Membership Application

National Casket Retailers Assoc.

National Casket Retailers Association, Inc.

Membership Application

If submitted online, Please type in answers, or write in & print this page too, for your own copy. Information from this form is also copied to the STORE DIRECTORY, if accepted . Note: Renewals need not submit 2 forms with application for review. Send this and $95.00 Check to George as instructed below, with completed questions please, sending now for Sept . renewal fees.

Store Name:

Owner Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip Code (with extended numbers): Telephone: FAX Phone: Pager or Toll Free number Today's date Prior/current member of NCRA? years?: What other memberships?: Email address: Territory serviced: URL to your website:
I Opened a casket retail store on:, and request membership in the N.C.R.A. I am enclosing 2 or more of the following documents to establish eligibility and for review. Our membership is limited to casket store owners. Or ASSOCIATE membership. If ASSOCIATE, different fees apply, check here.

There is NO action taken on the application until we have (in hand) the payment and two of the listed items. If your store is declined membership, your check will be returned. Fees are nonrefundable after approved, for any reason.
1.) Copy of business license or certificate of use.
2.) Proof of business insurance.
3.) Voided business check with name imprinted.
4.) Copy of phone or utility bill in business name.
5.) Invoice or shipping document from casket purchase.
6.) Sales tax certificate
7.) Photo of store.
Signed: I am Printing this form and mailing it along with a check and eligibility proof. It will take several weeks to go through the process of acceptance and review of the documentation submitted. If you fail to fill in the form with all the required information or submit at least two items of those listed above, the process will take even longer. It won't even begin if you forget the to submit your fee along with the application. All work is done voluntarily, and this cuts down on the time they need to spend. Note, by submitting application, you have read the Code of Business Conduct and as part of membership, will adhere to those.

Make check payable to: National Casket Retailers Association, Inc. ( Tres. email is Jjjgjs@aol.com if any questions) Mail Application and check to: George Silva, Competitive Caskets Inc. %Botany Square -- 221 Dayton Ave. Clifton ,N.J. 07011
Please answer these questions: Do you think that casket retailers should be under the FTC's Funeral Rule? Do you think casket retailers should be regulated? Why or why not?
What do you believe you can offer the NCRA to give back to the profession -
Do you think the National Casket Retailer's Assoc. should still have on the home page, a reward for $5,000.00 listed? and or/ can you offer to help serve by filling a seat on the Board of Directors, making a difference through volunteerism? Do you often call the FTC or write them to voice complaints? Have you ever? Do you write in concerning issues - to other government offices, or take part in other ways that help the casket retail industry to be one that is responsive and driven to protect freedom of choice and fairness in public treatment objectives ? What do you want the NCRA to offer you?
Are you willing to help and be actively involved too? Please check all apply that you can offer toward NCRA

Assist in Newsletter
Association member development
Awards
Benefits
Consultant Repository
Educational Projects
Offenders Reporting Electronic Media/Web Site Promotions
Tracking Government Related Issues
Government Relations
Marketing
Membership Development
Technical and Emerging Issues Program
Public Relations
Publications
Speakers & Writers Bureau(s)
Vendor Relations
Seek Grants and Funding Sources
Special Committee chair, such as Annual Meeting Coordination
Legal / Lobbying fund growth

We need involved members to submit news worthy articles for our newsletter, to offer your opinions on the bulletin board on the NCRA site, or answer questions, comment there as well, Need password? Do you think that the $95.00 fee (which has been the same since 1997) should be raised? If so, to what? Do you think the NCRA should permit paid (moneys collected add to the general fund) banner advertising on the website? If so, at what price per month? What other member benefits would you like and can you seek a source? Please hit the submit button after replying to 1 last box below.
Personal Statement describing specific interests, needs, goals, plans, and reasons for wishing to participate.

(netscape works differently, please select copy all from edit in browser, and paste in the email to submit)

*Membership dues Per the US Internal Revenue Service, are not deductible as a charitable contribution, however, may be deductible as a business expense.
Are you "in the know" about the Dodd bill? Please offer your opinions as to the subject of "Codify the Funeral Rule/ make it into law, with changes?" Please complete the form along with this application and send it in.
Senator Dodd, Representative Foley Introduce Bills Turning Funeral Rule into Law "Sen. Dodd says this is an industry that "generates annual revenues of over $15 billion." --end--- Are YOU happy with the The FTC and their actions/ or lack of action - having investigated the Funeral Rule expansion for several years now, and nothing, this Dodd bill covers a lot, including to eliminate the basic non-declinable service charge... no wonder "NFDA" and others are going to fight it so!..... copy----
Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) simultaneously introduced companion bills into the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that seek to codify the FTC Funeral Rule into law and extend its regulatory coverage, currently restricted to funeral homes, to cemeteries, crematories and casket (?) manuf. / monument retailers. Under the law, funeral service clients would be able to sue such businesses for up to $5,000 per Funeral Rule violation.
The bills also propose the creation of the U.S. Office of Funeral, Burial and Disposition within the Department of Health and Human Resources. This would ensure that all states regulate and inspect funeral service businesses within their jurisdiction through some type of board, bureau or governmental department.
Title one of the bill would provide federal dollars for training inspectors, AND the persons assigned to mediate complaints would be consumer advocates.
Title II of the draft bill would basically codify the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule into a federal statute and extend the rule's coverage to all death-care providers, including the sale of interment rights, opening and closing charges and monuments, markers and memorials. Title II also would prohibit all telemarketing and door-to-door solicitation, and most important, would establish a private right of action for individuals to sue cemeteries, funeral homes and other providers for violations under a codified Funeral Rule. Plaintiffs could receive the greater of actual damages or $5,000 per violation.
(The bills would prohibit unsolicited telephone offers and the door-to-door sales of funeral and cemetery goods or services and would require preneed contract portability and full refunds with interest to consumers canceling contracts.
The bills also sought to establish a funeral, burial and disposition services coordinator position within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The coordinator, according to a set timetable, would examine existing state funeral service laws and formulate certain standards for registering, inspecting and monitoring funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories and other funeral service/merchandise providers. He or she would also be responsible for awarding grants to state agencies to set and implement funeral regulations and licensing systems and seeing that all states follow certain minimum standards such as licensing and inspecting annually all facilities in the state, setting annual reporting requirements and enforcing all state
Please add yours to this too..... http://www.senate.gov/~dodd/webmail/form-casework.html for address and form, if by email. (letter will do it better I think)Or TWO! copy to US Representative Mark Foley Republican - District 16 Washington Address: 113 Cannon Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone (202) 225-5792 Fax (202) 225-3132 Email for Rep. Foley at mark.foley@mail.house.gov Website for Rep. Foley at http:// www.house.gov/foley/ regulations.)