Flower project: No Grave Unadorned comes to Emery County

By RICHARD SHAW Sun Advocate publisher

Last year, in a one of a kind program, a project to place a flower on every grave in Carbon County’s cemeteries on or near Memorial Day was started. The idea generated from the fact that many graves do not get the yearly decorations others do because families have moved away, died or some people just never had anyone who took care of their last resting place.
In the end more than 1,500 volunteers from the county participated in the program either making flowers with materials provided by the Sun Advocate or by placing those rememberances on graves the week before Memorial Day. Many different individuals and businesses donated time and money to the project.
It was a unique, one of a kind event. During the days the Sun Advocate was sponsoring that project, the paper got a lot of inquiries from Emery County residents who saw it and they asked “Could we do that too?” Last year the paper’s staff had their hands full just arranging for the project they had bitten off, so I told those who asked me, “wait until next year.”
Well, now next year is here and with this article we are announcing a No Grave Unadorned project that will cover both counties this year. The project will have joint sponsorship from both the Emery County Progress and the Sun Advocate.
This event is a one of a kind project for Emery County residents to pay homage to those that built their community, regardless of what part they played in its history. Currently newspaper personnel are mapping out the project, but we need everyone’s help.
First we have a goal of making 40,000 flowers for the two county area. A “clock” with the flower countdown will appear on the front page of the Progress each week telling residents where we are at concerning that goal. Last year everyone from individuals to civic groups to church groups to schools helped us achieve our goal and then some. We will also keep you updated with a small article on how the project is going each week in the Emery County Progress.
Flowers will be placed on graves starting on May 21. The efforts will continue through the evening of May 27, just in time to finish for the Memorial Day weekend.
The project is a true gift we as current residents of the area can give to those that created, built and helped our communities to prosper.
I hope all of you can participate, even in a small way, by either making flowers or placing them on the graves.
For information, to contribute or to volunteer please call the Emery County Progress office at 435 381-2431 or stop by the office and pick up supplies.
When Jackie Weihing, art teacher at San Rafael Junior High and Canyon View Junior High heard of the project she knew her students would be willing to help. She said her art classes have jumped on board with the project and they have been having fun this past week making flowers. They were surprised at how fun making the flowers from table cloths and wire really was. “We really made a lot of flowers this past week very quickly. I have had students ask if they can help put the flowers on the graves and we are arranging to place the flowers on the graves at the Huntington Cemetery because it’s right across the street from the school,” said Weihing.