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T-shirt sale to benefit cemetery project |
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Written by DeadGirl
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Tuesday, 17 August 2004 |
By JESSICA ARSENAULT - Telegram Staff Writer
HERKIMER - Did you know there are more than 600 abandoned cemeteries in Herkimer County? Most being small family burial grounds, these cemeteries are slowly deteriorating and sinking further from the public's mind.
The Adopt-A-Cemetery program wants to change this.
Under the direction of Martin Dunckel, the program's founder, Adopt-A-Cemetery recruits community volunteers to choose an abandoned cemetery and take care of it, mowing, trimming, planting flowers and making sure headstones do not get knocked over or broken.
"It's sad there are small cemeteries around that no one even knows exist," said Dunckel. "Taking care of America's dead is a common gesture that should be done. It has to do with common decency to others."
Dunckel began the program three years ago and is seeing some success. A number of Boy Scout troops, ATV clubs, and a snow mobile club have all adopted cemeteries to care for. In the town of Danube, five cemeteries have been adopted.
"They are doing a wonderful job," Dunckel said. "Good things are happening. Positive things."
While Dunckel is hoping his program will spread to other counties and states until it is a nationwide effort, his main goals right now are to educate his volunteers and the entire Herkimer County community about cemetery restoration and headstone cleaning and to get a 20 foot flag pole placed in every cemetery "whether there are 50 or 500 graves there," said Dunckel.
In an effort to raise money for these goals, Dunckel has designed T-shirts promoting the Adopt-A-Cemetery program. They cost $15 each and, because they are sold exclusively at non-profit historical societies, every penny of that money stays in the county to be used for educating people and acquiring flag poles. If the historical society does not have the size a customer is looking for (child or adult) the society will order it for him or her.
Organizations can order the T-shirts and have their own business name or logo screened on the front with the Adopt-A-Cemetery logo on the back.
In addition to the T-shirts, made by Human Technologies in Utica, Dunckel is in the process of designing embroidered golf shirts and golf towels as well.
"Response so far seems really positive," Dunckel said.
To adopt a cemetery, Dunckel suggests gathering a small group of volunteers, though no one is discouraged if he would like to go it alone, and contact the Herkimer County Historical Society. The society has a list and maps of the more than 600 abandoned cemeteries in the county. Volunteers may choose whatever cemetery they wish.
"It can be a real family event," said Dunckel. "It doesn't have to be a day of work. Bring the family, have a picnic, make it a fun day."
Before restoration work can begin, volunteers must locate the land owner and ask permission.
Volunteers do an initial clean-up of the cemetery, weeding, mowing, repairing fences, planting flowers and righting toppled grave stones. After that, only weekly maintenance is required.
Often area businesses such as Lowe's, Home Depot and Wal-Mart will donate excess flowers and bulbs to the program, especially toward the end of the summer season.
While Dunckel is optimistic about his program, he said he needs help from as many people as possible. He is looking for support from the media and politicians as well.
"I want to show all other nations that this country is compassionate and takes care of their living and dead," Dunckel said.
http://www.herkimertelegram.com/articles/2004/08/13/news/news01.txt |
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Taphophilia?
taphophilia (taf′ō-fil′ē-ă)
ORIGIN:
From the Greek words taphos, meaning "tomb" or "sepulcher" and philia, meaning "attraction or affinity to something, in particular the love or obsession with something"
DEFINITION: 1. An excessive interest in graves and cemeteries. 2. A love or fondness for funerals, graves, and cemeteries. 3. In psychiatry, a morbid attraction to graves and cemeteries
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“Where there is sorrow there is holy ground.” Oscar Wilde
Shirtless and Sculpted
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