Over the past four years, the board of directors of Roselawn Funeral Home and Cemetery, with strong community support, has worked tirelessly to put the foundation and operation on solid footing.

Now, as Roselawn moves into the future, board members realize that much-needed capital reserves must be raised, lest the cemetery fall back into a difficult operating climate.

This spring will see Roselawn, through its foundation The Roselawn 1891 Company, embark on an ambitious three-year, $1.8 million maintenance and capital funds campaign entitled "Roselawn Tomorrow."

"Our deferred maintenance is at its most critical point in our 125-year history," said CEO Kevin McCarthy. "And much of our rolling stock and infrastructure are either obsolete or badly outdated."

Complicating the scenario is damage from recent windstorms and a heavy spring snowfall, along with high costs to repair a pump in the property's irrigation lake.

"We must build up our capital reserves and we cannot wait for the future to come to us," said McCarthy,

To reach this lofty goal, Roselawn has engaged the services of Metasoft, a national company with a stellar record of raising funds for nonprofit organizations.

"They have a nationally recognized reputation and we have executed a three-year agreement for their services. We will develop a plan strategy immediately," McCarthy explained.

In addition to providing training for foundation volunteers and assisting with a fundraising strategy, Metasoft will work to secure funding from companies that donate to nonprofits.

The proposed improvement projects include:

A three-year plan to remove, cruise and prune 100 acres of diseased or dead trees, at a cost of $185,000.

Repair and repave cemetery roads ($270,000).

Rehabilitate and restore the 11-acre historic section ($170,000).

Create an outdoor all-weather commital center ($550,000).

Irrigation lake repairs and improvements ($525,000).

Purchase two Wacker Nueson cemetery dirt movers ($100,000).

"I believe we can achieve our goals if we stay the course and keep our message clear: It is our job to help those who have no voice," added McCarthy. "It is our job to make sure that the 60,000 people buried here do not get forgotten in a forgotten cemetery."

For information on contributing to "Roselawn Tomorrow," call 542-2934.

jpompia@chieftain.com