MACON, Ga. — Some Macon volunteers are taking steps to give a historic cemetery a face lift. Sabrina Burse spoke to one man who has family buried at the Rose Hill Cemetery and says the land's neglect is heartbreaking.
George Scoville says he's noticed the Rose Hill Cemetery get in pretty bad shape over the past few weeks.
"The weeds were knee-high. The wildflowers are everywhere. It looked like the whole cemetery had not been cut or mowed in any shape form or fashion at all," said Scoville.
County Spokesperson Chris Floore says the county typically uses inmate labor to maintain the cemetery, but says COVID-19 has impacted that.
Scoville has family members buried there.
"It's just a lot of history there and it's just sickening to see that or any cemetery, really, in that shape," said Scoville.
He says a couple of volunteers are caring for the cemetery right now, but he says it's not enough.
He hopes to recruit at least 25 volunteers to bring small lawn mowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and fire ant poison to give the cemetery a makeover this week.
"It needs our help. That's the bottom line, and we want to do what we can to clean it up," said Scoville.
Scoville is asking volunteers to meet at the Rose Hill Cemetery entrance on Saturday to work from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will meet at the entrance. If you can't make it this Saturday, he plans to do the same thing next week.
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