UTICA, Indiana — What started as a post in a Facebook about the status of Hillcrest Cemetery in Utica led to volunteers stepping up to organize a clean-up.
The cemetery is run by a Board of Trustees, and their budget is minimal. Utica residents saw that some headstones were being covered by overgrowth.
Friday was the first day that a volunteer group headed out to work. They started at 10 a.m. and for the next couple of hours, they worked diligently cutting down trees, limbs and clearing debris.
Why? They saw a need in their community and took it upon themselves to fix the problem.
"Small towns can't hire big companies to come in and do the lawn care and do those types of necessities," Utica's Director of Community Service, Jeremy Snelling, said.
Snelling and his cousin, Jacky, were both in attendance today. It was a family affair as each did their part to clear up areas of the graveyard.
"This cemetery, a lot of our families are buried here so I feel like we need to make sure it's taken care of real good; keep it in good shape," Jacky Snelling said.
Others were there for a different reason: community service. Multiple men in attendance were fulfilling their community service for low-risk offenses.
"What we are trying to do is give back to the community but also have them pay their debt to society," Jeremy Snelling said. "Being inside a jail isn't always the answer so if we can do community service, it's a win-win for everyone."
This was the first day the group was out but they will continue until the entire perimeter is cleared.
"There's a lot of good people in this town, a lot of good people," Jacky Snelling said.
If you would like to donate your time or money to help in the upkeep of Hillcrest Cemetery, call 812-557-3960.
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