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Volunteers, students and small grants support ongoing work at Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery
Summary
Commissioners heard an update on Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery: volunteer cleanups with student groups, partial grant awards and a pending $10,000 grant decision in June; the cemetery will host a Memorial Day assembly on May 22.
Volunteers, students and small grants are helping the Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery project, the Parks Commission heard May 15.
A volunteer update said April efforts shifted when a partner organization moved activities to another park, prompting staff and volunteers to pivot. The cemetery applied for a historic-cemetery grant and was a runner-up for a $4,000 award and may receive a later distribution; another $10,000 grant decision is expected in June. Volunteers reported a cleanup day on May 9 that included about 30 students and five adult supervisors, and a donation of large bulk bags to collect debris.
Relatives of interred persons visited and confirmed historical details for cemetery records and offered donations; volunteers said they received a $100 donation from a family member who clarified a historical date. The volunteer group asked the commission to consider ways to make donating easier, such as a foundation or formal donation mechanism.
The group announced a Memorial Day assembly scheduled for May 22 at the Marshfield Auditorium with seating at 10:30 a.m. and a 10:45 a.m. program. Staff and volunteers said contractors for Phase 3 work are seeking payment and one-third of Phase 3 has been completed; volunteers said further grant funding will be needed to finish the work while contractors remain available.
Why it matters: The cemetery is a historic site that relies on small grants, volunteer labor and occasional donations; volunteers and staff are coordinating cleanup and preservation efforts ahead of a Memorial Day event.
