Graves that would otherwise remain unadorned this holiday season will have a wreath laid next to them this Saturday, Dec. 18, in Anderson Township.It is a labor of love by a nonprofit group with scant resources, but a dedication to see to it that lives are not forgotten as part of the nationwide "Wreaths Across America" effort.With a wreath in hand Monday, Todd Mayer climbed the hilly entrance to Hill Crest Cemetery near the wooded intersection of Sutton and Eversole towards a compelling mission to honor those who have died.He walked through the profound silence of long-neglected markers, across 17 sloping acres where Black servicemen are buried in racially-segregated space."Black soldiers, Black marines, airmen, sailors," Mayer recounted."I have a couple of Coastie's in here," he said, in reference to the U.S. Coast Guard. Most of their stories remain concealed, waiting to be exhumed.He looked around the grounds for the Civil War-era grave of George Fletcher, part of a Colored Cavalry Regiment. He knelt towards the marker, placed a wreath, and stepped away saying, "That's probably the first time he's ever had something put on his grave. Any flowers or anything."There are 1,423 known graves of veterans from the Civil War to Vietnam.No new gravesite burials take place there. Some of those interred at Hill Crest drove wagons, five were buglers, and all served to preserve the freedoms enjoyed in present-day America. Mayer looked around for a printer by trade, a volunteer who came down from Toronto to enlist."So, there's Samuel J. Robinson, private of Company D," he stated when he happened upon it. Robinson was part of the 54th regiment during the Civil War, the "Glory" regiment made famous by the 1989 film of the same name."Some glory for the Glory," he said as he set the wreath down.Standing near the top of Hill Crest overlooking the valley, one gets the sense that this place of service and stone could be a movie all its own. Mayer called it America's story."They've earned the respect," he said about those buried there. "And someone's got to give it to 'em."Anderson Township doesn't have to do anything about a cemetery it does not own but finds within its borders. For families of ancestors who are buried there, the wreath-laying means a lot.Mayer walks across rows of ground-level markers until he spies the grave of a WWII veteran, a father who died six months after his son was born.His namesake found it for the first time this past summer when he brought an elderly relative to the site."Somethin' that, you know, no one in my family was able to give me, the cemetery was able to provide," said Sam Malone.He expressed gratitude for what Mayer and several volunteers are doing at a place that serves as a historical reminder about this nation's racial divisions, even in death. Friends of Hill Crest Cemetery is trying to raise money to provide a more complete maintenance of the grounds.The group has set up a Facebook page for that purpose."I think it's important that we do this and especially at this time of the year," said Mayer, who is a veteran of military service.At a noon hour ceremony on Saturday, the 609 wreaths donated within a span of 10 days will be placed at gravesites in one of three segregated cemeteries in Hamilton County.The other two are in Madisonville and Price Hill.
Graves that would otherwise remain unadorned this holiday season will have a wreath laid next to them this Saturday, Dec. 18, in Anderson Township.
It is a labor of love by a nonprofit group with scant resources, but a dedication to see to it that lives are not forgotten as part of the nationwide "Wreaths Across America" effort.
With a wreath in hand Monday, Todd Mayer climbed the hilly entrance to Hill Crest Cemetery near the wooded intersection of Sutton and Eversole towards a compelling mission to honor those who have died.
He walked through the profound silence of long-neglected markers, across 17 sloping acres where Black servicemen are buried in racially-segregated space.
"Black soldiers, Black marines, airmen, sailors," Mayer recounted.
"I have a couple of Coastie's in here," he said, in reference to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Most of their stories remain concealed, waiting to be exhumed.
He looked around the grounds for the Civil War-era grave of George Fletcher, part of a Colored Cavalry Regiment. He knelt towards the marker, placed a wreath, and stepped away saying, "That's probably the first time he's ever had something put on his grave. Any flowers or anything."
There are 1,423 known graves of veterans from the Civil War to Vietnam.
No new gravesite burials take place there.
Some of those interred at Hill Crest drove wagons, five were buglers, and all served to preserve the freedoms enjoyed in present-day America.
Mayer looked around for a printer by trade, a volunteer who came down from Toronto to enlist.
"So, there's Samuel J. Robinson, private of Company D," he stated when he happened upon it. Robinson was part of the 54th regiment during the Civil War, the "Glory" regiment made famous by the 1989 film of the same name.
"Some glory for the Glory," he said as he set the wreath down.
Standing near the top of Hill Crest overlooking the valley, one gets the sense that this place of service and stone could be a movie all its own. Mayer called it America's story.
"They've earned the respect," he said about those buried there. "And someone's got to give it to 'em."
Anderson Township doesn't have to do anything about a cemetery it does not own but finds within its borders. For families of ancestors who are buried there, the wreath-laying means a lot.
Mayer walks across rows of ground-level markers until he spies the grave of a WWII veteran, a father who died six months after his son was born.
His namesake found it for the first time this past summer when he brought an elderly relative to the site.
"Somethin' that, you know, no one in my family was able to give me, the cemetery was able to provide," said Sam Malone.
He expressed gratitude for what Mayer and several volunteers are doing at a place that serves as a historical reminder about this nation's racial divisions, even in death.
Friends of Hill Crest Cemetery is trying to raise money to provide a more complete maintenance of the grounds.
The group has set up a Facebook page for that purpose.
"I think it's important that we do this and especially at this time of the year," said Mayer, who is a veteran of military service.
At a noon hour ceremony on Saturday, the 609 wreaths donated within a span of 10 days will be placed at gravesites in one of three segregated cemeteries in Hamilton County.
The other two are in Madisonville and Price Hill.
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