Clinton Cemetery - A Non-Profit Assocation
Clinton Cemetery Association was founded in 1844 as a non-profit, nonsectarian association of lot owners, and has been operated as such since that time. This means that all lot owners, and their descendants, are members of the Association. In October of each year an annual meeting of Association members is held at which time five lot-owners are elected to serve for one year on the Board of Managers. In turn, the Managers elect a president and secretary-treasurer from among their members. All members of the Board, including the president and secretary-treasurer, are volunteers who serve without compensation.
There are approximately 1,000 unsold grave sites in Clinton. Revenue from the sale of graves, from interments and monument foundations comprises the bulk of the Association's annual income. The remainder is interest received on account of the Maintenance and Preservation Fund, now on deposit with the Trust Department of Peapack Gladstone Bank, and contributions from lot and grave owners.
Neither profit nor speculation can ever enter into the business conducted by Clinton Cemetery Association. Its founders wisely established the institution for service, not for profit. As a result, Clinton Cemetery provides security beyond that possible with an ordinary business. Each year revenue in excess of expenses is used for the improvement of the grounds, buildings and equipment.
Interest from the Maintenance and Preservation Fund is used for current expenses. The principal is invested to guarantee continued maintenance and improvement even after the cemetery's capacity is reached.
One of the foundation stones of a civilized society is the high value it places upon the last resting places of its departed. Clinton's ongoing program of improvement cannot be a success without strong and continuing financial support which will insure the perpetuation of the Association for generations to come. Funds received by Clinton Cemetery Association, prudently invested and managed as part of the Maintenance and Preservation Fund, yield a predictable return -- a financial cornerstone upon which to build for the future.
Clinton Cemetery Association is a tax-exempt organization. Contributions and gifts to the Association are deductible for income tax purposes up to the amounts allowed by state and federal law. Gifts, made now or by will, can also effectively reduce estate and inheritance taxes. Please click HERE to see some of the ways in which you may wish to plan your lasting gift to the Association.
There are approximately 1,000 unsold grave sites in Clinton. Revenue from the sale of graves, from interments and monument foundations comprises the bulk of the Association's annual income. The remainder is interest received on account of the Maintenance and Preservation Fund, now on deposit with the Trust Department of Peapack Gladstone Bank, and contributions from lot and grave owners.
Neither profit nor speculation can ever enter into the business conducted by Clinton Cemetery Association. Its founders wisely established the institution for service, not for profit. As a result, Clinton Cemetery provides security beyond that possible with an ordinary business. Each year revenue in excess of expenses is used for the improvement of the grounds, buildings and equipment.
Interest from the Maintenance and Preservation Fund is used for current expenses. The principal is invested to guarantee continued maintenance and improvement even after the cemetery's capacity is reached.
One of the foundation stones of a civilized society is the high value it places upon the last resting places of its departed. Clinton's ongoing program of improvement cannot be a success without strong and continuing financial support which will insure the perpetuation of the Association for generations to come. Funds received by Clinton Cemetery Association, prudently invested and managed as part of the Maintenance and Preservation Fund, yield a predictable return -- a financial cornerstone upon which to build for the future.
Clinton Cemetery Association is a tax-exempt organization. Contributions and gifts to the Association are deductible for income tax purposes up to the amounts allowed by state and federal law. Gifts, made now or by will, can also effectively reduce estate and inheritance taxes. Please click HERE to see some of the ways in which you may wish to plan your lasting gift to the Association.
Character
Three-quarters of a century ago hay was harvested on the cemetery grounds and goats were sometimes employed to keep the grass in trim. More sophisticated methods are used today to maintain the beauty of the grounds. In one recent year, for example, 60 ornamental and evergreen shrubs and 11 shade or flowering trees were planted. Three hundred pounds of high-quality grass seed were spread during the spring and fall. Sixty-five tons of crushed rock were laid on the roads. Such efforts, costly as they are, represent only the most visible part of the Association's on-going program of maintenance and improvement.
Visitors often describe Clinton as "the cemetery with character." In contrast to the sprawling lawns of many modern cemeteries, Clinton is much like a quiet park in the country. In the spring, flowers abound. Birds and squirrels return from their long winter banishment to make their homes here again. Hundreds of azaleas--white, pink, red and purple--put on a breathtaking display. Japanese cherries and native dogwood add their welcome color. During the summer months, the majestic trees, many of them planted before the turn of the century, shade the visitor from the sun's hot rays. In the fall, maples, dogwood, black cherry, sweet gum and sassafras provide the red hues of autumn. Yellow is added by the tulip, sycamore and ash. Touches of rust, tan and deep red are a gift of the elms, lindens and oaks. Hydrangea P. G., white in summer, turn a golden brown in the fall, holding their dried blooms well into the winter. Photographers, both professional and amateur, visit the cemetery to record the scenic delights. Lovers of nature, whether lot owners or not, are always welcome. Clinton's park-like character is due in large measure to its trees. With 55 different varieties, many of them rarely seen in the metropolitan area, Clinton is a veritable arboretum.
Visitors often describe Clinton as "the cemetery with character." In contrast to the sprawling lawns of many modern cemeteries, Clinton is much like a quiet park in the country. In the spring, flowers abound. Birds and squirrels return from their long winter banishment to make their homes here again. Hundreds of azaleas--white, pink, red and purple--put on a breathtaking display. Japanese cherries and native dogwood add their welcome color. During the summer months, the majestic trees, many of them planted before the turn of the century, shade the visitor from the sun's hot rays. In the fall, maples, dogwood, black cherry, sweet gum and sassafras provide the red hues of autumn. Yellow is added by the tulip, sycamore and ash. Touches of rust, tan and deep red are a gift of the elms, lindens and oaks. Hydrangea P. G., white in summer, turn a golden brown in the fall, holding their dried blooms well into the winter. Photographers, both professional and amateur, visit the cemetery to record the scenic delights. Lovers of nature, whether lot owners or not, are always welcome. Clinton's park-like character is due in large measure to its trees. With 55 different varieties, many of them rarely seen in the metropolitan area, Clinton is a veritable arboretum.
