Ithaca, if students would be
willing to help your cemetery. For example, the organization could potentially ask for anyone
who would be interested in interning for the cemetery. This could help substantially because the
intern could help run their social media accounts and other parts of advertising. Some of these
clubs may include American Advertising Federation, Public Relation Student Society of
America, and American Marketing Association.
14. 5) Ask for Volunteer Help
A great way to have help with maintenance around the cemetery itself and for free is by asking
for volunteers. At Ithaca College there is a club called IC Circle K that mainly focuses on
volunteer work. Another way you could ask for volunteer help is by going to
www.volunteermatch.org.
5) Involve Local Churches, Synagogues, Mosques, etc.
Lake View Cemetery could ask local religion centers to hold fundraisers to raise money. Some
fundraisers that could potentially be held at the churches are spaghetti dinners, raffles, etc. Also
many religious centers are willing to do volunteer work so that could help tremendously.
6) Go Fund Me
Starting a Go Fund Me page would be a great idea for the cemetery to have other options for
donating. Not only would people in the area could donate, but potentially people from other
areas could as well. Go Fund Me is a website in which it allows someone to post a description
of what exactly they need the money for and one will explain what their goal is.