TODAY’S IDEA: “Perpetual” care isn’t what it used to be.

That’s the word today from Judy Warnick of Eldred, treasurer of
Lamphier Cemetery Association in Eldred, who called after reading
our remarks about the number of people who contact us every year,
complaining about the lack of upkeep in cemeteries where their
loved ones are buried.

We had suggested that people take complaints directly to the
cemetery owners since the many stories we have written over the
years have, apparently, not solved the underlying problem.

Judy explains her situation at Lamphier Cemetery: “Part of the
$400 per lot goes to perpetual care. Once the lots are full, the
cemetery association no longer has money coming in. We have to use
the perpetual care fund to keep people mowing. We are not in it to
earn money. Once the perpetual care is gone, there’s no money left
for mowing.”

Lamphier Cemetery, Judy said, is close to full. We know that’s
the case in other local cemeteries as well.

Judy tells us the Scouts and other youth groups have helped with
cemetery upkeep, and she has searched — in vain — for government
grants to help with the expense. “I have suggested memorials be
made to the cemetery when people die so the cemetery can have
upkeep money,” she said.

And, above all, attend cemetery association meetings held, in
Lamphier’s case, twice a year. Lamphier Cemetery Association is a
non-profit group. No doubt, other cemeteries are, too, but we
believe some of them are operated as a business.

Since Monday is the day we look for and publish good ideas, how
about this: Why not have a local group or organization adopt a
cemetery much like they adopt stretches of  highway for clean-up?
Boy and Girl Scouts are good suggestions, but how about one of the
many service clubs that operate throughout the region?

We are in the run-up to Memorial Day, a time when many families
will be in these cemeteries decorating the graves. Maybe it’s a
time, once and for all, to try to come up with a solution — let’s
just not call it “perpetual.”