New "Ascension Scattering™" Service Launches Nationwide; Loved Ones' Ashes Can Now Float Overhead - Forever

BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- It's not uncommon to scatter ashes from airplanes, but a company in Boulder has taken final disposition of cremated remains to a new level. Launching a high-performance glider aircraft near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Aerial Tribute provides access to stratospheric thermals, which ascend to altitudes so high as to allow some of the ashes to remain in the upper atmosphere forever.

"Ascension Scattering allows cremated remains to become one with nature and part of Earth's atmosphere itself," said Marc Arnold, founder of the nation's first ascension scattering service. "More people than ever are choosing cremation in lieu of burials for cost-savings and environmental issues. Ascension Scattering offers a unique and beautiful alternative to traditional tributes and serves as a dignified final disposition for a lost loved one."

According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), about 39 percent of deaths in the U.S. result in cremation, more than double the rate of 14 percent 30 years ago. In Colorado, more than 50 percent are cremated and in Boulder County, nearly 80 percent of the community chooses cremation, among the highest rates in the country.

Super-powerful thermals over the Rocky Mountains provide a natural launch-pad for ashes released from the company's high performance Stemme S10-VT aircraft. Ashes released into this rapidly rising air above 14,000 feet are carried upward into the upper atmosphere. Families may choose from a range of video and musical recording options to customize each memorial service. The company has already received inquiries and performed scatterings for families from around the world, often from families intending to perform a scattering, but "never got around to it".

"Ascension Scattering is an important new paradigm in the funeral industry that will serve those with environmental concerns and desire to return their loved one to nature," said Michael Greenwood, director of Boulder, Colorado's Greenwood & Myers Funeral Services. "We serve families with a wide variety of religious and cultural beliefs. The concept of sending a loved one upward fits well with many peoples' end-of-life beliefs and values. Depending on options, Ascension Scattering costs between $600 and $1,000 – thousands of dollars less than a traditional burial, yet still provides a meaningful and dignified final disposition.  Families regard Ascension Scattering as a professional alternative to attempting a do-it-yourself scattering. The availability of an appealing scattering service like this is long overdue."

About Aerial Tribute
Based in Boulder, Colorado Aerial Tribute is the nation's first to offer the Ascension Scattering service. With its high-performance Stemme S10-VT glider aircraft, the company is able to release cremated remains into thermal updrafts high above the Rocky Mountains where they remain floating indefinitely in Earth's atmosphere.  The eco-friendly service is far less expensive than traditional burials, and features a wide-variety of custom video, music and memorial service alternatives for families and cultures around the world. For more information, please visit www.AerialTribute.com

About Greenwood & Myers Funeral Services
A full service funeral home, Greenwood & Myers Funeral Services serves the deathcare needs of families throughout the Front Range from its offices in Boulder, Colorado.  Their professionals are committed to providing the community with the best possible service in their time of need.  For more information, please visit www.greenwoodmyersfuneral.com

[Ascension Scattering is a Registered Trademark of Omega Enterprises, LLC.]

SOURCE Aerial Tribute