For the eighth straight year, the Castle Country community came together to make sure that every grave in Carbon and Emery Counties had at least one flower.
Volunteers young and old folded about 40,000 colorful paper flowers and a small army of other volunteers placed those flowers on graves.
The Sun Advocate launched the No Grave Unadorned project in 2010 as a service project to show respect to the people who built this community over the years. Former publisher Richard Shaw conceived the idea and Jenni Fasselin, the current publisher, spearheaded the early organizational effort while she was advertising manager.
No Grave Unadorned remains unique to the two-county area, perhaps because it involves a monumental effort to obtain materials, recruit volunteers and schedule placements.
There’s also a matter of research to find all the graves in all the cemeteries, including those in ghost towns.
“Just to say thanks to the many who took part takes a full page, and we’re glad to give them the credit they deserve,” said Cheryl Young, who coordinated the efforts this year.
“It says a lot about the people here that they will give of themselves so willingly for so many good causes when the need arises.”
Community makes it happen again – no grave goes unadorned
Volunteer Ryin Wildman places a paper flower on a grave in the Central Slovenian/Austrian Cemetery near the Carbon County Golf Course Friday.