When looking for a service project to do for
the month of October, I wanted to find something unique, outdoorsy, and
something that would allow for a large group of people. To do this, I went to a
website called HandsOn Northeast Georgia <http://handsonnortheastgeorgia.com> and
looked through the 130+ volunteer opportunities that were listed in the
Athens-Clarke County area. While looking through the extensive opportunities, I
found a service project that was outdoors, allowed for a large group of people,
and was perfect for the month of October: a cemetery cleanup.
Bethlehem Cemetery is an African American
cemetery which was used primarily from the 1880s to the 1990s. Those who were
laid to rest here mostly lived in the Brooklyn/Hawthorne area of Athens. There
are over 1100 known burials in the cemetery. Nature and time have laid claim to
much of the cemetery; some tombstones have fallen and are covered with ivy,
other graves are completely unmarked. Routinely, an organization called Friends
of Brooklyn Cemetery recruits volunteers to clear away overgrowth and
undergrowth, clip small limbs and branches, pull weeds and invasive plants to
reveal the grave sites and markings. Not only was this the perfect service
project for our chapter, it was also a project to restore a precious piece of
Athens history.
The impact on the members was tremendous. It
was very rewarding to do hands on work in which they could immediately see the
impact they were making to bring this cemetery back to life. The historical
aspect of the cemetery was also very interesting. Our site leader, Linda, told
her story of how she grew up around the cemetery and how she remembered
visiting her grandparents’ grave there when she was young. Her goal is to
rediscover her grandparents’ grave and give the cemetery the dignity and
respect that it deserves. Hearing the site leader’s connection to the cemetery
gave the project meaning and a purpose.
I received awesome feedback from the members and many requested to
return to the cemetery for future service projects. It was great to see the
members of the Georgia Alpha Chapter enjoying the work they were doing.
Unique service projects like this are not hard
to find or to organize. There are so many opportunities to have an impact and create
positive change your community. Utilize the HandsOn Network <http://www.handsonnetwork.org> to
find a myriad of service projects in your community. It is an awesome resource
to find service projects that fit the needs of your chapter.
Onyale Donloe
Associate Director of Service
NRHH - Georgia Alpha Chapter
University of Georgia
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