The Brief
- Volunteers cleaned headstones, cleared debris and placed flags at Tampa’s historic Oaklawn Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day.
- Oaklawn Cemetery, established in 1850, is the city’s oldest public burial ground and the resting place of pioneers, veterans and prominent Tampa figures.
- Organizers say the annual cleanup helps preserve local history while honoring those who served their country.
TAMPA, Fla. – The effort brought together members of The Cemetery Society, Tampa Firefighters Local 754 and Tampa Parks and Recreation to help preserve one of the city’s oldest and most significant historic sites.
Volunteers clean cemetary
Volunteers spent Saturday cleaning grave markers and placing flowers and American flags throughout Oaklawn Cemetery.
The event is part of an annual tradition organized by The Cemetery Society, which selects different cemeteries each year for restoration and preservation efforts.
Founder Aileen Henderson said, “They say, when you place the flower on the headstone, we ask them to say the person’s name. Because they say that when you say their name out loud, their memory lives on forever.”
The backstory:…