The Whaletown Cemetery workbee was a success. 12 to 15 people showed up with tools and energy, and some came and dropped off delicious treats. The sunshine was glorious, and the Whaletown Cemetery a lovely space to spend time in. The front gate now rests on posts that sit securely in the ground. Many of the rotten posts were replaced. It was discovered the panels along the front of the cemetery will only be good for another five years, so the posts that held them in place, rather than being replaced as we had originally planned, were reinforced. The extra posts that were donated will be used in the next workbee, on a new fence that will go up as part of the memorial structure project. The broom was cut and pulled, and many of the existing graves weeded and tidied. Some knew a bit about the history of those buried, and we chatted about those who had gone before us while tending their graves.

We are fortunate to have such a beautiful cemetery. It was donated to the community, currently owned by the WCC, and continues to be managed by volunteers. Community members can choose a natural or conventional burial. Besides ongoing maintenance, the next project will be to build a memorial structure to honour those buried in the natural burial section, as those grave markers will biodegrade and become part of the natural landscape.

It was a wonderful community event.