ASHLAND — Any money raised for the Ashland Cemetery following costly vandalism recently will be funneled through a special fund created by the city.
Ashland Mayor Matt Miller said the special “cemetery restoration fund” will ensure the money goes toward clean-up and repair efforts at the cemetery.
Vandals toppled 133 headstones, broke a bronze veteran statue and shattered glass windows on June 11.
Officials have estimated the damage to amount to anywhere from $80,000 to $120,000.
“We want to make sure that all of the funds donated go to where they’re supposed to go,” Miller said.
The Ashland Cemetery Association, a nonprofit, serves as the graveyard’s governing board. It was established in 1876 and the site sprawls 75 acres with 17,000 gravesites.
A handful from the community have launched efforts to raise money. One such effort is being led by Ashley Canfield, Miss Ashland County. Her fundraiser, hosted on GoFundMe, purported to have raised $871 through five donors as of Wednesday.
Canfield said she awaits more information on which organization to forward the money.
‘Great intentions’
Miller said all the individual efforts to raise money come with “great intentions.”
“But it’s during times like these that some bad actors, at times, start to get involved and they start raising money and who knows if that money will actually go to the cause that the donors gave that money,” he said.
The mayor assured the city’s finance department is trustworthy and capable.
“We will know who exactly donated what and we will know exactly where that money went,” he said.
How to give
- Make checks out to “City of Ashland Cemetery Fund”
- In memo, designate the funds to “military memorial” or “where the need is most.”
Source: Sara Fisher, Ashland County Historical Society Executive Director
Already, the city received a $17,000 check that will go toward restoring the military monument, Miller said. He said restoring the bronze sculpture will cost anywhere between $17,000 and $20,000.
Where will money go?
The mayor said money raised will go toward restoring the Ashland County Fallen Heroes Memorial and to repairing damaged headstones that don’t have family around to address.
Headstones with family members still living will “most likely” be their responsibility “to work with the cemetery to repair your monument,” Miller said.
Tom Rupple, the cemetery’s superintendent, was not available to comment on this story.
The Ashland County Historical Society dedicated the Fallen Heroes memorial in 2009. The organization, on Saturday, published a statement encouraging people to reach out if they are interested in supporting efforts to restore the memorial.
Sara Fisher, the executive director of the Ashland County Historical Society, said it’s been remarkable to see the community’s response.
“Everyone is turning out to restore what was vandalized,” she said.
If checks are made out to the historical society, Fisher said she will coordinate with the city to “make sure the work that needs to get done will get done.”
Ashland police have not issued an update on its investigation since June 12. (The incident allegedly occurred June 11.) But Chief Dave Lay has said the severity of criminal charges depend on the amount estimated to fix or repair damages.