Thank You!—On behalf of the Friends of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery, I want to sincerely thank everyone who turned out for our Community Clean-up Day on Saturday, March 27. The event allowed us to get into areas of the cemetery grounds that do not always receive regular attention. You made a big difference and please know it was appreciated.

Cemetery Kiosk Project—By the time you are reading this April edition of the Jacksonville Review, U-channel posts will have been installed throughout the I.O.O.F, Masonic, Improved and Independent Orders of Red Men sections of the cemetery, as part of our Cemetery Kiosk project. The individual block-numbered signs will be added to each of the posts during the month of April. The addition of these signs, just like those placed in the City section in 2019, will greatly enhance a visitors’ experience when visiting the cemetery and especially when trying to locate the grave site of a loved one or one of historical significance. We sincerely thank the Jacksonville Boosters Club Foundation for their very generous grant towards this second phase of our Kiosk project.

Update on Our Adopt-A-Block Program—Our Adopt-A-Block program, which is being co-sponsored by the Jacksonville Boosters Club, has been a tremendous success. As of March 3, over 130 people have signed-on to care for a block or multiple blocks. Many of these volunteers went to work immediately and their efforts can certainly be seen and appreciated. Despite the great response, we could still use your help and have plenty of blocks available that could use a little TLC. If interested, please give Mike McClain a call at 541-899-5273 or Don Jennings at 541-899-6815. You may also go to our website at: friendsjvillecemetery.org and fill out the short form under “New Program—Adopt-A-Block.” This is a great way to get involved, give back to the community and meet some other wonderful and interesting volunteers—thank you for your consideration.

Marker Cleaning Workshops—Starting on Saturday, April 17, and continuing on the third Saturday of each month through September 18, we will once again be offering our Marker Cleaning Workshops. Workshops will begin at 9:00am and finish up at approximately noon. This is a hands-on project so be sure and dress accordingly as you will get a little wet and spattered with a bit of dirt. All the necessary tools and supplies will be provided along with detailed instructions for those of you who may be new. We meet at the top of the Cemetery Road near the buildings inside the traffic circle where you will find parking available.

History Saturday in the Cemetery, Tours and other Events—Just like you, our Docents, Players, Researchers, and Support Staff are all looking forward to the day when we can resume offering all the programs and events that we have in the past. We continue to monitor the pandemic situation and as soon as it is determined that it is safe to move forward, we plan to slowly start scheduling our events and tours. In the meantime, stay safe and we thank you for your patience and understanding.