Bridgeport Cemetery is sprucing up grounds for spring and summer and asking the community's help for the next couple of weeks. 

 

Friends and family of individuals laid to rest at the city cemetery are asked to remove all items – shepherd’s hooks, flag poles, saddles, memorial solar lights, flowers, etc. - by March 12.

 

Thereafter, cemetery staff will remove any remaining items.

Family and friends of those buried at Bridgeport Cemetery are annually faithful in cleaning up gravesites, said Tricia Bombardiere, cemetery superintendent. But as some are not able or live out of town, there are always some that don’t get cleared. In that case, cemetery workers clear all items from those gravesites.

 

“The clean-up will take place through Monday, March 19,” she said. “Items may be replaced after that date.”

 

When replacing items, keep in mind, Bombardiere said, that all flowers and/or memorial lights must be placed in cemetery-approved vases or attached to the monuments. Shepherd’s hooks or flag holders should be placed directly against the monument and should not be used in flat marker only sections.

 

“No flowers are permitted to be placed directly into the ground anywhere on the grave and nothing should be hung in any trees within the cemetery,” she said. “This allows the cemetery staff to keep the cemetery grounds uniform and easily accessible to mowers.”

Bombardiere said the cemetery clean-up is an annual event, but in the past, it has been held at various times in the early-spring. Looking forward, the clean-up will be held the second full week in March.

 

The city and family of those buried at the cemetery take pride in the appearance and upkeep of the facility. Over the past couple of weeks, several have showed up to clean up gravesites, said Bombardiere, who said she appreciates everyone's participation in the clean-up process. 

 

Please contact her with any questions. She can be reached at 304-842-2641.