Candy Warden, James Lanier, Melvin Mason, Amanda Becker, and David Simpson

One of our winners this year was the Rosa Bonheur Society which preserves the Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park in Elkridge, Maryland. 
This cemetery was formed in 1935 and operated until 2002.  Candy Warden, James Lanier, and David Simpson formed the Rosa Bonheur Society in 2007 after another
volunteer group could no longer care for the cemetery.  They have worked almost every Sunday since then taking care of landscaping, painting gates, benches, and
locating memorials.  Petitioning for the introduction of a bill to protect pet cemeteries and recording and gathering information of memorials in Rosa Bonheur has
been a tremendous task for the Society.  The group has started a website, has located people who have pets buried in Rosa Bonheur, and has started a twice yearly newsletter. 
We are pleased to honor this hard working, conscientious group who cares for the final resting places of all creatures great and small.

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Scott Lawrence and St. Mary's Genealogical Society for their work in St. Nicholas Cemetery, on board Patuxent River Naval Air Station, St. Mary's County

 

                                                                                                 Scott Lawrence, Melvin Mason, and Amanda Becker

Our second recipient is Scott Lawrence and St. Mary’s County Genealogical Society. Mr. Lawrence of St. Mary’s County learned from his grandfather that his
ancestors were buried at St. Nicholas Cemetery at Patuxent River Naval Air Station.  Lawrence was familiar with the St. Nicholas Chapel on PAX River but knew
of no cemetery on the grounds of the chapel. How could his grandfather be wrong?  Well, his grandfather was correct. In 1943 the Navy surveyed the grave
locations and recorded the information found on the grave markers. Then the Navy ordered the markers to be laid flat and the ground and markers covered with soil.