Well, the month of April proved to be just as successful and busy as March, with volunteers contributing 170 hours in labor, caring for the cemetery grounds, doing restoration work and cleaning markers. These hours do not reflect the time that our Adopt-A-Block volunteers spent caring for their adopted block/s. An update on the month of May activities will be covered in the July edition of the Jacksonville Review.

Those volunteers who have signed-on to care for a block or blocks in our Adopt-A-Block program have done an amazing job in cleaning-up and maintaining their adopted blocks. Pulling weeds and other invasive plants, removing moss from curbing and monuments, trimming and pruning, and for those who have been trained, cleaning headstones. All this additional help has made a significant difference and is sincerely appreciated.

A crew of 16 volunteers who attended our April 17 Marker Cleaning workshop, cleaned 31 headstones and monuments in the Catholic section of the cemetery.

Our June Marker Cleaning workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 19 from 9:00am until 12 noon. We meet at the Sexton’s Tool House, top of the Cemetery Road where you will find parking available. All the necessary tools and supplies are provided along with instructions on the proper cleaning techniques and tools to use. Dress for the project as you may get a little wet and dirt may splatter. We suggest bringing a stool to sit on, a hat and sunscreen. We plan to continue work in the Catholic section.

Plans for programs such as History Saturday in the Cemetery, Meet the Pioneers and other tours and events remain on hold as we wait to see and receive further guidance from our Governor and public health officials. Our website will be updated accordingly. In the meantime, stay well and be safe.

Marker-Cleaning Workshop, April 17, 2021 – photo by Mary Siedlecki