charles baber preservation trust

CHARLES BABER PRESERVATION TRUST
200 S. Second Street, Pottsville, PA 17901 Phone: (570) 622-8720
E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www: babercemetery. org
Gatehouse Views Newsletter - Fall 2011
Awesome Autumn
All seasons are quite magnificent here in my garden cemetery. The winter season wears a blanket of white spotted
with dark green and brown from the conifers and evergreens. It is often accompanied with snowflakes, winds, ice,
sleet, slush, and cold. The spring season arrives with its budding colors of pinks, whites, reds, purples, yellows,
and light greens, and with warming weather, melting snow, lengthening daylight hours, and rain. The summer season carries many hues of green from the trees, grass, and shrubs with a sprinkling of reds and coopers from other
trees. It also carries hot, humid weather that is diffused by my cool shade trees. However, as splendid and colorful
as each season is, nothing can compare to the kaleidoscope of autumn colors
that emanate not only inside my gates, but hurdle my walls to entertain motorists and passer-bys along Market and Sixteenth Streets. The shades of
reds, garnets, golds, oranges, yellows, rusts, bronzes, and browns are dazzling to behold. Perhaps this palate of fall colors acts as a soothing balm to
prepare us for the upcoming cold, snowy, winter months.
Autumn comes gently to the
grounds of the cemetery. It begins
by children returning back to
schools, and their subsequent increase of foot traffic across my
property. It also begins with September’s Baber Day celebration. Baber
Day is a fun, festive event with nature and historic walking tours, a picnic
of grilled burgers and dogs, a bake sale, a basket and gift card raffle, entertainment by the Third Brigade Band and an evening church service in
my beautiful gothic chapel. While the event is a $4,000 fundraiser (mostly
from the basket and gift card raffle), it is also an educational event portraying my multi-faceted role in the community. One role is my ―all natural‖ land mass filled with many species of trees; another is the architectural design of
my chapel, gatehouse entrance, meditation area, and carriage house. Another is the diversity of my multitude of
memorial markers. And still another is the fact that I am a cemetery with both burial lots and columbarium niches
for sale. No matter what role I play in the life of a visitor, tourist, or
mourner, I am honored that I can be of service.
As September ends, the weather turns cooler in the mornings and evenings. At home, people can finally turn off their air conditioners. Rain
comes as a welcome relief from the dry conditions and forest fire concerns of the late summer. It is the rain or lack of rain that determines
when the leaves on my many trees start to turn colors. Sometimes the
colors change very early in
October and other times
they linger, even extending
into November, depending on the cultivar and species of the tree.
People take trips through the New England states in the fall to enjoy the
colorful foliage. Here in Pottsville, people needn’t travel far to reap the
benefits of the spectacular fall presentation. A simple walk or drive-by
on Market Street or through my cemetery grounds provides the same
colorful display.
Here at the cemetery, my laborers are extra busy. There is
still grass to be cut as late as October and maybe even into
November. Also beginning in October, some trees have begun to drop their leaves. Others may not lose their leaves until
November or early December; and others hold their dried
leaves until the winter winds
snatch them off their limbs. No
matter how you look at it, there
are lots and lots of leaves to rake
and vacuum up, not only inside
my walls, but on my long Market
Street walkway as well.
The heavy rains that come in October and November, particularly from a hurricane,
make leaf blowing and vacuuming nearly impossible to clean up. The leaves become
too wet and heavy to move. Even with an early start and a constant vigil on leaf vacuuming, most often all the leaves can’t be removed, and some must wait until spring
clean-up. Sometimes the City of Pottsville will help with the leaf vacuuming and
sometimes they can not. If an early snowfall occurs in November, their trucks have to
be re-quipped for snow conditions and
there is not enough time to help us.
