<![CDATA[Elim Lutheran Church - Cemetery Blog]]>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:01:39 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[God's Work, Our Hands 2022]]>Mon, 12 Sep 2022 13:39:23 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/gods-work-our-hands-2022What a wonderful day to work in the cemetery!  Sixteen volunteers participated and did an amazing amount of work!   Scroll down to see some pictures of us working! 

Here are some of the jobs we accomplished:
  • Lifted and leveled over 16 flat monuments that were covered with grass. 
  • Cleaned lichen off 8 marble monuments.
  • Pruned branches and suckers from all of the tree lilacs, crab apples and other trees on the top of the cemetery.
  • Removed large low hanging branches from and multiple trunks from several trees on the terraces.
  • Cut down buckthorn clumps and sumac growing around monuments.
We're extremely grateful to Abrahamson's Nursery!  They brought a dump truck, bobcat and front end loader to help with removing the tree trimming, dispersing class 5 for under the monuments and lifting out several large clumps of wild shrubs.
Here's who participated; Phil Bailey, Alan Bakke, Bob Fugelburg, Greg Issacson, Deb Rettner, Dan Sandager, Eric Sandager, Rick Sandager, Thomas Sandager, Bryce Thomas and Pat Thomas

Cemetery Committee members;
Arnie Wright, Tracey Thomas, Pam Gromek, Trudi Lodien, Scott Walcker

Working in the cemetery with the volunteers and committee members was fun and really helped spruce up the appearance!  If you're interested in volunteering contact Scott Walcker 651 592-3349 or send an email to elimcemetery@gmail.com
]]><![CDATA[God's Hands Our Work]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2020 19:51:27 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/gods-hands-our-workIt's been a strange summer with Covid floating about.  We've had a couple burials, often private affairs with no funeral or life celebration in church.   Please keep the grieving families in your thoughts and prayers as many are waiting to gather and share stories of their loved ones.
On Sunday, Sept. 13th after church we gathered to carry out various service projects for the nation-wide ELCA, "God's Hands Our Work."  We had about 12 people join the crew working on trimming monuments in the cemetery that were overgrown with grass.  We worked on the first couple of rows of monuments in the SW quadrant of the North Cemetery.  In a little over 2 hours we trimmed and cleaned up over 42 monuments.  Several members of the crew even leveled the cement bench at the top of the south stairs.  As we were trimming out the flat monuments, we even found two that were COMPLETELY hidden by the grass.  Probably too 30+ years to get like that.  One final thing...  In the North Cemetery we have several graves (at least 10) with a square cement block next to the monuments.  It has a P S stamped in the cement (see the picture in the slide show below).  Does anyone know what these are for?  Send me an email if you have any thoughts! 
I'd like to thank these volunteers who helped with the work.
  • Laurie Carlson
  • Pam Gromek
  • Chris Johnson
  • Trudy Lodien
  • Phil Peper
  • Tammy Peterson
  • Barb Sachmann
  • Mary & Don Sandgren
  • Deb and Arnie Wright
  • Denise Zauner
Below is a short slide show of the workers and the results!
...

]]><![CDATA[Summer Projects]]>Thu, 20 Aug 2020 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/things-happening-in-the-cemetery-this-summer-and-fallPicture
After the initial lull in activity we've had a large increase in lot sales, monuments being added and burials.  I'll try to list some of the other things we've done this summer after Memorial Day.
We'd like to thank Lester Rydeen for replacing several of the water spigots in the south cemetery back in 2019.   The handles were a little short and hard to turn, so this summer he added some extensions so they're much easier use.

If you've been in the south cemetery, you may have noticed a cement pad near the flagpole.  
Next year, we're planning to place a teak bench there for visitors to sit.   Donations or memorials going to the cemetery fund will be used to purchase the bench.   The bench will not have a back, so you can rest and face either the east or west side of the cemetery.
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]]><![CDATA[Memorial Day]]>Mon, 25 May 2020 14:08:37 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/memorial-dayOnce again, the families and friends of our deceased have been sprucing up grave sites and placing flowers in remembrance of their veterans and loved ones.  Scroll down for some pictures of the beautiful work they've done. 

