Redford Cemetery Association

FALL WORKDAY 2005

DATE: 5 NOVEMBER 2005

TIME: 8:00am-6:30pm

LOCATION: Redford Cemetery

The highlight of 2005's activities was the November 5, 2005, fall cemetery workday. Like the fall 2004 workday, a chipper was rented and a large cadre of volunteers was mustered. Also like the 2004 fall workday, many of the volunteers had no direct affiliation with Redford Cemetery or the Redford Cemetery Association. Further enhancing this workday and much to everyone’s pleasure, a catered, hot lunch was generously provided by Bob and Mary Jane Major. The lunch was thoroughly appreciated by all.

Volunteers break for lunch.

Fortunately, the number of volunteers at this workday was sufficient to split the volunteers into task-specific groups, an extremely productive and efficient use of human resources. Prior to the start of the workday, plant material needing removal was marked with paint so volunteers would know what needed to be removed.

Arun running the brushcutter on the south fenceline.

One group of volunteers was able to remove all of the wild and undesirable plants, shrubs, and weeds from the entire south side of the old section of the cemetery. This material was placed into a pile the size of a mid-size family car and was later chipped. One volunteer single-handedly re-cleared the entire south fence line with a walk-behind brushcutter, accumulating garbage and material large enough to require chipping, into neat piles. Another volunteer took over three-hundred pictures of the cemetery grounds, the workday events and participants, and grave markers.

Mike and Adam chip undesirable trees and brush in the north-east corner of the cemetery grounds.

While the small groups and ambitious individuals addressed their particular tasks, the main work group focused its attention on cleaning up the north fence line and chipping existing accumulations of woody material. Through their efforts the remainder of the north fence line was cleared of brush, debris, and undesirable small trees. Except for shutting down for lunchtime and to clear one jam, the chipper ran from 8am to 6pm. By the time the day was over, the results were clear: the cemetery was looking a lot better!

Adam worked the entire day manning the chipper and kept it very busy.

Kiran cuts logs to firewood length. The wood was then given to a needy family through the local Freecycle group.

Bob cleans up leaves in preparation for excavating lost markers in the old section.

Adam continues to give the Home Depot rental chipper a good workout.

Hugh supervises as Mike and Allen labor.

Mike, Adam, and Brandon work to repair the chipper. An odd-shaped log lodged in between the feed wheels and the cutter disc and jammed the chipper. Oops.

Taking a moment to touch up the saw blade, again. The sandy soil at Redford Cemetery is unforgiving to chainsaws that accidentally touch the ground!

Refueling after lunch.

Bob points out a lost tombstone that he had previously located and unearthed.

Bob (the other one) and Arun, chatting over lunch.

;