LEEDS — With the ebb and flow of New England’s seasons, the constantly changing environment can pose challenges in maintaining the upkeep at cemeteries such as St. Mary of the Assumption, particularly with military memorial plaques that are meant to sit at ground level.
Over time, the plaques have sunk into the ground and even gained a light vegetative cover. In addition, some that were placed at the foot of plots are often run over by lawnmowers and backhoes.
In an effort to raise up his fellow veterans buried at the cemetery, one Haydenville native has rallied volunteers to aid in that upkeep.
The sounds of shovels breaking through the dew-soaked earth resonated through St. Mary cemetery Saturday morning as a crew of more than 10 volunteers brought numerous military memorial plaques to the surface and iton full view once again.
“It’s nice to give a little back,” said Jim Hall, vice commander of the American Legion Post 236 in Haydenville and originator of the effort.
The idea for his “Raise Up Our Veterans” initiative came after visiting the gravestone of his late father, Delmar H. Hall, at the cemetery. During his visit, he noticed that his father’s plaque — for serving in the Army during World War II — had been displaced and overgrown by vegetation.
As he looked around, he saw that several of his father’s friends and even people he grew up with had plaques that were in similar condition.
“I just knew I needed to rectify this,” said Hall, who served in the Navy as a Seabee.
He kicked off the initiative last October alongside a handful of volunteers, pledging to return again in May, until the extreme heat put the event on hold until this past Saturday.
The work isn’t an easy, as some plaques can weigh more than 60 pounds.
Besides the weight, in order to get the plaques at the right level, the stones they’re attached to need to be dug up. In some cases, that also means chipping away at roots that have grown around them before attempting to pull them from the earth.
The plaques are lifted with specialty tools that cost approximately $100 apiece. Hall was able to purchase four pieces of equipment with funding from UMassFive College Federal Credit Union.
Once a plaque has been lifted out of the plot, it is cleaned off and put to the side. The hole itself is then assessed if the position makes the most sense to remain in the same spot. If it doesn’t, the hole is covered and a new hole is dug that’s closer to the gravestone.
From there, volunteers shovel in stone dust donated by Peckham Industries Inc. in Westfield.
The plaques are then centered, leveled and swept.
Among those joining Hall for the first time was Williamsburg firefighter Mark Girard, who is an Army veteran.
“I wanted to help out — I think it’s important to respect our ancestors,” he said.
Carol Demerski of Haydenville also gave up her Saturday morning to help clean the plaques. Demerski, who volunteers with Our Lady of the Hills Parish which oversees the cemetery, said she joined the effort because the work shouldn’t always fall on the same people.
The act was particularly moving for Russ Warriner of Easthampton, who served in Vietnam as a crew chief and door gunner on an M3 Rocket System Huey in the U.S. Army Aerial Rocket Artillery. Glancing around, Warriner pointed out several classmates and friends he grew up with, including Chester Jon Kmit, who was 23 when he was killed in Vietnam.
“I ran into him in Vietnam the same day he was killed. I found out after I got back to my unit,” said Warriner as he swept some leaves away from the plaque. “It means the world to me to be able to do this. I want to respect my fellow veterans, and honor them for what they did and their sacrifices.”
Moving forward, Hall said he’d like to see more volunteers help out and he’d like to expand the efforts to other cemeteries. He’s also hopeful that veterans who are participating will also consider joining the American Legion chapter, as all of the volunteers at last year’s event were over 60 years old.
“I want to get anybody and everybody out the door to do this … it’s much harder than it looks,” he said. “And I hope that people will consider joining the Legion because our membership is falling by the wayside, but we need to keep the cause going.”
Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.
