During the pandemic, the cemetery grounds not only provided plenty of space for people to get out and safely enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise, it also allowed our volunteers to continue important work.

A breakdown of volunteer hours for 2020 is as follows—Volunteers contributed 211:30 hours cleaning head stones and monuments in the Improved and Independent Orders of Red Men, the Beach Annex and Catholic Sections. 175 stones were cleaned, bringing our total to 955 grave markers cleaned since this program began in 2013.

Another 312 hours in volunteer labor was donated in caring for and cleaning up the grounds, placing and removing Veterans’ flags, cleaning the Interpretive Panels, Cemetery Kiosk Map, Interpretive Center, Pavilion and restocking brochures.

A total of 227:30 hours was dedicated to restoration work on headstones, monuments and other cemetery fixtures. In addition to finishing a complete restoration of the Fitts’ block, which started in the winter of 2019, a total of 29 head stones and large monuments were leveled and re-set. Additionally, many hours of fine detail work was accomplished by John McGlothlin.

Plans for 2021

Cemetery Kiosk—We plan to expand our Cemetery Kiosk project by placing individual block numbered-signs throughout the I.O.O.F., Masonic, and the Improved and Independent Order of Red Men sections of the Cemetery. The signs will be the same as those placed in the City Section in 2019. Our newly-designed cemetery kiosk map by Benchmark Maps was placed in 2020. The unique stand was made by Bryan Pancheau and was fashioned after one in the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, where Eva Peron is interred.

Adopt-A-Block—This new program is set for spring and will allow volunteers to adopt a block of grave sites to take care of. It involves raking and bagging leaves, picking up downed branches and limbs, pulling invasive weeds and plants and keeping head stones clean and free of debris. The Jacksonville Boosters Club is our partner in this new program and we invite you to join us in helping to care for Jacksonville’s Pioneer Cemetery. If you are a member of the Boosters Club, you can contact Mike McClain or Don Jennings to sign on, or visit our website at Friendsjvillecemetery.org and look under New Program—Adopt-A-Block. There you will find additional details about the program and a short form to complete to start the process. Also, see article below.

New Cemetery Brochure—Our new Cemetery brochure on the Chinese in Jacksonville’s History will be available this spring.

Events and Activities—We are being optimistic and look forward to offering our History Saturday in the Cemetery programs starting on the second Saturday of the month, May through September. We are also looking forward to the return of our annual Meet the Pioneers tours on October 8 and 9.

Marker Cleaning Workshops will resume on the third Saturday of the month beginning in April and conclude in September. Details on this activity and all our other cemetery activities and events will be available on our website.

Thank You—I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for supporting our work through your very generous donations in 2020—it is sincerely appreciated.

Thank you to the Jacksonville Boosters Club Foundation for their $4,000 grant in December 2020, helping to fund the next phase of our Cemetery Kiosk project.

We also want to thank Eric Rogers for his thoughtful gift of two cameras to help protect the cemetery grounds.