Want to help clean up Toms River's Riverside Cemetery on Saturday? Here's how
TOMS RIVER - Riverside Cemetery is ready for its touch-up.
Toms River's Veterans Commission is partnering with the Rotary Club for a clean-up of the cemetery Saturday. The private cemetery is a nonprofit that is maintained by a small group of volunteers.
Clean-up will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the cemetery at Old Freehold Road and Route 166, and will include removing leaves and branches and trimming shrubs and trees.
Frank Davis III, a Veterans Commission member who is organizing the clean-up, said the cemetery receives a $15,000 maintenance grant from Ocean County each year. Most of that money is used for the spring clean-up, leaving little funds for maintenance the rest of the year.
The 17-acre cemetery grounds are the final resting place for more than 450 veterans, Davis said. The cemetery has become insolvent in recent years, and barely has the funds to mow the grounds each week in the warmer months, he said.
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The graves of veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars can be found in the cemetery.
"Out of respect to them and respect to their family, the Veterans Commission put this together to honor their sacrifice," Davis said. Members of the Toms River Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion are expected to assist on Saturday.
Davis said he hopes the clean-up can become an annual event, noting it would be useful for high school or college students looking to earn community service credits.
Toms River Councilman James Quinlisk said many people believe the cemetery is affiliated with St. Joseph's Church, and thus don't think it needs help. The cemetery is not connected to the church, although in the past, a volunteer used to mow the grass there using equipment borrowed from St. Joseph's, Davis said.
"Help us show respect to the guys who fought for our freedom," Davis said. He plans to set up a donations page for the cemetery, in case anyone wants to make contributions.
Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics at the Jersey Shore for nearly 38 years. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle, jmikle@gannettnj.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Volunteers needed for Riverside Cemetery clean up in Toms River NJ
