Letters and comments for March 31, 2011

Union Cemetery update

To the Editor:

The Union Cemetery Maintenance District requests that all permanent memorial displays be picked up by April 1 to allow our groundskeeper, Bob Houck, to get the cemetery ready for Memorial Day.

Displays may be placed or replaced after May 1.

As Memorial Day approaches and people think about decorating graves of loved ones, refer to a copy of the guidelines for flowers and shrubs, which has been updated. Copies are available from Office Manager Trudy Yeargain between 9 and 11 a.m. Monday through Friday at the office in the cemetery. Her number is 541-562-5212.

Glass containers will not be permitted for safety reasons.

Bob completed the walking path by the ditch. It’s very nice. Access it at the southeast corner by the golf course, and end up at the memorial. Or, start at the memorial for a more gentle access slope.

We have lots of roads in the cemetery and encourage people to use them for healthy walking.

The Union Cemetery operates under City of Union Ordinance No. 457, which provides for control of dogs and livestock. Dogs are allowed in the cemetery if they are on leash, or if off leash, under the owner’s immediate control. They are not allowed to run loose over cemetery plots. Doggie “do-do” must not be left, but be cleaned up by the owner.

My personal volunteer project this spring-summer will be to begin photographing each monument stone and, with the help of our office manager, putting them in an electronic database and online for genealogists who want photos of their loved one’s burial monument.

I expect this project to take several years. First the stones in the old part of the cemetery need to be cleaned. I will begin that when weather permits this spring and would welcome volunteers to help. Training and materials will be provided.

If interested, call me at 541-562-5550 or 541-805-9075.

Donna Patterson

Union