Gone not forgotten; Store employees clean Grandview Cemetery headstones
Published 8:53 am Wednesday, August 23, 2017
- Sterling Main Street Employee Gayle Knuston and Dawson Jenkins, son of Manager Jessica Jenkins, clean off a headstone at Grandview Cemetery. Photo provided.
For employees of Sterling Main Street, caring for gravesites is a way to give back to the community.
Sterling Main Street employees and members of their families went to Grandview Cemetery on Sunday evening to clean around the headstones. This was their second year volunteering to do it.
“It all started with one of our employees mentioning it when we were looking for ways to get involved with our community to make a difference,” said store manage Jessica Jenkins. “We were really excited about the idea because we don’t want the gone to be forgotten.”
By clearing away grass and debris, the Sterling Main Street employees did more than clean the headstones. They performed a necessary task that otherwise may not get done.
(Left to right, top to bottom) Sterling Main Street employees Elizabeth Christianson, Halie Retterath, Grace Einck, Tayha Cochran, Maddie Tabor and Jose Phomsoukha clean headstones at Grandview Cemetery. Photo Provided.
“We know that there may not be any family members in the area to keep an eye on out for these headstones or whomever is around isn’t physically able to keep it cleaned,” Jenkins said.
During the process, the employees were able to reconnect with the deceased in a special way.
“We would come across some of our previous customers, our very own family members, family members of people we know or see someone who served our country,” Jenkins said. “It is a truly heart touching experience.”
In the end, Jenkins felt the hard work paid off.
“It feels great to see the dent we make after we have been out there,” she said.
