Hidden away in a small New Zealand town, a group of rebellious seniors have found a unique way to prepare for death

The Kiwi Coffin Club club began in 2010 with an idea from founding member and former palliative care nurse Katie Williams. "There is a lot of loneliness among the elderly," says Williams of her fellow retirees, "but at the coffin club people feel useful, and it is very social. We have morning tea and lunch, and music blaring." Together the members cope collectively with the realities of death and imbue their final journey with some personality at a fraction of the price of a standard coffin.

Not only do we love the club's spirit of rebellion and doing-it-yourself... we love the sense of humor they bring to the subject. The coffin club members are having a laugh together, building community, and bringing a little levity to the discussion of their final resting place. The idea has become so popular that clubs are now popping up all over New Zealand.

Cheers, Kiwi Coffin Club!