Glenn Witzenburg co-founder of Legacy Options during an interview on the Dave Elliott Show on February 25, 2016. Listen to the entire interview with Dave Elliott by copying the following link into your browser: http://legacyoptionsllc.com/LEGACYDELLIOTTSHOW_022516.mp3

Naples Daily News: Legacy Options Funeral and Cremation Service 2 Year anniversary. Legacy Options mission is to keep the time honored traditions of funeral service while offering a new innovative approach. We offer a streamlined and innovative methodology. We have been told by families that we have served that we are no frills but offer high quality of service. Funeral service has been changing in the past 10 years. We are striving to bring funeral service into the 21st century all the while maintaining "small town feel and personalized service". We utilize modern concepts all with affordable pricing. Legacy Options, understands that a funeral home really has no meaning to provide funerals, memorial services, and other end of life tributes, Legacy Options facilities have been constructed to be right sized to reflect more affordable charges, as there are more meaningful facilities to honor their loved one, we are locally owned and operated by local funeral directors, that are a part of our community. Legacy Options has an on-site crematory and embalming facility along with a temperature controlled room when embalming is not required. Unlike some area funeral establishments, we do not contract with a third party for our cremations or embalming. All of our services are preformed on-site. The two co-founders of Legacy have over 80 years’ experience in the funeral profession. Their experience spans both the private and corporate sector offering them a broad knowledge of the funeral profession. Why would two "gray hairs" want to start a new funeral home here in Naples? Both Michael Whyte and Glenn Witzenburg felt that the funeral business had lost its personal touch. The present day traditional funeral business reflects the customs of a by gone era, these traditional facilities throughout many states, counties, one example is “Naples” these large publicly traded have acquired most of the local funeral homes that were once family and these owners lived in our community. The corporations that acquired the local funeral homes, find it impossible to down size their facilities to serve today’s needs. These elaborate expensive funeral homes must make their facilities profitable to support their overhead, and release their profits to shareholders, and give value so as to attract investors. The community has embraced our concept, and have entrusted their loved ones into our care. Legacy Options appreciate this support, and we have served families in both Collier and Lee Counties. This support has resulted to our growth, and we are privilege to serve more family’s year over year. How is Legacy Options different? The main difference you will see is our square footage. We are not a grandiose facility. We are small ... around 2500 square feet. We are not on a busy street where we are visible to all we are located in Corporate Square off Radio Road. We do not have a Chapel in our facility. It is our belief that a full funeral service, visitation or memorial service should be held in a facility that has meaning to the deceased or the family of the deceased. Because of this, we have met with area facilities to offer their establishments in which to hold a service. Some of these are: Garden of Hope and Courage at NCH, the Naples Zoo, The Naples Botanical Gardens, Naples Princess and some of our local Churches who will open their doors to non-members. We also pride ourselves on the "Options" portion of our name. Memorial services can be accompanied by Butterfly Releases, Dove Releases or a Balloon Launch. Internment at sea can be accomplished aboard the Naples Princess or another vessel. How about a Balloon Scattering of the ashes? Or maybe you would like your ashes to become part of a living structure. This can be done through our Artificial Reef program where your ashes are incorporated into an artificial reef which is then lowered into the Gulf to become a structure to enrich our Gulf waters. As most Funeral Homes do, we offer a pre-need program which enables you to prepay for our services at today's prices and secure that cost forever. Please contact us for more information about the services we offer. Legacy Options Funeral and Cremation Services, 239-659-2009.

Mary Ellen Markant is an independent pre-planning educator residing in Rochester, N.Y., who has written the book, Pondering Leaves: Composing and Conveying Your Life Story’s Epilogue. During her Florida visit in March of this year Mary Ellen and her husband stopped by Legacy Options LLC to get a sense of Legacy's business operations. Upon returning to her home in Rochester, N.Y., she wrote a blog article about Legacy Options LLC which was published on April 15, 2014 on her blog called "Bug Juice" - go to http://ponderingleaves.blogspot.com/2014/03/atypical-funeral-home.html to read her article "Atypical Funeral Home".

Naples News Story (Dave Osborn's "It's Your Business"): New Funeral Business with A Twist - A new Naples Funeral company is offering more than saying goodbye to a loved one at a funeral home. Legacy Options, which offers full funeral and cremation services, is offering to hold funerals at alternate settings including the Naples Zoo and Artis-Naples. Legacy Options co-founders Michael Whyte and Glenn Witzenburg came up with the idea to hold services in settings that might be more meaningful to families. The business also has a mortuary and crematory at its business, 4376 Corporate Square No.1. Information: www.legacyoptionsllc.com and 239.659.2009.

August 12, 2013: Legacy Options, LLC received special thanks for its involvement in the Spirit of 45 events held throughout Naples over the weekend. The mission of the Spirit of 45 event is to remind everyone of the greatest generation's courage, shared sacrifice, and commitment to service so that their example of national unity and community will inspire future generations of Americans, especially our nation's youth. Legacy extends its appreciation to the dedicated individuals involved in making the Spirit of 45 a most moving and personally fulfilling event.

June 30, 2013: In a Naples Daily News editorial opinion piece, Jeff Lytle wrote as follows: Here's a twist on funerals. A new Naples company, Legacy Options, offers viewings and services at places that were special to the deceased. For example, instead of receiving friends at a traditional funeral home, which Legacy does not have at its Naples headquarters, the firm can offer settings such as Naples Botanical Garden, the Naples Zoo or Artis-Naples... Legacy, which does have its own mortuary and crematorium, also can offer services at places of worship... Legacy says its goal is to transform the funeral industry. It just might be onto something.

June 5, 2013: Legacy Co-Founders and Funeral Directors Michael Whyte and Glenn Witzenburg gave a presentation to Naples Collier Rotary at Perkins Restaurant on Pine Ridge to introduce Legacy's approach of using facilities of churches and community organizations exclusively for services and life tribute events. They explained how this approach holds more meaning and relevance to families than holding such events in a traditional funeral home, and reduces a family's costs for funeral and cremation services.

May 17, 2013: A Naples News article was written announcing Legacy Options, LLC as Naples’ newest funeral and crematory establishment bringing a unique approach to end of life celebration service options to Lee and Collier County residents. Legacy Co-Founder and Funeral Director Michael Whyte stated that funeral services would be arranged in facilities of organizations that have special meaning to families, adding that “We do not have chapels and function rooms for services and events because we are committed to helping families find more meaningful environments in our community.” Co-Founder and Funeral Director Glenn Witzenburg added that operating without expensive event space means lower overhead costs, and that, in turn, means we can deliver more affordable services to families.

May 9, 2013: Legacy Options LLC Co-Founders and Funeral Directors Michael Whyte and Glenn Witzenburg gave a presentation to members of the Naples North Rotary at the Country Club of Naples, introducing Legacy’s approach of using facilities of churches and community organizations rather than a funeral home. They explained how this approach has more meaning and relevance to families, as venues for services and life tribute events, than holding such events in a traditional funeral home. In response to a question, Glenn confirmed that a Remembrance of Life ceremony can be held at the Masonic Lodge and that the Lodge was eligible to participate in its Care Share program.

March 14, 2013: Legacy Options LLC’s received State of Florida licensing for its funeral establishment and crematory facility, and is licensed as well to make Pre-Need arrangements for families.