Volunteers, vendors sought for art fair, cemetery cleanup
Friends of the Edgewood Cemetery in Pottstown are looking for some help maintaining the grounds at the High Street landmark next month.
The organization is putting out a call for vendors and volunteers to lend a hand at its Fifth Annual Art Fair and Cemetery Cleanup, which is scheduled to take place on April 29. Organizers are recruiting artists, from potters and painters, to weavers and woodworkers.
The funds from the event will go toward repairing fallen gravestones and mowing fees for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.
Those mowing costs typically exceed $15,000 each year.
“Without financial support many deteriorating and toppled stones will remain unrepaired, and the grounds cannot be properly maintained,” organizers of the event said in a press release. “Old burial methods as well as a very active and destructive groundhog population have contributed to the cemetery’s challenging situation.”
Because the cemetery was abandoned by its caretaker organization in 2012, all maintenance falls to community volunteers and donors. Organizers said vendor table rentals, raffle ticket sales and donations generated by the Art Fair and Cemetery Cleanup helps them complete that work.
Artisans interested in renting a space at the event for $40 should contact volunteer Kelly Fenstermacher by email at kelly@historicedgewood.com or calling 610-506-7033.
Those who want to participate in the cleanup can bring their own lawn mowers if they want, but equipment will also be on hand at the cemetery to help beautify the gravesites.
A light lunch will be provided by Hobart’s Run, a neighborhood outreach initiative of The Hill School, and other local eateries.
Those unable to participate in the cleanup but who would still like to help Edgewood Historic Cemetery maintain the grounds can do so by visiting givebutter.com/edgewood-historic-cemetery or sending a check made out to Edgewood to 740 E. High St., Pottstown PA 19464.