On a warm Sunday, the day before Memorial Day, people gathered at Shady Lane Cemetery to honor the veterans and reflect on the people buried there.
The cemetery was founded in 1922 and the first Memorial Day ceremony held at the cemetery was held on May 29, 1927. The event marked 95 years to the day when the soldier’s section, flag pole and the Welsh woman’s section were dedicated.
The Northeast Detachment of the Marine Corps League played Taps and did a 21-gun salute.
Pastor Don Anderson, Dr. Jim Arscott and Dale Thomas of The Wally Gordon singers sang “America,” “America the Beautiful,” and “Amazing Grace.”
Anderson gave the invocation and benediction. “We give honor to those who served,” he said.
Boy scouts from Troop 160 placed flags at the veteran’s gravesites and hosted the flag.
Twin brothers Abhinav and Pranav Palle are doing their Eagle Scout projects at the cemetery. They are members of Boy Scout troop 160 and attend Abington Heights High School.
Abhinav Palle said this about his project.
“I am painting the base and the flag pole located in the veteran’s section of the cemetery. I am also changing the rope and refurbishing the area around the flag pole. Memorial Day is to commemorate those who served our country and it is something to do to help the community. It is a great cause.”
He presented the flag which was donated by PA state representative Thom Welby.
“The sign at the entrance to the cemetery was not in good condition,” said Pranav Palle. “I am going to use the frame, sand and repaint it. I am designing a new sign for the frame and will put lights on it so people can see it at night. I am also going to work on the rock wall near the sign. It will be good as new.”
The brothers hope to continue volunteering at the cemetery after their Eagle projects.
“Our Flag” was read by Louise Brennan, “in Flanders Field” by Carol Wilkerson and “American’s Answer” by Jim Wilkerson.
Bill Lester Friends of Shady Lane Cemetery offered remarks about the history of Memorial Day. His father, grandfather and great grandparents are buried at the cemetery.
“We are forever grateful for their service. The flag blows not by wind but the breath of those who defended it. We hope that in our times of need, we can look to the heavens and draw strength through those who served.”
A list of those veterans buried in the cemetery who were killed on active duty was recited.
Brennan and Wilkerson are investing their time along with volunteers to help restore the cemetery. They have cut grass, pulled weeds, removed trees and sticks, found buried tombstones and picked up trash.
Louise Brennan has her great grandparents and 3 great aunts interred at Shady Lane.
“Doing something is better than nothing,” she said
Carol Wilkerson is a native of Atlanta Georgia. She moved to this area because of her husband’s job. She was a lawyer and a high school teacher. She does not know anyone interred at Shady Lane Cemetery.
“We are blessed by God. Lawn mowers have been donated. We feel very blessed doing God’s work and we are contacted by family members of those interred at Shady Lane who cannot do this anymore and are thanking us for taking care of the grave sites,” she said.
She researches and writes about the people buried at the cemetery using” Newspapers.com” and “Ancestry.” The stories are posted on the Friends of Shady Lane Cemetery Facebook page. This Facebook page also depicts stories about those buried at the cemetery whose tombstones have fallen.
There is an eight-person board for the Shady Lane Cemetery and their goals are to upright toppled tombstones, find the buried markers and raise them and document all the graves. There are no cemetery records from 1986 to the present.
“The cemetery needs to be done and I have the ability,” said Wilkerson. “It is the right thing to do and it is respectful.”
A recent fund raiser was held in which flowers could be bought for a loved one’s gravesite.
Summit University will hold an event in August. Dr. Dawn A. Schluetz associate professor of English and Communication and Director of Theatre at Clarks Summit University will tell the stories of veterans buried in the cemetery. “Shades of War” will be performed by the campus drama department.
“I wanted to do this event because the need was made known to me by Carol Wilkerson,” she said. “Right now, the script I am working on is reader’s theatre style and will involve 3 to 6 actors. I am working on getting a handful of Summit University alumni and hopefully some volunteers from the community. The event will be patriotic in nature. The care of the cemetery and the remembrance of the veterans who once served all of us, is something for which we as a community should come together.”
August will also mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the cemetery and a celebration to mark the anniversary is in the planning stages.
More help is needed at the cemetery. Future clean up days include June 25, July 23, August 27 and September 24 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
For more information visit friendsofshadylanecemetery.wordpress.com or Friends of Shady Lane Cemetery Facebook page.
Donations can be mailed to Friends of Shady Lane Cemetery P.O. Box 632 55 Northern Blvd. Chinchilla, PA 18410 or Venmo Friends of Shady Lane Cemetery.
