Perhaps Wayne should have been more forthcoming regarding the fact that if you want to update your dues they can be sent to the address at the end of his message. The sad fact is that many family members feel these folks are gone and no further obligation should the family assume. I tried to interest some of my group to contribute but I suspect it fell on deaf ears. Many of you may have experienced the same response. Spread the word. If Wayne would like some help mailing out reminders to folks whose address he may have, I would be more than willing to help in this regard since I do not live in the Buffalo area. Thanks for letting me vent// Sara Burkholder > From: Russlipp@frontiernet.net > To: nyerie@rootsweb.com > Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:49:18 -0400 > Subject: [NYERIE] Note from Wayne Rettke re Concordia Cemetery in Buffalo > > I received the following information from Wayne Rettke about Concordia > Cemetery, and he wanted me to pass it on to the NYERIE mail list: > > > You had asked some questions about Concordia > > I have been on Concordias' board for the last five years we continue > to fight the problems of apathy and lack of volunteers. We have > righted and reset close to 500 markers, replaced the missing iron work > and signs, installed lot index posts, created plot maps and tried to > maintain the grounds as best we can without city or state funding. > > I have sent letters to at least fifty churches and community > organizations, I've contacted the Lutheran and Evangelical founding > churches. I've asked for youth groups to help us, all to no avail. > Many people think the Cemetery is an obligation of the Churches, this > has not been the case for over forty years. You having people here > must be aware of the changes to the neighborhood. I fully understand > why we can't get volunteers, we have five core volunteers who are > burning out. This part of Buffalo has and is undergoing a lot of > problems with arson and crimes to persons. It is nonetheless difficult > to walk away from the cemetery, I myself have sixty one family members > buried there and feel their plots need to be cared for. > > Concordia has no space for new burials therefore no sales. We have > reserved plots already paid for years ago. Our only income is through > search fees and by surviving families paying lot fees of 15.00 per > year per grave or 30.00 per family plot. Although we have over 15,000 > graves very few of these fees are paid. Each cutting of our 15 acres > is close to 1,000. > > We do have a group of United Way volunteers scheduled for August 19 > and hope to get some of the problem areas caught up. > > I know it's a rather gloomy update, but we hope to make it past this > recession > > Thank you again > > Wayne Rettke > Concordia Cemetery Assn > po box 1773 > Amherst, NY 14226 > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYERIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ Bing™ brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. Try it now. http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TXT_MLOGEN_Local_Local_Restaurants_1x1