Are you passionate about preserving history?
Do you want to make an impact in your community?
Then mark your calendars for Saturday, as the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia brings its popular Cemetery Documentation & Preservation Workshop Series to Monongalia County.
The workshop is made possible by the support of the West Virginia Humanities Council, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, Mooresville Community Center and AmeriCorps.
It will be from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Mooresville Community Center, 680 Mooresville Road, Core.
This full-day workshop offers an immersive experience in cemetery preservation and documentation. Led by Joni L. Morris, a Preserve WV AmeriCorps member, participants will explore a wide range of topics essential for safeguarding our heritage.
From digital documentation techniques to gravestone conservation and cleaning, attendees will gain skills and insights into preserving the history housed within West Virginia’s cemeteries. The workshop will also cover Appalachian funerary customs and the significance of cemetery vegetation.
During the fieldwork, participants will have the opportunity to “adopt” a gravestone and apply their newfound knowledge in cleaning and preservation techniques using provided tools and D2 Biological Cleaner. They will also learn how to assess monument conditions, mitigate risks, and how to level, reset and repair gravestones.
“This project aims to educate and engage the public, local communities and volunteers of all ages and backgrounds in the history and importance of our mountain cemeteries,” said Morris. “By increasing the number of West Virginians equipped with the skills to document and preserve our cemeteries, we ensure that their invaluable information and histories are safeguarded for future generations.”
Limited spaces are available, so interested individuals are encouraged to register as soon as possible at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/6fb72898-89ad-4742-bef9-75774b6bcd98
Participants are required to wear closed-toed shoes and long pants are suggested, as the fieldwork will be hands-on. Additionally, participants should bring their own sunscreen, hat and bug repellent.
The workshop is locally sponsored by the Mooresville Community Center and the Mount Harmon Cemetery who have provided classroom space, lunch and bottled water for participants.
For inquiries or more information, contact Morris at 304-841-1510 or via email at jmorris@pawv.org or go to: pawv.org/cemetery-workshops-2024.html
