Residents rally around LaGrange Cemetery found 'in shambles'

It all started with a Facebook post.

John Petrik of Titusville was casually exploring Titusville with his girlfriend when he stumbled upon the LaGrange Cemetery. Being relatively new to the area, he was curious about the area's history and stopped to check out the historical marker and centuries-old graves. But what he discovered when he walked up to the cemetery along Old Dixie Highway was more than what he bargained for. The cemetery, which is Brevard's oldest, was "in shambles," he said.

So he took to Facebook on Friday morning, where he explained in a community group what he discovered.

"The cemetery appears as though nobody cares for the grounds, and the metal trash cans are overflowing with trash, which is also all over the grounds," he wrote. "American flags were found lying on the ground as well, and weeds are taking over."

By Monday morning, the LaGrange Cemetery was filled with more than 30 volunteers inspired by the post and ready to work. On a whim's notice, inspired residents posted in the group, organizing a spur-of-the-moment clean up on Labor Day.

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Michelle Campbell of Titusville took the lead.

"I actually have a friend from middle school who's buried there. That cemetery is personal to me and there’s so much history of Titusville and Mims there," she said. " ... and for it to get that overgrown is kind of shocking."

At the cemetery, volunteers found exactly what Petrik had described. Piles of trash, palm fronds strewn about, overgrown weeds and a cemetery in desperate needs of some TLC.

Campbell was expecting maybe five or six people to show up to her cleanup after she organized a post on a popular Titusville Facebook group, but when she arrived on Monday the cemetery was filled with volunteers. People brought rakes, lawn mowers, trash bags, pizza, doughnuts and drinks, making a pretty big dent in what needed to be done, said Amy Nenninger, a volunteer.

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Nenninger and her husband Eddie brought commercial-grade lawn equipment and the help of their 13-year-old son, Donovan. The Nenningers own a lawn company, and as Amy Nenninger said, Eddie has a "big heart" and wanted to help.

Katrina Foster-Fernandez, a New York transplant to Titusville, brought eight of her 10 children ranging in age from 5 to 11 years old. Foster said she saw the opportunity to give back to the community and jumped on it. It was also a great excuse for a history lesson, she said.

"I want my kids to know community service and I want them to appreciate the home they live in," said Foster-Fernandez. "It really was a history lesson for them as well. A lot of them hadn’t learned about confederate soldiers. They didn’t know our cemetery was segregated."

The cemetery is also home to many of the area's pioneers, civil war soldiers and local leaders. Col. Henry Titus, the founder of Titusville, is among those in the cemetery. Other well-known family names such as Moore, Mims, Parrish and Singleton are there as well.

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That's why Petrik and his girlfriend Sherry Halverson were so surprised. Halverson said the sight of the disheveled cemetery made her cry. It's just disrespectful, the couple said almost in unison.

"Garbage cans overflowing, beer cans tossed out in the middle of the graveyard and the rooting of the plants were overgrowing," said Petrik. "It was a mess and very disrespectful. If I went there and my family member was buried there, you could rest assured I’d be cursing up a storm."

Petrik and Halverson also showed up to Monday's clean-up and were shocked by how fast the community rallied, and all because a Facebook post brought attention to something they felt strongly about.

Campbell, who also came with her family, said it really was an example of how social media can serve the greater good.

"Usually you hear about social media and the drama it causes and the fights it causes, and for this to turn out so positive, it’s just amazing," she said.

The volunteers got a lot of work done, but it raised many questions about who cares for the historic landmark on a regular basis.

Jimmie Prevatt, founder of the North Brevard Funeral Home, sits on a board of trustees that oversees the LaGrange Church and Cemetery. The board is made up of many of the descendants of those buried at LaGrange. Prevatt said it's completely volunteer-based and that the board pays a maintenance worker to mow the cemetery and pick up trash once a month. However, it's expensive, he said, and all they can really afford. In the past, organizations such as the Titusville Garden Club have volunteered to keep the place in shape, but many of the volunteers passionate about the cemetery have since passed away or moved on, he said. There was once a time when events were commonplace at the church and tours were available. Now it's just a wedding here or there and an occasional military event honoring confederate soldiers.

Regardless, he emphasized that the cemetery is anything but neglected. It can't be, he said, because there are still plots available. Even though dozens of graves date back to the 1800s, a newer portion of the cemetery still hosts current-day burials.

"It takes a lot of money to keep one of those [a cemetery]  up," said Prevatt. "We still are selling property out there, so it has to be in pretty good shape or nobody would buy property. We still have quite of bit land to sell and that’s the only way we make any money, and that’s how the [maintenance worker] is paid."

Prevatt also said the board hosts a big cleanup every year in conjunction with the Astronaut High JROTC in February. Sometimes, there are multiple cleanups arranged throughout the year. He blamed the recent mess on strong winds from the hurricane and disrespectful visitors. Either way, he was pleased to see the community rally around the site and welcomes any kind of volunteer work.

"They did a beautiful job this group," he said.

But the work didn't  begin and end on Monday, said Betty Atchison, a volunteer who showed up first thing in the morning. She hopes to make cleanups at LaGrange a monthly event. A small group of volunteers is already planning another cleanup scheduled for Sept. 24 beginning at 7:30 a.m. The group hopes to host cleanups the third Saturday of each month thereafter. Atchison said she hopes local businesses will help support the effort, as  large trash bags and even water and food are helpful at the cleanups.

"There was a sense of comraderie and purpose in what they were doing and there was joy in their faces," said Atchison of the volunteers. "That’s why I said we can turn this into a once-a-month thing. I just envisioned this thing that the community all just comes together and helps where they can, even if it’s just an hour."

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Contact Saggio at 321-242-3664, JSaggio@FloridaToday.com or follow @JessicaJSaggio on Twitter. Instagram: JessicaJSaggio Snapchat: JuhJuhJuh