Wellsville’s Woodlawn Cemetery begins its spring cleanup
From Christina Wightman,
Woodlawn Cemetery is beginning its spring cleaning and is requesting those who maintain the graves of loved ones to remove all unseasonal items such as wreaths, flags, or winter flowers (such as poinsettias), as well as unkept items by April 26th. The groundskeeping staff will be removing these items after that date. Please call the cemetery office 585-593-1541 if you would like to have an item saved which you are unable to remove by that date. Arrangements can be made to have it held and to schedule a pickup date. They can be held until May1st. After that date they will be discarded. We realize these items are meaningful, however it is important for the ease of maintaining the cemetery to enforce the Rules and Regulations of the cemetery:
“The Woodlawn Cemetery Association reserve the right to remove all flowers, wreaths, or other decorations from graves as soon as they become unsightly.”
This year the New York State Department of Cemeteries has designated April 26th as Caring for Your Cemetery Day, and Woodlawn extends an invitation to anyone who would like to volunteer at the cemetery to participate in Spring cleanup. This can be a chance to help maintain and preserve the beautiful burial grounds of Woodlawn Cemetery. This winter has been harsh with its brutal winds. Some extra hands to pick up branches, twigs, and other debris that have been a result of the weather can be a big help.
It can also be a wonderful opportunity to explore Woodlawn’s landscape architecture, memorial stones, and the names of the citizens of Wellsville who have been the very fabric of the community.
Woodlawn, formerly known as the Farnum Cemetery, was formed in 1903. Warren Carpenter was the landscape artist. The beautiful mounds and landscape features are his design. The beautiful gates were a generous donation. Other donations that made the cemetery so lovely were hedges, trees, and fencing. The flagpole was a donation made by the Sons of Veterans. There were many hands that made the cemetery what it is today.
Walking through the cemetery you will discover it has four mausoleums, all with their own unique features. The carvings on Victorian monuments and engravings on memorial stones are beautiful and feature meaningful symbolism. It’s particularly interesting to see names on stones that explain where Wellsville got some of its street names, along with names that match buildings on Main Street.
Woodlawn tells the story of the thousands of citizens who formed our local government, built our downtown area, schools, library, hospital, homes. They raised families here. They are our community. Every person there tells a story that is meaningful.
As you volunteer, you can travel through history and spend time with friends and loved ones. You can revisit, discover, or imagine their story. As a resident of our wonderful town of Wellsville and surrounding area, they are a part of YOUR story as well.
In the words of Doug & Georgia Spelts – “A cemetery is a history of people – a perpetual record of yesterday and a sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery exists because every life is worth loving and remembering
On April 26th we will provide garbage bags at the maintenance garage and instructions on where to pile debris collected. We will also have a list of symbolism for you to take as you explore while you work.”
Woodlawn is pleased you have laid your loved ones to rest on its peaceful grounds. We receive no Federal or State funding and are a not-for-profit organization. We are required by NYS law to pay minimum wage ($15.50 per hour) to all hired workers. The cemetery works on a limited budget which makes it difficult to make all the improvements we would like to make. Memorial donations (which are tax deductible) are always welcome and appreciated.
Please call the cemetery office if you have any questions or concerns 585-593-1541.
