Of Interest McDONALD & SON COMMITTED TO SERVICE ___November 17, 2003--"Because we care." That has been the philosophy which has guided funeral director Lauren McDonald, III, and his father, Bubba McDonald, since opening McDonald & Son Funeral Home in 1997. ___As Forsyth County's largest, newest and most modern funeral services facility completes its eighth year, the McDonald family reflects on the funeral home's success with gratitude to the many families who have entrusted them with the care of their families during their times of loss. "Our first priority will always be to the families we serve and we take that responsibility very seriously," emphasizes Lauren McDonald. ___From the traditional architecture to the comfortably appointed visitation rooms and beautiful chapel which seats over 240, the funeral home is designed to provide families in Forsyth County with the highest quality services in a warm, comfortable and family-oriented environment. ___The McDonald family and the staff at McDonald & Son are committed to helping families during their time of loss. For this reason, they continually strive to provide new services and choices that will make a very difficult time just a little easier for those families. ___In October of this year, McDonald & Son Funeral Home opened Forsyth County's first and only crematorium. In commenting on the decision to build a crematorium, Lauren McDonald stated, "The attitudes toward cremation have changed. As more people choose cremation, we wanted the comfort of knowing that the entire cremation process is handled completely by our staff at our facility." ___As more and more people have come to recognize the importance of pre-arranging their funeral services, McDonald & Son Funeral Home & Crematory has also expanded its services in the area of pre-planning. Our full time Family Services Counselor is available to assist individuals and families in choosing pre-arrangement funeral plans that fit their individual needs and budgets. ___As perceptions about funeral services change, many families are placing more emphasis on celebrating the life of their loved one rather than dwelling on death. At McDonald & Son, families are encouraged to personalize the visitation and funeral service with photos, mementos and personal items which represent the life of their loved one. As a part of this personalization, McDonald & Son has recently begun offering families a video tribute which family and friends can view during the visitation. The tribute is made up of photos provided by the family which capture moments throughout the life of the deceased. Following the funeral service, the video is given to the family as a lasting remembrance of their loved one. ___