Jacksonville Review – May 2026

WE BEGIN with a sincere “thank-you” to the many volunteers who attended our Spring Community Cemetery Cleanup Day on March 21st. It was a beautiful morning to be out and about, and some fifty volunteers with rakes, weed whackers, and mowers of all sizes filled the City trailer to overflowing, with many more bags of leaves and twigs waiting for pick-up by Public Works staff.

Our Cleanup event was jump-started the day prior by approximately thirty enthusiastic students and staff members from Medford’s Sacred Heart Catholic School who “adopted” the cemetery’s Catholic Section for the day, then gave it a thorough cleaning! They filled eighty-two large leaf bags, breaking their own record of eighty from last year—and had a fun time doing it! Their hard work helped make the cemetery safer and more attractive for the many visitors who come here. We thank the students and staff from Sacred Heart and look forward to their help again next year!

While the transformation of the cemetery grounds from both of these events was remarkable, we still have one more cleanup event planned on May 2nd, our Pre-Memorial Day Community Cemetery Cleanup Day, to “touch up” the cemetery one more time prior to Memorial Day.

And then….May begins our recurring spring/summer programs, History Saturday in the Cemetery (May 9), and Marker Cleaning Workshops (May 16). And finally, our annual Memorial Day – Flags for our Veterans event (May 21) rounds out a busy month. Details of these event follow.

  • Pre-Memorial Day Community Cemetery Clean-up Day, Saturday, May 2, 9am-noon—Bring gloves, rakes, gas/battery-operated blowers, weed eaters, mowers, plus eye/ear protection.
  • History Saturday in the Cemetery: “Jacksonville’s German Immigrants,” Saturday, May 9, 10-11:30am—No advance registration is required. May not be suitable for the very young.Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. There is no fee for the tours, however donations supporting our programs are greatly appreciated.
  • Marker Cleaning Workshop, Saturday, May 16, 9am-noon—Come learn the latest techniques to safely clean and preserve the grave markers in our cemetery. This is a hands-on workshop, so dress accordingly. Bring a stool to sit on, plus sunscreen and a hat.
  • Memorial Day – Flags for our Veterans, Thursday, May 21, 9am—Volunteers ensure that each veteran in the cemetery is honored for their service by placing a flag on their gravesite. Flags are maintained until removed following Veterans Day in November.

Please check our website at friendsjvillecemetery.org for future events and programs.