Volunteers clean archdiocese's cemetery after groundskeepers fail to keep up with maintenance
The Catholic Archdiocese operates the cemetery and employs two groundskeepers to take care of the 26-acre property. The staff has been unable to keep up with the grass and litter.
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New Windsor Town Supervisor Steve Bedetti recently received some complaints about the state of Calvary Cemetery on Route 9W in the middle of town.
The Catholic Archdiocese operates the cemetery and employs two groundskeepers to take care of the 26-acre property.
The staff has been unable to keep up with the grass and litter.
"I mean, look at it," Bedetti said Tuesday morning. "It doesn't look so hot."
Bedetti wanted to help, but could not simply send over the town's taxpayer-funded Public Works staff to clean up a church-owned property.
Instead, he put a call out to the community.
Community leaders and landscaping companies responded.
"I finally just said, 'You know what. I'm going to make some phone calls.' So I made some phone calls," Bedetti said. "I got some crews, another council member here, and a couple retired New Windsor guys are coming. We have about 40 people here."
To some volunteers, this was personal.
Volunteer – and town councilman – Steve Moreau's in-laws and other friends are buried here.
"It's a very important site so I think it's a good idea to clean it up," Moreau said. "It's been kind of a mess for a long time. I just think it's going to look a lot better now."
Cemetery superintendent Harry Coolidge told News 12 he is retiring from his position after 35 years.
Coolidge – whose wife and son are buried in the cemetery – admitted the maintenance lacked in recent years.
He said he would support frequent community cleanup events run by volunteers and families of those buried in the cemetery.
"All the people in the churches and stuff, I know they'll help out," Coolidge said. "All these landscapers, they'll help out."
Bedetti said he is not planning any more cleanup events.
"We'll turn it over to the Archdiocese and ask them to keep it up," he said.
Father Fernando Hernandez, who oversees the cemetery, told News 12 over the phone Tuesday afternoon the archdiocese may hire a new grounds crew or outsource those responsibilities to a contractor.
"Whatever decision we make," he said, "it's going to look great and be a beautiful resting place and stay that way."
