Learn how to take care of historic cemeteries

CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind. – Ever drive past an old cemetery that looked in need of maintenance and repair?

Often, no funds are available for the work, which requires some expertise to do correctly.

That’s why Western Wayne Heritage, a nonprofit devoted to historic preservation, created the Restoration In Peace project. The organization hopes to develop a pool of trained volunteers to provide services to any historic cemetery in the county. The group also will lend restoration materials for the volunteers to use.

“We are trying to get as many people across Wayne County professionally trained as we can,” said Aleesa Drennen, project co-chair.

On July 25, the project will have a training workshop at Capitol Hill Cemetery in Cambridge City. Participants will learn to clean, repair and reset gravestones, as well as proper cemetery maintenance.

The workshop is free to those willing to become part of the R.I.P. volunteer network, helping with restoration projects, sharing training skills or performing other tasks.

Others are welcome to attend for the cost of $20 per person, or $25 including a sack lunch.

Drennen recommends the workshop to anyone who has a love of genealogy, history or old cemeteries.

Future workshops to provide the same training will be Aug. 8, Aug. 15, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26.

Participants should dress for yard work and bring gloves, kneeling pads, safety glasses, a mask, bug spray, sunscreen, a lawn chair, a shovel or a trowel if possible and plenty of drinking water.

Staff writer Louise Ronald: (765) 973-4469 or lronald@pal-item.com. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/LouiseRonaldPI.

If You Go

•What: Restoration in Peace cemetery restoration workshop

•When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 25. Registration is due Wednesday.

•Where: Capitol Hill Cemetery, 1000 E. Church St., Cambridge City. Entrance to the cemetery is one block south of U.S. 40 and one block west of Indiana 1 near the intersection of East Church and South Lee streets.

•Registration: For those interested in volunteering with R.I.P., contact your township trustee or call Aleesa Drennen at (317) 641-8964 for a limited number of workshop scholarships. Paying participants can register at www.eventbrite.com (search for “gravestone workshop”) or call Drennen for assistance.

• Scholarships are funded in part by a grant from the Wayne County Foundation.