In recognition and celebration of Memorial Day, the Board ofAldermen voted Tuesday night to designate May as the first annualCemetery Cleanup Month in Brookhaven.

“With Memorial Day in May, people are naturally honoring theirloved ones,” said Alderman at large Les Bumgarner. “We’re askingfor some of those people to help us by volunteering in our areacemeteries.”

The cemetery subcommittee is made up of Bumgarner, Ward FiveAlderman D.W. Maxwell and Ward Three Alderwoman Mary Wilson.Maxwell said their primary goal is to keep the area cemeterieslooking nice, because the grounds crews are always busy with thegeneral maintenance.

“We want to encourage anyone that has an interest to come helpus in whatever way they can,” he said. “We can take donations, orvolunteers to work in the cemeteries. Just whatever you can dohelps us out.”

Recently the Master Gardeners of Lincoln County have been doingbeautification work. Bumgarner said they are making quite adifference.

“We’re so grateful to Karen Sullivan and the other MasterGardeners for the work they’re already doing,” said Bumgarner.”(Cemetery Supervisor) Hosmer Cameron and his guys have their handsfull, but they’re doing a great job, too. And now we’d really liketo see the rest of the community get involved.”

The committee has a list of possible ideas for people who mighttake an interest in helping to beautify the cemeteries. Among thesuggestions are trimming around a family plot, discarding fadedflowers, picking up litter, sticks and debris, and raking and othergeneral maintenance.

Bumgarner said the appeal goes out to civic groups, churchorganizations, Boys and Girls scout troops, etc. Even if anindividual does not have a group to volunteer with, they maycontact their alderman for more information.

“We’ll take flower donations, too,” said Bumgarner. “Really anykind of help we can get. We have nice cemeteries, but what we’dreally like is for people to step up and add luxuries to ourcemeteries.”