As Memorial Day approaches on Monday, May 28, many citizens are thinking about honoring loved ones at gravesites. Placing flowers, keepsakes, figurines, and other items around headstones is often common.
The staff at the Great Bend Cemetery remind citizens about the dates that these items can be placed there and when they should be removed. For starters, Michelle Davis with the Cemetery says outside of the Memorial Day time period, there should be no items on the concrete surrounding the tombstone.
Michelle Davis Audio
As City of Great Bend crews continue to mow the cemeteries and handle the spring cleanup for the holiday, Memorial Day grave decorating can start Saturday, May 19. All Memorial Day items will need to be removed by Sunday, June 3 so the staff can begin mowing again.
Davis says the rules are posted at the cemetery along Broadway and Cemetery North along 24th Street.
Michelle Davis Audio
Any items placed on the graves before or left after those dates will be removed and discarded. Staff usually mows the cemetery once a week, but allow the two weeks to pass for citizens to honor their loved ones.
Outside of the Memorial Day period, the Cemetery allows two personal items per grave that must be placed on the headstone and not the ground or cement.