The weather continues to get cooler and the daylight hours get
shorter as October runs into November. The many fallen leaves take
on a whimsical aspect particularly at Halloween or Thanksgiving as
the winds whips and swirls them around the buildings and up and
over the memorial markers and along the sidewalk. Much to the
chagrin of my labors, the wind may deposit them back onto grounds
that have been so painstakingly vacuumed up. Snowbirds and geese
have taken flight to warmer climates; the groundhogs have gone into
hibernation; and the squirrels have stashed away their nuts.
Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude and I have much to be thankful for. I am grateful for my cemetery board that
diligently watches over me; I am grateful for my hardworking laborers who take such good care of me; I am
grateful to the community and its of support me; I am grateful to my daily visitors (both two legged and four
legged) who take pleasure in walking\jogging my paths and roads; I am grateful for my Arbor Day tree program
and its committee members who protect and insure the well being of my trees; and I am grateful that I can provide
a final resting place for your loved ones and a tranquil, serene setting to comfort the mourners.
November and December can be a bit scary. If a heavy
snowfall unexpectedly occurs before the leaves are off
the trees, the weight of the wet snow can cause extensive damage to their small, thinner limbs, particularly to
the newly planted Arbor Day trees. With the majority of
the trees barren, and most of the leaves vacuumed up,
and the small creatures and many birds hibernating or
migrating, the grounds take on a quiet resolve –almost a
loneliness or emptiness. I have fewer visitors now, but I
am content because I have produced another amazing
autumn display. My spectacular fall foliage outshines
the color magnitude, brilliance, and duration of any
Fourth of July firework celebration.
14th & Market Street, Pottsville
Sunday, September 18, 2011
3:00 to 6:30 PM
13th Annual Baber Appreciation Day
Burgers, dogs, sodas, & paper products are provided.
You bring the chairs and a salad to share.
“Free Will Donation”
NATURE AND HISTORY WALKING TOURS
3:00 - 4:00
PICNIC BEGINNING 4:00
BASKET AND GIFT CARD RAFFLE 12:00 - 4:00 PM
BAKE SALE
ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR THE CHILDREN
THIRD BRIGADE BAND CONCERT 4:00 - 5:45 PM
BAGPIPER 5:45 - 6:00 PM
SOLEMN EVENSONG SERVICE - 6:00 PM
Volunteers are needed to make bake goods, help with the grilling of the dogs and burgers, to
help set up or clean up, to help at the children’s craft table, and to help with the basket raffle ticket sales. Helpers for the basket raffle are needed Fri. eve 4-7 PM (Sept. 16th), Sat. 104 (Sept. 17th), and Sun. 12-4 PM (Sept. 18th). If you can help, call Carol 617-6704, Carla or
Norm-628-3868 or the office at 622-8720.
Getting to Know Your Trees
by Frank Snyder, DCNR
Eastern White Pine, pinus strobes
Eastern White Pine is the largest of the northeastern conifers. From the beginning of logging in this country, it has been a most valuable species. White pine grows from 80-100
feet in height and 2-3 feet in diameter. The largest recorded tree was 220’ tall by 6’ in
diameter. Small trees have broadly conical crowns. As the tree matures, the crowns are
composed of several nearly horizontal or ascending branches, gracefully plum-like in
outline and very distinctive in comparison with other associated conifers. The long
graceful horizontal branches are irregular in outline. Eastern white pine grows on many
different sites from dry rocky ridges to wet sphagnum bogs. Eastern white pines have
reached ages of over 500 years old and are found in old growth forests in northern Pennsylvania.
The cones are large in size from 4-8 inches in
length, slender, with thin scales, and often dotted with sap. The trees start to produce cones at
an early age, but good seed production occurs
when the trees are 20-30 years old. The 4‖
long needles are straight, slender, and form triangular clusters angled toward branch tips. The mature bark is dark gray, often tinged with purple and slightly to
conspicuously furrowed.
Four mature Eastern white pine grow along the western side of Trinity Ave.
close to the Market St. wall and a line of seven mature white pines grow on
the eastern side of Trinity Ave. from 14th Street toward 12th Street.
