This article appeared in today's edition of the Princeton Daily Clarion:
Unless donations made for upkeep local cemeteries could be
deeded to cities
SUE ELLEN PARKER
Clarion staff writer
Approximately 6,200 graves are covered in the tall grass of Maple Hill and the
IOOF cemeteries in Princeton, said Auggie Williams, a trustee.
Unless there are donations made for the upkeep of the cemeteries, Maple Hill
will have to be deeded over to Patoka Township and the IOOF Cemetery will
have to be deeded to the city of Princeton.
"When someone buys a lot, $230 of the $300 for the grave space goes into an
endowment fund and $70 is left to operate on," Williams explained. The
endowment fund can only be invested in a certificate of deposit. "With the
money we have, it isn't even breaking even close enough to cover expenses,"
he said.
The lack of funds is "an on-going problem," Williams said. "It's
nothing new."
Anyone willing to donate time to trim trees can call Williams at 385-2438. He
said he is willing to "organize clean-up crews or do anything like that to
help."
Donations for the upkeep of the cemeteries, both of which are owned by
lodge 64 of the International Order of Odd Fellows, "may be the only thing to
pull us through" he said.
Checks can be sent to 1015 North Hart Street, Princeton, IN 47670.
"The checks should be made out in the name of the cemetery for which the
money is to be used and the money will be used accordingly," Williams said.
The name of anyone who donates $500 or more will be placed on a sign at the
entrance of the cemetery as a benefactor for its upkeep.
"It takes approximately 40 hours of work to mow and trim each cemetery,"
Williams said. "That's a lot of weed eating."