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Volunteers report progress, cultural programming and grant pursuit at Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery
Summary
Volunteers updating Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery said volunteer repairs are about halfway complete and described plans to apply for a Historic Cemetery preservation grant, expand community programming and pursue partnerships for Memorial Day and other events.
Cricket Souls, a volunteer at the Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery, told the Coos Bay Parks Commission that volunteers have completed roughly half of the repair work identified in a recent assessment and plan to pursue a Historic Cemetery preservation grant to finish the remaining, specialized repairs.
The grant the volunteers described can award up to $20,000; volunteers said the cemetery group has already identified a $10,000 1:1 match and plans to demonstrate local support through alumni volunteer time and a crowdfunding push. “We’re not quite halfway through all the repair work that was identified at the cemetery,” Cricket Souls said. She said the group plans a community push to show matching contributions and volunteer hours before submitting the application.
Why it matters: the grant would pay for specialized repairs volunteers cannot do themselves and applicants said demonstrating community support will be important to the funder’s decision.
Volunteers described programs and partnerships planned for 2025. They said they will partner with OBAB and Solve for pre-Memorial Day work, involve a local high school art class in a cultural display, and develop backpacks with local history materials for library or visitor-center checkout. Souls described educational elements tied to the cemetery’s immigrant histories and programs intended to help younger visitors understand cultural practices.
Volunteers also reported site maintenance updates: they said they installed woven wire fencing to block deer access on an easterly slope that had produced safety concerns for pedestrians, and will monitor the site to see whether the fencing prevents animals from entering. They described making commemorative apple butter from a volunteer apple tree for supporters, and said they hope to include the cemetery as a stop on the Coos Bay Garden Club tour to raise visibility and support for a "thousand-dollar" scholarship tied to local bands.
Commissioners praised the volunteer work and encouraged stronger community outreach to support the grant application and Memorial Day programming. The commission raised no formal objections and no vote was taken.
