In January, the Salt Lake Tribune featured a story on our chapter in its Religion section. This month, on April 4, 1992, the Deseret News in its Metro section also had a story about the chapter. This time the story told about Mr. Anne Zeilstra's efforts to organize the chapter, and gave essential information about our activities. Of special interest was the information about our President, Flo Wineriter, and his activities as a Humanist Counselor. The article included a photo of Flo and a client, Joann Lewis, in a counseling session.

When Anne Zeilstra moved to Utah from West Lafayette, Ind., he was advised to "find your own circle of friends, because if you are not a member of a church, you get pretty lonely out there."

The Salt Lake man, who was born and reared in The Netherlands, and who lived seven years in Indiana before moving to Utah, says that is why he helped start a local chapter of the American Humanist Association.

"I have not been lonely. Through the chapter I have gotten in touch with people who I normally would not meet so easily," said Zeilstra, past president and now secretary of the Humanists of Utah.

Chartered in the spring of 1991, the organization has about 50 dues paying members. But Zeilstra says about 150 more people have expressed interest n the group and receive a monthly journal.

Humanism, first organized in 1933 in the East by Edwin H. Wilson (he is now 94 and lives in Salt Lake City) and a group of Unitarian ministers, provides an alternative to organized religion and church-focused social life. "You find a surprising number of non-churchgoing people in Utah," Zeilstra said.

One of the people Zeilstra met and became friends with is Florien Wineriter who was recently elected chapter president, and has been a humanist counselor for about a year. Other officers are Robert H. Green, Vice Chairman; Anna Hoagland, Treasurer; Richard C. Layton, Martha Stewart, and Edwin H. Wilson.

Wineriter, a former broadcast journalist for radio stations KALL and KSL, says he has espoused a humanist philosophy for at least 40 years, and has been a Unitarian for about the same period of time. Unitarianism is a religion without a creed or dogma, and encourages people to develop their own beliefs.

Humanist counselors perform weddings, conduct memorials, or funerals, and other ceremonial functions, and provide ethical and moral counseling upon request.

"I have conducted several weddings, and I do counseling for people in the process of bereavement. I have conducted several bereavement groups as a spiritual counselor for IHC Home Health Care Hospice program," said Wineriter.

Wineriter said he doesn't believe there is much public awareness that someone other than judges and clergy can perform non-religious wedding ceremonies. There is no charge for this or other services, including a "welcome to life" type ceremony for infants.

During the past year, Wineriter has officiated at about a dozen funerals and weddings. He counsels couples, helping them plan their wedding ceremonies. Also, he will meet with families or individuals to help them make arrangements for funeral or memorial services.

Wineriter defines humanism as a "joyous alternative to supernatural religion, a rational approach to human needs, responsibilities and values. We find there are people who for one reason or another have disaffiliated themselves from organized religions, but who find the need for belonging to a group that promotes ethical and moral values." Joann Lewis says she has known and appreciated Wineriter for about 25 years.

Wineriter conducted, and spoke to, a graveside service last August for Lewis's husband, William A. Lewis. She said Wineriter and his wife, Connie, A Hospice nurse and director of the Hospice program for IHC Home Health, came to her home after her husband's death.

"He took all the things (letters and other materials loaned to him) and put it all together in such a wonderful, poetic way. It was so amazing how he was able to show the value and beauty of Bill's life. His presentation at the cemetery was as perfect as something like this can be," she said.

--Douglas D. Palmer