Alpha Phi Omega was great! I may write a fuller report later, but some quick thoughts: They worked from about 10:20 to 2:00. I did not do a head count, but I think about thirty people showed up despite the season. The sun was out, and the work arduous enough that the cold did not serve as an impediment. We were a little short on tools, but those without were able to drag cut branches and vines into the woods or into piles, and it also gave people a chance to trade off and give others a breather. Throughout the old sections were little islands of scrubby growth within which headstones were hiding. They hacked down many of those, uncovering a number of stones within them that had not seen the full light of day (if any) in quite some time. On the edges of the cemetery, similar work with lopping shears and saws as well as raking also uncovered a number of stones and made others which had been visible much more accessible. They were also able to uncover a number of partially buried headstones. Some that had been completely covered were among the oldest in the cemetery, like one for Daniel O’Day, died December 4, 1852, a native of the Parish of Drumming, County Limerick Ireland. A number of the old stones uncovered had been carved by William Toohey of West Troy, whose name I’d already seen on several previously. He did work of all shapes and sizes, some with some very attractive decoration. He was clearly a significant local stonecutter. Some volunteers focused on the headstones of veterans, many of which were significantly tipping. They set many of those upright, and were able to clean some they straightened enough to read. I’d brought one water sprayer and a bit of D2, but hadn’t thought we’d be doing much of that given the weather. All seemed enthusiastic, even at the end of the day, many expressing that they’d really enjoyed doing this kind of volunteer work. There was some interest in doing it again sometime next year at St. Patrick’s again, or wherever needed. Archivist of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Tom Hanley was there a good part of the day and also expressed that he was very pleased with Alpha Phi Omega’s work. Chris