GraveGeeks’ Inaugural Project: A Labor of Love in West Virginia
- Aug 31, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 31, 2025
Every headstone tells a story, and every cemetery is a chapter in our shared history. At GraveGeeks Volunteers Inc., we believe those stories must be preserved and honored. This summer (July 18-21), we launched our very first official group project/campout in Clendenin, West Virginia, and the outcome was both moving and meaningful.
Coming Together for Preservation
Over the course of two full days, volunteers from across the region came together with a single goal: to restore dignity to a local cemetery that had quietly fallen into disrepair. The work was hands-on and at times physically demanding, but the results were worth every ounce of effort. Together, our team accomplished:
Cleaning nearly 45 headstones, carefully removing decades of dirt, moss, and biological growth.
Repairing approximately 10 damaged stones, stabilizing them to slow future deterioration.
Resetting 4 fallen markers, returning them to an upright and respectful position.
Every stone touched was treated with patience, care, and the gentlest methods available, ensuring preservation for years to come.
More Than Just Work
While the preservation itself was at the heart of the weekend, what made this project truly special was the people. Many of our volunteers were meeting in person for the very first time, turning online connections into lasting friendships.
It wasn’t only about cleaning stones—it was about sharing stories, creating memories, and coming together as a community. Volunteers laughed, learned, and supported one another, leaving not only with the satisfaction of a job well done but also with bonds that will last a lifetime.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a true GraveGeeks gathering without a little fun. When the rain came and the West Virginia hills grew slick, some of our members grabbed trash bags and dish soap and turned the slope into an impromptu slip-and-slide adventure. It was the perfect reminder that even in hard work, there’s always room for joy and laughter.
Gratitude for Our Volunteers
This project would not have been possible without the generosity of time, skill, and heart from our volunteers. A heartfelt thank you goes out to:
CrazyCemeteryLady (along with CrazyCemeteryHusband)
Cemetery Rory
MacGyvers Garage
Roots and Branches
Graveyard Guru (along with husband Heath)
WV Grave Cleaning
SnarkyStoneScrubber
Gone Graving
TashasGraveAdventures
Josey
Maria
We Salute You
and the 3 Minions who brought extra energy and smiles.
We would also like to give a special thank you to Chestnut Grove Cemetery (Becky Curtis) for generously donating funds toward cleaning and repair products. Your support made this project possible.
Looking Ahead
The Clendenin project is just the beginning. We are already planning future preservation efforts, including our Adopt a Headstone program, which allows sponsors and volunteers to support the cleaning and restoration of individual stones directly. With more projects on the horizon, we are eager to expand our impact and involve even more people who share our passion for history and preservation.
In Clendenin, we cleaned forty-five headstones, repaired ten, and reset four. But the true accomplishment was the restoration of memory, dignity, and respect for those buried there. Each restored stone represents a life remembered, a story uncovered, and a legacy preserved.
This weekend also represented something more: friends coming together, meeting face-to-face, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. It was a reminder that preservation work doesn’t just safeguard the past—it builds community for the future.
At GraveGeeks, we are committed to ensuring that no name fades away and no story is forgotten. This first project was more than a beginning—it was a promise to continue protecting history, one headstone at a time.
Stay tuned for more updates, future projects, and opportunities to get involved. Together, we can keep history standing strong.
Thank you to CrazyCemeteryLady and Graveyard Guru for the videos in this post.
With love,
TashasGraveAdventures
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