Volunteer events:
We have wound down the heavy duty weekly cleanups of the winter and spring, but we have lots of small projects that we hope to take on in the coming months, from tending to trees and shrubs to maintaining litter pickup and transcribing headstones. From July through October, we plan to host volunteer days on the second Saturday of each month through October. We will be there from 9am–1pm for each date. Feel free to come and go when you prefer. We can also work with you on other dates and times—just let us know. (Please confirm dates and times on Facebook or by contacting us before traveling, in case something comes up.)
- July 9
- August 13
- September 10
- October 8
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Taking it to the next level in 2022!
$18,975Beginning 12/1/2021
As of 6/17/2022 |
When we started the Hillcrest Cemetery Memorial Association in 2001, we felt there was little we could do to help restore the heavily overgrown cemetery, but we had to try. Nine years later, on once exciting day, we finished clearing the last overgrown grave. During these exciting years, donations poured in. Since then, excitement and donations have settled down to minimal routine mowing and relatively little volunteer activity. Twice we have been nearly out of money, only to be saved by a timely large donation. But during this time, new problems have developed. Kudzu and other plants at the borders have encroached graves and can't simply be mowed. Trees are now growing through the new brush. There is a dead tree in the middle of the cemetery. Roads are washing out. Shrubs are overgrown. Dirt piles are eroding onto graves and blocking driveways.
This year we are working to restore the excitement with big projects. We are bringing back routine volunteer days, setting up an Adopt-a-Block program, and kicking off a $50,000 fundraising drive to take care of some of these bigger projects and to build up our reserves for assurance of future maintenance. For our part, we are committed to being sure our mowers maintain the grounds all the way up to the property lines once they are cleared. We will build up the board membership, update the bylaws, and create committees to assist with various tasks. We are continuing to digitize the newly acquired historic records of the cemetery, and are committed to being more responsive to research requests using new CRM tools already being set up. We also recently received a donation of a large number of graves owned by a family that never used them, so lots are once again available at Hillcrest, and their eventual sales will contribute to the maintenance fund. To be part of the excitement, please explore this site for information, contribute to ongoing maintenance or special projects, follow our Facebook page for events and announcements, and always feel free to contact us directly. In service, Kevin L. Hudson Volunteer/President |
