SUMMER 2008Grace Thompson
Greenwich MMBefore
For many years our meeting has watched the deterioration of the magnificent stone walls that surround our old (née Orthodox) cemetery with grave (no pun intended) concern. The meeting knew that something would need to be done or the walls would have to be torn down. There was so much deterioration due to the age of the structure and damage from a fallen tree after a severe storm last year that the stones were falling out of the walls in many places. In addition, many of the capstones were broken, permitting water damage through the winters.
Our meeting is not well endowed. Where to get the money to have the necessary repairs done was a quandary. In 2006 we applied to the New Jersey Historical Commission for a grant to repair the stone wall in front of our Lower Meeting House and do the necessary repairs to the cemetery walls mentioned above. With the help of two of our members, Penny and Bob Watson of the architectural firm of Watson and Henry, and the diligence of Steven Barndt, also a member and clerk of our Building and Grounds Committee, the proposal was completed and submitted to the commission.
Sadly, we were not awarded the grant. Once again we found ourselves at square one. Steve Barndt in the meantime struck up an acquaintance with Joseph Forest, the stonemason doing repairs to the Able-Nicholson House, a Quaker home in Salem County. Steve approached Joe and asked him for an estimate to do the repairs at the old cemetery.
After
Our meeting needs to be frugal with its financial resources. There were many discussions over the cost of repairs, beginning with the 2006 grant request through the estimate Joe Foster gave us. We meditated over the query on stewardship of our resources.
We eventually came to the conclusion that as stewards of our property for the perpetuity of future Friends at Greenwich Meeting, we needed to make the repairs if our savings would allow. We consulted Burt Doremus, our treasurer, who looked at our accounts and informed us that in fact the estimate was within our budget. With that information in hand, the meeting agreed to have Steve Barndt contact Joe Forest and commission him to do the work. The wall repairs were begun in June and completed by October of 2007. They look beautiful. The quality of Joe Forest’s work is self-evident.
Please come to have meeting with us some time, or come to the fall quarterly meeting in our Lower Meeting House. See our wonderfully repaired walls and the loving care our cemetery grounds receive from our member Walter Goodwin.
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Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 11:55 PM