Cryptomeria, (Japanese Cedar) Cryptomeria japonica
Cryptomeria is a native of Japan and China where it is planted around temples and shrines. In Japan, it is known as
Sugi, but it is commonly called Japanese cedar, even though the tree is not related to cedars. There are over 50 cultivars. It grows to heights of 230’ with trunk diameters of 13’ in its native land. The bark is red-brown which peels
in vertical strips. The leaves are needle like and arranged spirally. The most unique feature of this tree’s appearance
is its poodle dog clipped foliage. The wood is scented and
reddish-pink in color. It is lightweight but strong, waterproof and resistant to decay. It is used in Japan for all types
of construction work and interior paneling. In North America, this tree is planted for its ornamental attractiveness.
There are 4 Cryptomeria at Baber Cemetery. Two tall, full
bodied Cryptomeria are on Mt. Laurel Avenue - one is to
the east of the chapel and the second is
to the west, down the hill from the
chapel. Two more slightly shorter and
slimmer Cryptomeria are situated on
either side of the Zerbey monolith memorial marker on the east side of Baber
Avenue. The Cryptomeria is dark green
from spring to fall; but takes on a red or
bronze-brown color in winter.
OUR WEBSITE AT www.babercemetery.org
The Baber Cemetery continues to develop and expand its website links. New additions are:
Two Baber Day YouTube Videos Memorial Day YouTube Video
Seasons
Trees
The tree link is going to be quite extensive and is covering both the new Arbor Day tree plantings and the existing
mature trees. Each type of tree will have its own page and, if possible, will show the trees during several seasons.
The website has much to offer the public with subject matter about its memorial markers, history, projects, events,
biographies, newsletters, and the newly added event videos, seasons, and tree types. The current links are:
The Home Page
Its History
The Spring and Fall Newsletters Burial Plot\Columbarium Information A Photo Gallery
Events
Contribution Information
An Aerial View and Map
Monthly Articles
Headstones
How to Contact the Cemetery
Info on Matta’s Book of Remembrance Projects
The Endowment Account
Grave Maintenance
The cemetery has an endowment that was created in
2006 with an initial $161,000 bequest from Kathryn
Speacht. It is invested through the Schuylkill Area
Community Foundation. Its current balance of $191,000
generates $7500 a year in interest income which is used
by the cemetery for general operations.
The maintenance of the 20+ acres of ground, chapel,
and buildings that are repaired, painted, mowed, leaf
vacuumed, snow shoveled, memorial marker reset, and
gravel rut filled-in are a full time year around job requiring several laborers. Our two full time and 1 part
time employees are great guys who are very caring and
conscientious as to the maintenance of the property.
The $25 donation that we ask each plot owner to contribute to the Baber Cemetery goes a long way towards
helping the cemetery meet its $100,000 budget. Thank
you to everyone who made their $25 per plot donation
and a special thank you to all the plot holders who donated a little something extra.
With fundraisers like the Book of Remembrance and the
Baber Day basket raffle, with memorials and bequests,
and with charitable gifts from ―friends and supporters‖
of the cemetery like you, we can build the endowment
account to insure this natural gem is used and enjoyed
by future generations.
If you wish to help support this beautiful garden cemetery, your contributions can be mailed to the office at
200 S. Second St., Pottsville, PA 17901 or to the Sch.
Area Community Foundation for the Charles Baber
Cemetery, 216 S. Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901 (570624-7223). Any contribution would be greatly appreciated.
