The Allen Chapel AME Church is inviting local residents to participate in the community wide Benevolent Cemetery Clean Up project. Local residents are asked to meet on multiple Saturdays over the next few weekends to restore the hallowed grounds with graves that date back to the late 1800’s.

The cemetery has been overgrown for several years and is now a homeless campsite. Tents and debris actually sit on top of the headstones that are scattered throughout the field. 

If you want to lend a hand, the church will meet on March 29th in the cemetery in the area of Park Avenue and Seals Way. The start time is 8:30 in the morning. The church is asking for volunteers to bring shovels, rakes, clippers with them.

The Sheriff's Department previously suggested they wanted to use inmate labor to help with the cleanup, but that plan fell through when it was deemed Illegal. The county can not use inmate labor on private cemetery property. 

Contact: 615-893-7842

Previous story suggesting plans for inmates to help had to be placed on hold - HERE.