by Rachel Hunter

The Kiwanis Club of Gouverneur is spearheading its Annual Cemetery Cleanup after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The primary focus of the work will be tree and branch removal. All North Country community members are invited to help on Saturday, May 1. Those participating are invited to bring chainsaws, nippers etc., and gloves. Organizers said that leaf raking is fine, but is not the top priority.

The public is welcome to begin at 8 a.m., and work as long as they wish. As in years past, the Kiwanis Club of Gouverneur will have a registration table for volunteers at Riverside Cemetery. Groups such as Boy and Girl Scouts, sports teams and families are welcome to attend and help as long as they observe the generally accepted COVID prevention measures. The cemetery is in an open-air situation, and the Kiwanis Club believes the risks are minimal. Masks should definitely be worn at registration and at the food station unless eating at the time. The Gouverneur Kiwanis Club members will be available to sign students papers to indicate that they have volunteered on the day of the annual cemetery cleanup.

The Town of Gouverneur will provide a payloader from 9 to 11 a.m. or so. The Village of Gouverneur will provide a backhoe and operator.

The Cemetery Committee wishes to inform the public that all Christmas and other decorations will be removed and discarded as of the clean-up day. Families wishing to retain such materials should remove them before then.

The Kiwanis Club of Gouverneur, Inc. will cook and provide hot dogs and bottled water for volunteers.

For more details, call Lyle Hotis at 315-276-5199.