Book of Remembrance
Andrew Matta’s book, a genealogical and historical
view of the Baber Cemetery is still available at the office (570-622-8720) for $21.95 if picked-up or $26.95 if
mailed. The proceeds are placed in the endowment account
Charles Baber Cemetery’s Incorporation and Non-Profit Filing
In 2010, the Charles Baber Cemetery, was incorporated as The Charles Baber Preservation
Trust of Pottsville, Pennsylvania . Its 501C3 non-profit (charitable organizations) filing is still
being processed at this time. It has a 7 member board (4 from Trinity Church and 3 from the community). Its board members for 2011 are Kurt Kovalovich, Norm Kauffman, Carol Field, Joe Orlowsky, John Giansello, J. R. Zane, and the Honorable John Riley. Trinity’s rector, The Rev. James
Rinehart, is the chairperson. We should have more information on our filing, committees, etc. in
the next issue.
The writer, editor, and photographer of this newsletter is Carol Field. Carol can be reached at 570-366-0986 or by cell
570-617-6704. Feel free to contact Carol with questions or feed back on the articles, subject matter and pictures.
Block Monument
A block monument (also called simple block) is a rectangular block that tends to be quite thick. It is usually
made of marble or granite. Unlike the eclectic monument with two or more styles, the block is one style. Some
of the block monuments are the center stone of a family plot, but many are of a single individual. The Keiser
and Cumming are a simple block unadorned rectangle design. Other markers that are taller, narrower, but thick
in mass have been included in the block category by the author. Markers like Jones & Evans, Sheetz, Sheafer,
Bordy, Davis, and Troutman have been put into this block category. Unlike the rectangular block shape, the
taller and narrower markers all have some type of leafy design or scroll near the top of their capital.
The Davis and Troutman monuments, bottom left and right, have
shrubs and trees planted along side the markers. The trees and shrubs
are mature and may have been planted at the time the markers were
placed in the
ground.
Memorial Day 2011- Clark Elementary school children replace veterans’ flags on graves; Fr.Jim
offers prayers; and the Pottsville Joint Veterans Association plays taps followed by a gun salute.
Arbor Day Tree Celebration –April 29, 2011
On Arbor Day, 6 Swamp White Oak, 2 Homestead Hybrid Elm, 1 Pin Oak, and 1 Sugar Maple were planted in
the lower section down the hill from the chapel. The net proceeds from the tree sponsorship, after paying for the
new trees, will go towards the removal of 4 large trees.
Thank you to the following persons who sponsored a tree this year: Dona and Fred Brown in memory of
Margaret Glass Brown; Ellen Hildreth in memory of the Hildreth and Warne Families; Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Volkay in memory of the Boruch and Zatkovich Families; The Rev. Canon Charles and Mrs. Morris in memory of
Pearle C. S. Richards; Tom and Wanda Dodds in memory of Thomas Garfield Dodds; Larry and Pat Richards in
memory of the Richards Family and in Thanksgiving always and everywhere and forever to
God; Emma Lou Howe, Diane L. Howe, Wenda L. Boyer and Randal D. Howe in memory of
Dr. Douglas N. Howe; Emma Lou Howe, Diane L. Howe, Wenda L. Boyer, and Randal D.
Howe in memory of George R. and Dorothea M. Lynn; Tom and
Diana Beausang in thanksgiving for God’s gracious gifts; Carol
Field in thanksgiving for Frank Snyder and Joe Orlowsky.
The Arbor Day tree blessing and celebration is a festive event
with ecology students from Pottsville High reading essays and
poems about trees, with commendations by the Pottsville City
Council to the fine work done by Frank Snyder, DCNR and Joe
Orlowsky through the Tree City USA program and with the tree
blessings by The Rev. James Rinehart.
Career Link Helpers
We were fortunate again this year in having workers from Career Link help us this summer. Career
Link, as a state funded program, provided 4 workers at no cost to the cemetery.
Nadir (far left with shovel)
Jake (right-light hair)
Jared (left w. rake) Brandon (far right-dark hair)
Nadir, Jared, and Brandon are newcomers to the
cemetery. Jake has returned to work with us five
years in a row. The boys usually work 4-6 weeks,
but Jake has applied for 2 extra weeks of work.
