The Oakland Cemetery Association of Minnesota City will hold its twelfth annual spring clean-up on Saturday, May 1, 2010 beginning at 8 AM. A potluck lunch will follow at 11 AM. In case of bad weather, the workday will be held the following Saturday, May 8.

Plans for this workday include mowing, trimming around stones, raking, picking up branches, brush cutting, filling in some low spots with black dirt, and generally cleaning up the cemetery. Please come ready to work and bring your tools such as rakes, shovels, pruning shears, weed eaters, etc. One special project for this spring includes installing approximately 100 ft of new chain link fencing material. Whether you are able to work or not, you are invited to join us for lunch.

Monetary donations are always appreciated to help defray the costs of maintaining and improving the cemetery. Donations may be mailed to Lori Donehower, 120 Dakota Street, Minnesota City, MN 55959. Donations can be earmarked for a specific purpose and can be given in honor or in memory of someone. Lots are available at a cost of $400 each. To inquire, please contact Lori at 507-689-4344.

In an effort to make the Cemetery easier to mow and to look more attractively maintained, we have set up some guidelines for grave decorations. Plantings, shrubs, or decorations which inhibit mowing may be moved or removed. Any decorations or flower arrangements not removed will be picked up at our annual cemetery clean-up in May at which time we will attempt to leave any spring or summer decorations that look to be in good shape and comply with the rules of the cemetery. Summer decorations are to be removed by November 1. Decorations and flower arrangements can be saved for you. Please refer all requests or questions to Lori Donehower at 507-689-4344 or at 507-458-7111.

Gen O’Grady of the Minnesota City Historical Association has the following announcement. As part of the yearly Minnesota City Day observance, the Minnesota City Historical Association has gathered profiles of persons who are buried in the Oakland Cemetery. On May 15, information about these individuals will be displayed at the Oakland Cemetery from 1 PM to 2 PM. This event will be hosted by Minnesota City Historical Association Members, Cliff and Janet Seabern. Everyone is invited to this informal gathering to view the biographies and share memories and pictures about the Minnesota City area and its living and deceased residents. New biographies are always welcome and information sheets to help gather the data will be available that day or can be requested from the Cemetery or the Historical Association.