Members of the Panama City Cemeteries Board are seeking volunteers and heirs to historic gravesites at Oakland, Millville and Greenwood cemeteries in Panama City to clean up the sites on Saturday, March 27, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Organizers will provide lunch for volunteers at each location.

Mike Hill chairs the City’s cemeteries board and says the cleanup effort is important to preserving the memory of some of the region’s most historic figures. “Panama City is the seat of Bay County, and we’ve been home to some of the most significant and colorful leaders in our state’s history,” he says. “By maintaining and preserving their gravesites, as well as those around them who may not have such famous names, we are honoring those who lived here while keeping our local history alive,” he says, while walking through Millville Cemetery on Monday.

Organizers of the bi-annual cleanup say the Bay County Sheriff’s Office will be participating with inmate labor crews. “Their help is invaluable to us and our community” says Hill, “but it is so important that we also involve the help of plot owners and the heirs of those buried at these cemeteries.” He says the plots are private property and volunteers are limited to cleaning up driveways, paths and other general areas. Plot owners and family heirs can be helpful with clearing overgrowth and debris from individual gravesites. “Since many families will be visiting loved ones’ gravesites throughout the Easter season, we hope many will make plans to do so on March 27 and join us in the cleanup effort.”

Organizers say all volunteers are asked to bring their own yard tools, like rakes, non-electric hedge cutters, hoes, shovels and garden gloves on Saturday, March 27 to any of the following historic cemeteries beginning at 8:00 a.m.: Greenwood at 17th & Lisenby, Millville at 3rd & Everett, and Oakland at 11th & Balboa. For further information, volunteers and plot owners may call the Panama City Department of Leisure Services at (850) 872-3199.