FUR AND FEATHERS
The Red Tailed Hawks are back this year. Appearing as its own adornment to a
memorial marker, one hawk sits atop the urn of a pedestal memorial marker. The
hawks can be heard calling to each other during Sunday morning
church service.
Cardinals: Tom Dodds, our worker who fed the birds all winter,
continues to put bird seed out during the summer as well. One
of the first signs of spring is the cardinal’s cheerful song. Cardinals are at the top of the songbird list. In Tom’s picture, a family
of cardinals can be found feeding early in
the morning. The male cardinal is brilliant
red with a black face and a pointed crest.
The female is dull brown with some red
tinges. The juvenile male is less red, and
the juvenile female is entirely brown. Cardinals are ground feeders and have
stout bills for cracking seeds.
White Breasted Nuthatch: Tom also has a suet
feeder and a bird feeder high in the trees. A White
Breasted Nuthatch can be found sitting at this feeder. Nuthatches are delightful, acrobatic
birds that often join flocks of downy woodpeckers and chickadees in winter. Unlike woodpeckers and creepers, nuthatches hop down tree trunks as well as up. They
usually feed high in the tree canopy. Their whistled song and repetitive
calls can be heard throughout the year. They have a long, thin beak for
probing under bark. They wedge their seeds into crevices and hammer
them open with their bill. A white-breasted nuthatch is gray above, with a
black cap. The face and underside are white, with rusty red under the tail.
Groundhogs, Groundhogs, and More Groundhogs
The groundhog or woodchuck is one of 14 species of marmots. These rodents live a life of feast and famine. They
gorge themselves all summer to build up a plentiful reserve of fat, then hibernate after the first frost until spring,
drawing off their body fat during hibernations. In the spring, females may have a litter of
a half dozen newborns, which stay with their mother for several months. Though they
are usually seen on the ground or near their numerous holes and
tunnels, they can climb trees, and are also capable swimmers.
They eat grasses, plants, fruits, and tree bark. They are the bane
of gardeners, farmers, and our employees because they can decimate a garden, crop, or dig deep holes and tunnels that undermine the foundation of our memorial markers and make mowing
or walking the property dangerous. But they are part of our wildlife at the cemetery and they are entertaining to watch.
Help Save on Our Printing and Mailing Costs
We are building an e-mail list which will allow us to electronically send you the semi-annual newsletter. You can
help us save on our printing and mailing costs of our newsletters by opting out in receiving a printed copy by sending
us your e-mail address at our specially created e-mail box at [email protected]. You can also read the
current and the previous newsletter through our website, babercemetery.org under the Newsletter link.
Shop and Drop Fundraiser to Benefit Charles Baber Garden Cemetery
When: Fri. Sept 16th (4 PM to 7 PM), Sat. Sept. 17th (10 AM to 4 PM), and Baber
Appreciation Day, Sun. Sept. 18th (12 to 4:00 PM). Drawing– 4:00 PM on 9\18.
Where: Chapel of the Resurrection, Baber Cemetery- 14th & Market Sts., Pottsville
Proceeds will go to the Baber Garden Cemetery endowment acct. with Sch. Community Foundation.
