Special to the Piedmont Area Journal, by Joyce Price ~-

Some are names which you will recognize. Some are names perhaps strange or un­familiar. But all of these names are important because they indicate some of the ap­proximately 70 volunteers who recently gathered on a fine autumn day to serve their fellowman. Nature cooper­ated, sending bright sunshine, blue skies, nice cooling breezes, and low humidity.

These volunteers came to beautify the White Rock Cem­etery, final resting place of so many of the townspeople of Lynchburg over the past 100 or so years. The site encom­passes some seven and a quar­ter acres. When this writer pre­viously visited summer before last, it was a sweltering day with temperatures approach­ing 100 degrees Fahrenheit and Laura Munson and the re­storers went about describing their work. Recently 'they es­timated that in the past few years, they have cleared a to­tal of 5 1/2 acres. That interim

•goal having been met, it was on last Saturday, Nov. 8,2003 when yet another acre was

•cleared, apparently leaving less than one acre in need of ;clearance.

; An organizer of this Clean ^;Up Day was noted volunteer Tom Gerdy, member of Peakland United Methodist Church. How modest and un­assuming was Tom, when he :was asked how he did it. Said :Tom, "Oh, I just e-mailed a few people."

Another big vote of thanks must go to Chuck Garrard who donated the use of the equipment owned by his company, "Trees-n-More, noted for tree removal, thinning, deadwooding, and stump removal.

Upon my arrival on the scene on Saturday, I came upon Dr. David Harris, and then wearing Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity tee shirts there were 2 of the laborers, Rev. Ceas or Johnson and the tenor, Ron Shoultz. There was Sterling Wilder and his five young helpers from the Jubilee Fam­ily Center. There was plenty of work for all the volunteers: re­setting tombstones, cutting down trees, digging up brush and weeds, and hauling away debris in wheelbarrows.

The moving force behind the ongoing restoration of the cemetery, Quaker Memorial Church member Laura Munson, was so proudly dressed in green coveralls, and at one point was driving a trac­tor. Laura was quite excited because they had this day uri^ earthed a tombstone never be­fore seen by this generation. It was in pristine condition and marked the resting place of one Nannie Lee Simpson 1881-1932.

On hand from Randolph-Macon Woman's College was an exchange student from Slovakia in Central Europe, formerly a part of Czechoslo­vakia. Zofia Lukacsova was impressed by the history of the White Rock Cemetery. After graduation in 2007 with a master's degree, Zofia hopes to work in the United Nations.

College advisor Mary Normyle had recruited a large contingent of volunteers from Lynchburg College including: Heather McBride, Sarah Mor-ris, Randy Branch, Mark Gross, Cooper Brown, and Joel Parker. On hand with shovel in hand, was Melvin Johnson, Chairman of the Board :at' White Rock Baptist Church.. Melvin noted that years ago, he began iri a soli­tary manner; by cutting down bushes and trees. It was in 1961 that Melvin's infant was laid to rest there. Now look at how far they've all come:

It was Mayor Carl B. Hutcherson, Jr. who arrived at the cemetery, and summed it all up for this column: " It is amazing how tenacity and commitment can make a real

difference in our city." Carl expects that one day they'll lo­cate the actual resting place therein of his Own grand­mother, Ella Brown.

Showing up for work on the cemetery were numerous regu­lar Habitat volunteers: St. Tho­mas Moore Church members, the Pletke family - Norma, Lee, and Pat; Jim Taylor retired Framatone executive; Mary (Adams Motor Co.) Adams; Clarence Smith, Helen Smith, and Constance S. Pinn. Other volunteers were Ruby Lynch, City Councilwoman Joan Fos­ter, Lucille Withers Deane, and young Emily Ann Taylor from the James River Day School along with her dad Rodney Taylor. Emily was impressed by the fact that the pygmy man, Oda Benga, was buried there.

On hand giving much ap­preciated support, comfort, water, and food to the workers, and actually pitching in on the heavy duty chores themselves at times, were members of the Board of Directors of White Rock Cemetery. As reported to this writer, those members present were: President Clara Jackson, Geraldine Clark, W.E.Clark, Lucinda Booker, Thelma Jennings, Lena Will­iams, Jean Smith-Turner, Rev. Willie Butler, and Gloria Franklin.

This writer note the tomb­stones of: Pettis - Winnie 1930, Selena 1953, and Kyle 1967; Wyaft. Clements-World War One vet, I960; Thelma Bobson Stamps 1931; Jeanette Greene 1912; Charles Herndon 1925; Essie Galloway Fowler 1939, Rawlings Jennings; Susie Hemmings; and Washington Scott 1932.

We look forward to learn-ingjnore of the history associ­ated with the White Rock Cem­etery. In the meantime, that abandoned appearance is long gone, and the sloping grounds are becoming well-groomed and even beginning to take on a manicured look: True joy comes in serving, not so much in being served.