Cemetery association in need of volunteers

Published 5:32 pm Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Chilton Cemetery Association (CCA) will hold a cemetery survey workday at Isabella Methodist Church Cemetery on Saturday, March 26 at 9 a.m.

The survey is being held in order to register the cemetery for the Alabama Historical Commission.

“We have to identify what type of stone is on every single grave and draw out every headstone and gravesite in the cemetery to send to the historical commission,” said Kat Reece, secretary and treasurer of the CCA. “We can’t survey it by ourselves because it is just too big. We need help.”

Volunteers will need to be able to diagram a row of graves using measuring tape, graph paper and a symbol chart.

Reece will explain the chart and the project on the day of the survey.

“Some people do not know the difference between a tablet stone and a head stone, but the chart is very simple,” she said.

The project will take no more than one to two hours. Supplies will be furnished by CCA.

Volunteers only need to bring their willingness to help, Reece said.

“You never know when you do these kind of things how many volunteers you’re going to get, but we’re hoping at least 12-15 people show up,” said Reece.

The nonprofit organization has registered approximately 20 cemeteries in the county for the Alabama Historical Commission. Her husband, Jeff Reece, will also take photographs of the cemetery and headstones to submit.

Donations to the CCA will be accepted on the day of the Isabella event and can also be made on the CCA website at www.chiltoncemeteries.org or send to P.O. Box 2523 Clanton, AL 35046.

The cemetery is located adjacent to Isabella Methodist Church at 11337 County Road 15 Maplesville, AL 36750.

A map with directions may be downloaded from the CCA website.