Oakwood Cemetery is moving forward with its historical walk planned for this year.
Oakwood Board of Regents President Ken Locke told the cemetery board Thursday the Walking Tour 2024 board is planning on having a meeting after next month’s cemetery board meeting “to figure out where we’re at.”
In December, the cemetery board OK’d a list for the Walking Tour 2024 board, made up of Cemetery Board members Ken Locke and Dave Baumgartner and Patricia “Patsy” See and Cheryl Hanna from the Kosciusko County Historical Society.
Heagy suggested possibly limiting the walking tour to 20 people, “because we could do hundreds.” Deciding which people to do is going to be the hardest, he said.
If the walking tour this year goes well, he said, they might do a historical walk every two years.
He said he has tons of data. Sally Hogan, a researcher for the walk, has put together about 20 books of information on people buried at Oakwood Cemetery.
Board member Max Mock asked if the books would stay in the cemetery office or if people could take one and do their own walk. Heagy said people taking one of the books and doing their own walk is a possibility.
Work is being done on possible brochures with QR codes where people can scan the codes and read about the people associated with the codes.
In other business, the board learned:
• The cemetery gave away eight loads of wood in December.
Heagy said The Salvation Army has recently decided to be the organization to give out vouchers to people who need wood from the cemetery instead of Combined Community Services.
He cited CCS being open three days a week while The Salvation Army being open five as the reason.
• Twenty-four banners and associated brackets have been purchased for the cemetery’s 2024 display along Legion and Central.
The summer display will have six different flower prints. Along with that, Heagy said he ordered 12 different flag banners.
• The walkway to the Preacher’s Stand is complete. Heagy said there is still some work in that area that still needs to be done.
A bell frame is planned on being made to put a bell in. A burn barrel will also be put in the area.
• Water lines are being installed around the office. A wash sink was installed in the office garage Thursday.
Heagy said about 80% of the water lines at the cemetery were taken out due to leaks.
• Heagy said he got a quote to take out the bushes near the cemetery entrance and put in some benches.
• Heagy received a quote to tear out the carpet and put in tile in the chapel.
Mock also was sworn in by Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose.