“Red Phone, this is in response to the canceled middle school graduations. It has been a tradition to walk across the platform to receive your diploma for all your accomplishments. And change is not easy, but it does allow the parents and children to look at the positive side, which may include some quality time and celebrate the graduation at home and reflect on the love and work it took to achieve this promotion. Parents are given the opportunity to role model for their children and teach them how to face challenges in life that are difficult. Children are our future, instruct them now and they will never forget when they get older! Peace in difficult times.”
Red Phone: Dear Peace In Difficult Times, Red Phone could not agree more. It is an opportunity for students’ parents to show how to react when things don’t go your way. Celebrating with dignity at home with family and loved ones should suffice.
Finishing eighth grade should be called a promotion because students have completed two-thirds of their public education experience. Now it’s on to high school, where after four years one graduates and moves on to college, a job, the military, etc.
In the long run, Red Phone doesn’t think students will be irreparably harmed by not being allowed to walk across a stage with their peers. In four more years, they’ll have that opportunity.
Plenty of room at local cemeteries
“I was just wondering what Habing’s plan is for the cemetery when they reach capacity. And how close are they when they get to capacity? And what are they going to do when they get to capacity?”
Red Phone: Dear Concerned About The Future, both Gavilan Hill Memorial Park in Gilroy and Mt. Hope Memorial Park in Morgan Hill still have plenty of space available, said Jim Habing, whose family has owned the facility at 1000 First St. in Gilroy since 1986 and the Morgan Hill facility since 2004.
Gavilan Hills still has about 50 to 60 years left for ground burials and above ground burials, and Mt. Hope has about 100 years before it reaches capacity, Habing said. At that time, the family would consider purchasing a new facility, he said.
The mausoleums in both the Gavilan Hills and neighboring St. Mary’s Cemetery are full, he said. Gavilan Hills, which was originally started in 1852 and was the former Mason’s and I.O.O.F cemetery, was built to have two additional wings added in the future. The family is currently offering a 25 percent discount on spots reserved in the new wing.
