The Putnam Standard
Community News
November 16-17 2012 – Page 3
Volunteers Breathe Life into Fading Cemetery By Justin Waybright justin@theputnamstandard.com
ELEANOR - For years, grey clouds rested above a forgotten town cemetery. The resting place is more than a century-old, and it is aging rapidly. Rusty fence posts barely stand in the cold fall air. Headstones lay crooked and weathered by time. But a small group of people breathe life into this fading cemetery. On a recent Saturday in November, a few people walked onto the wet grass of Woody2/Hudson Cemetery with shovels, wire brushes and concrete in their hands. By 10:30 a.m., a boy scout and 25 others were digging holes, sanding rusty fence gates and re-setting century-old tombstones at this aging cemetery off Roosevelt Blvd. Throughout October and November, Austin Redd, along with family and friends from the Midway Meridian 4-H Club, revived the Eleanor resting place. “I know the families here would respect this,” the 16-yearold Buffalo Junior said. “I believe those who are buried here de-
serve a nice place to be.” Family and friends joined Redd in his effort to improve the community. People young and old have pitched in to help, he said. “It feels good to have my family here to help and support me through all of this,” said Redd. “My parents have been right by me.” Redd’s mother Tina, has been happy to be involved in this project. She and others from the Midway Meridian 4-H Club have mowed the cemetery grounds for more than four years. “We should be done [with this project] by the end of November,” she said. “We’re so excited. We’ve done a lot of work here.” Aside from beautifying a town cemetery, Redd is striving to earn the prestigious “Eagle Scout” ranking through this project. Redd’s mother believes he will. “If he has a passion in something, there is no stopping him,” she said. Chris Toney, the 4-H Club Organizational Leader was proud of the progress made on Saturday. She smiled while sanding a section of rusted fencing. “We want to restore this and make it a historical cemetery because of its age,” Toney said. “We want to keep this in the minds of
Volunteers shovel dirt to improve the grave sites at the town’s cemetery. Photo by Justin Waybright.
To Advertise Here Call 304.743.6731 today!
Members of the Midway Meridian 4-H Club restore a rusted fence. Volunteers have sacrificed time and hard work for more than a month to beautify this piece of Eleanor’s history. Photo by Justin Waybright. young people; what has happened over the years. We want to restore history here.” Toney has been involved in the county’s 4-H program for 42 years. She has seen members volunteer time and hard work to better the lives of area residents. She was particularly pleased
with the work that scouts and 4H members poured out at the Woody2/Hudson Cemetery. “This is a group of amazing people,” Toney said. “They all come together in love, and there is nothing they wouldn’t do.” By Saturday’s end, the volunteers had welded the fence back
together, re-positioned headstones and re-filled grave areas with fresh fill dirt. About 95 percent of the work at the cemetery was done. The Midway Meridian 4-H Club and the Boy Scout Troop 66 thank the Town of Eleanor for donating fill dirt and concrete.