2019 has been another momentous year for Mt. Zion Cemetery in Walnut Ridge, and our end-of-year fundraiser is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of this year as well as ensure that our cemetery association has the funds we need to continue our mission in 2020. This year marked the inauguration of a board of trustees for the Mt. Zion Cemetery Association that was formed last year, and a separate bank account for the association was set up in May at First National Bank of Lawrence County. Our Facebook page’s new monthly “Rotating Interred Person (RIP)” spotlight has become a distinctive way to showcase the many unique gravestones at Mt. Zion and the people behind them (viewable at www.facebook.com/mtzionwr).
Other accomplishments at Mt. Zion this year, no less tremendous, are not without expenses. Area resident Bill Young did another tremendous job of mowing, trimming, and picking up sticks around the cemetery this year, and we are going to pay him $1200 to help offset his fuel and mower expenses as well as his dedicated labor. Several cemetery association trustees have already covered other expenses: thanks to trustee Jerry Gibbens, the remainder of our 2018 cast iron fence repair bill ($1000) has been paid for, and trustee Edward Harthorn is covering the 2020 cost ($750) of watering the twelve trees and 50+ shrubs that were planted in Mt. Zion last year. As our association gets more established, we are aiming to build a reserve of funds to proactively cover both known and unknown future expenses; consequently we are hoping to also raise $1200 for 2020 mowing and $1000 to keep in our account as part of this fundraiser. Once we have a healthy reserve built up as well as enough to cover 3+ years of mowing, we can begin considering some of the other improvements outlined at www.mtzionwr.org/campaign2025 .
Any donation to the association you would be able to provide, large or small, would be much appreciated! If you would like, donations can be mailed to Mt. Zion Cemetery Association, c/o Treasurer Jerry Gibbens, 306 Eastwood Circle, Walnut Ridge, AR, 72476.