$1.00 per ticket or 6 tickets for $5.00 or 12 for $10.00
1. $25.00 gas card from Shell gas station
2. $25.00 Sheetz gas and service station
3. $25.00 Cabelas gift certificate
4. $25 Weis Market gift certificate
5. $25.00 basket filled with scratch off PA lottery tickets
6. Children’s Specialty Basket-boys
7. Children’s Specialty Basket-girls
8. Yankee Candle red tote w. candle
9. Yankee Candle tree basket w. candle
10.Thanksgiving Basket w. scarecrow, pumpkin, turkey, pilgrims, tea towels
11. Easter Basket w. bunnies, wreath, and lg. egg votive candle holder
12. “Let it Snow” - Basket full of snowmen
13. Dog Lover’s Basket
14. Kitchen Basket of 7 piece pots and pans w. glass lids & tea towels and placemats
15. Kitchen Basket of 30 piece Faberware cutlery carousel set w. cutting board
16. Kitchen Basket w. white canister, glass mixing bowls, measuring spoons, cups
17. Seashore Basket w. dolphins, Webkinz fish, sm lighthouse, wreath, beach towel
18. 1997 Longaberger Xmas Basket w. liner & protector
19. Garden Basket w. tools, kneeler, gloves 20. Halloween Basket
21. Purple\yellow Fabric Purse & change purse 22. Grilling Utensil Set
23. Lg. brown tote bag of pink towels, serving tray, condiment dish, floral arrangement
24. Santa Basket w. towels, serving plate, votive candle
25. Christmas poinsettia arrangement in Christmas basket
26. Bearington Christmas Bear Basket w. candle and holder
27. Red floral Christmas wreath
28. Purple iris floral arrangement
29. Sunflower wreath & basket
30. Basket of hand-crafted all occasion cards
$2.00 per ticket or 3 for $5.00 or $6 for $10.00
1. 50.00 gas card - Shell Service Station
2. $50.00 card - Sheetz Service Station
3. $50.00 gift certificate for Wal Mart
4. $50.00 gift certificate for Boscov’s
5. $50.00 gift certificate for Giant supermarket 6. $50.00 basket of PA lottery scratch off tickets
7. 2010 Christmas Longaberger Basket w. liner and protector ($155)
8. Longaberger Spring Basket w. liner and divided protector ($104)
9. Six Place Settings (striped pattern) w. placemats, serving dishes & more ($95)
10. Santa Clause (3 Santas-14”h)Basket w. sm Xmas tree ($102)
11. Angel Basket w. various size angels, prayer box, brown ornaments ($160)
12. Santa’s Sleigh w. Mr. & Mrs. Clause & Santa ornaments ($105)
13.Thanksgiving Basket w. pilgrims, scarecrow, pumpkin, tea towel ($76)
14. Halloween Basket ($60)
15. Rose Towel Baskets w. set of white and of green towels, rose candle ($128)
16.Cardinal Basket w. assorted cardinals & cardinal ornaments & dishes ($69)
17. Easter Basket filled w. bunnies ($67)
18. Brown floral arrangement in white porcelain vase ($85)
Circle
If you cannot shop and drop, you can still participate by using this form.
your items of preference,
enclose your check payable to Charles Baber Cemetery with this form, mail to 200 S. 2nd St., Pottsville, PA
17901, Attn: Carol. We will put your tickets in the appropriate bags.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
Basket and Gift Card Raffle
Amount enclosed: ______
Name: ___________________________________________
Phone No:_____________________
GATEHOUSE VIEWS
Charles Baber Garden Cemetery
200 S. Second Street
Pottsville, PA 17901
Non-Profit Org.
U. S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 305
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Mark Your Calendars — Everyone Invited!
The Annual Baber Appreciation Day Picnic- Sunday, Sept. 18th. Music,
food, games, bake sale, nature tours, walking tour, and much more.
Basket and Gift Card Raffle –Fri. Sept. 16th, 4-7 PM; Sat. Sept 17th, 10 AM to
4 PM; and Sun. Sept. 18th, 12-4 PM. Drawing @4:00 PM-Sept. 18th.
Helpers are needed to bake goods, to cover the basket raffle stand, to cook burgers
and dogs, and for the children’s craft table. If you can help, call the office at 570-6228720.
————————————————————————————————————-
Burial Lots For Sale
Cremation Niches Available
For Information - call the office - (570) 622-8720
Charitable donations for ground and building care and maintenance can be made to
the Charles Baber Garden Cemetery by sending a check to the office at 200 S. Second
St., Pottsville, PA 17901 or for the endowment account at Schuylkill Area Community
Foundation, 216 S. Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901. All donations are appreciated.