Planned dates are posted on our Home Page here.
Ways to volunteer with us:
See photos from past volunteer cleanups here.
Here is a list of special projects some family or group may want to take on. (Please contact us prior to doing any project other than litter and limb pickup, as there are special requirements or suggestions for some. No chemicals including herbicide or pesticide should be used without explicit permission.)
Please do not try to clean or repair any memorial markers without authorization from the family. Do not use any chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides or cleaning chemicals without coordinating with us. Many of these can damage memorial stones over time.
- Go to our home page to see a list of upcoming dates with links to details and to RSVP via our Facebook page (and follow us there).
- We are setting up an Adopt-a-block program (Contact us for details) where families, groups, individuals and organizations can work with us to choose an area that needs special attention and focus on it over time, at your own schedule. This can be selected according to your interest and ability, and can be any size area. We would like to start with Section 1, the most historic area and the one that needs the most care, but it's up to you. Some areas need just a little sprucing up such as trimming low limbs and shrubs and removing debris. Others need heavy brush clearing.
- Coming soon: We expect to partner again with Hands On Atlanta later this spring.
- Coming soon: We will be able provide tools via the Atlanta Community Toolbank for large groups (subject to availability).
- On your own schedule: We welcome families and neighbors to stop by and pick up litter and fallen limbs at anytime. This is an ongoing issue for which we always need help. Please stack debris or sealed bags of trash along the main driveways and at least ten feet away from any graves or overhanging tree limbs. Please contact us if you would like to volunteer to do something other than this so we can support you as much as we can, as well as make sure you understand some basic guidelines.
- We plan to start doing transcribing the markers at Hillcrest soon. Volunteers will be given an area and a PDF of the information we already have for that area, and can fill in any blanks, take photos, add missing graves or note corrections that are needed. We need to develop a process for this, but if interested, please let us know.
- Assigned community service: When our volunteer coordinator lived nearby, we had great success working with community service assignees. However, we do not have the ability to provide the required supervision at this time except during occasional community volunteer days posted on our Facebook page. We will happily sign off for community service at these events. NOTE: We are a nonprofit, but technically not a 501(c)(3) — we are a (c)(13), which may not be letter-of-the-law valid for some court programs.
Here is a list of special projects some family or group may want to take on. (Please contact us prior to doing any project other than litter and limb pickup, as there are special requirements or suggestions for some. No chemicals including herbicide or pesticide should be used without explicit permission.)
- Pick up fallen limbs, litter, and flowers that have blown off of graves. (Bag trash and stack limbs on the edge of a driveway 10 feet from any memorial marker or tree.)
- Remove grass growing through veterans memorial brick pavers and clean the concrete curb. Please do not use herbicide as it can damage or discolor the bricks.
- Repaint the old Hillcrest sign in the Circle Section and trim any limbs or shrubs blocking the view of it from the road. (White outdoor enamel)
- Use a flat-nosed shovel to clear dirt and plant growth from the stairs in the Circle Section and Sections 4–6. These were beautiful when we cleared them 15 years ago but they are due again.
- Invasive plant removal: We have a big problem with Mimosa and Privet popping up everywhere. It can all be removed. often they will grow next to a memorial and can get so large they knock over the stone.
- Select an area that needs some extra TLC. This can be an area where you have friends of family, or one of several blocks of the historic Section 1 that needs more attention.
- Bring a wheelbarrow and shovel. There is a place where some dirt was improperly dumped in the back between sections 1 and 3, which needs to be removed. I know there are some settled graves that need to be topped off across the street, but we might could find some closer to this pile.
- If you want to tackle something tougher, we have several bigger issues that need a lot of work. Let us know your interest or skill.
Please do not try to clean or repair any memorial markers without authorization from the family. Do not use any chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides or cleaning chemicals without coordinating with us. Many of these can damage memorial stones over time.