One note, the grass was mowed last Wednesday (5/20/20) and the cemeteries looked perfect.  By Memorial Day we had a fresh crop of dandelion flowers that had gone to seed.  After the next mowing or two, they'll barely be noticeable.  The cemeteries are mowed each Wednesday (5/27/20 is the next mowing), so most of the seed heads will be cut down.  We do not use herbicides on the cemeteries for several reasons...  
  • Herbicide treatments for both cemeteries are expensive and the "drift" from spraying for dandelions may damage plantings and pots with flowers.
  • The tree lilacs along the east and west sidewalk in the north cemetery are sensitive to herbicides and may be damaged.
  • Scandia is a "pollenator friendly city" and we support the diversity of plants in the cemeteries that flower throughout the summer.

]]><![CDATA[Preparing for Memorial Day]]>Thu, 21 May 2020 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/preparing-for-memorial-dayUnfortunately, due to Covid-19 concerns, we will not be having a memorial day ceremony this year.  The honor guard from the American Legion will not be going to any cemeteries to present the colors.

There are four new vets that have been added since Memorial Day last year.  They are:
Bertram Arkman who served in the Marines
Gust Kempf who served in the Army
Kermit Grandberg who served in the Air Force
Roger Novotny who also served in the Air Force

The cemetery committee is placing 188 bronze stars and flags on all of our veterans grave sites.  It's an enormous job dispersing the bronze stars and flags throughout the cemeteries!  Here's what all the bronze stars and flags look like before we place them.
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]]><![CDATA[Water is on]]>Thu, 14 May 2020 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/water-is-onWell, today we turned on the water in the North and South Cemeteries.  Thankfully everything went well this year!  Last year we had three major leaks that required repairs.  It was well into June when we finally got them all fixed. 
If you encounter a spigot that doesn't shut off or is leaking, please let us know so we can address it!  We have 13 watering cans in the North Cemetery.  One behind the columbarium, one at the water hydrant (near the North gate to the cemetery) and one at the top and on each terrace on the west and south sides of the cemetery.  After using a watering can, please return it to the spigot (and fill it 1/2 with water so it doesn't blow away).

Please do not move the red handle on the water hydrant (it should be up).  If you turn it down, it shuts off water to the whole north cemetery.

The South Cemetery has four spigots for your convenience.  Three along the road and one near the "Jesus" stature on the hill.
]]><![CDATA[Spring Cleanup Continues]]>Mon, 04 May 2020 16:41:02 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/spring-cleanup-continues
Today seven cemetery committee members were pulling stakes (that mark cemetery "blocks" in case we need to have a winter burial.)   We're doing it earlier this year because the warm weather has encouraged the grass to start growing.  The first mowing will happen later this week. 

The four teak benches were put out in the columbarium.  We're thinking about adding a bench to the south cemetery.  We also continued to remove dirt and flowers from the pots that were used last year.   Wood chips were added around remaining trees as a mulch and some shrubs trimmed.  Black dirt and grass seed was spread on a couple recent burials.  Later in May, we'll be turning the water on and hope for no leaks this year... 

We've now have over 190 veterans in our cemeteries and will mark each with a bronze service star and flag for Memorial Day.  This year four new veterans passed away and were added to the cemetery.  

Here's the crew that worked today!
Picture
]]><![CDATA[Flower Pots & Wreaths]]>Fri, 27 Mar 2020 13:44:55 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/flower-pots-wreathsAs we clean up the cemetery, we're removing plastic pots with dead plants, Christmas wreaths, faded plastic flowers etc.  We keep some of them for a while, then recycle or throw them out.  If you're looking for plastic pots or wreaths, email Scott at elimcemetery@gmail.com    You can come and see what we've saved and pickup items you may want to keep.

]]><![CDATA[Spring 2020]]>Wed, 25 Mar 2020 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.elimscandia.org/cemetery-blog/spring-2020Hello everyone!
I will be attempting to record some general thoughts and comments about Elim's cemeteries on an irregular basis throughout the years.  This is an attempt to let you know a little about what goes on in our cemeteries.

Spring seems early this year, today (Monday 3/23) several cemetery committee members started the annual Spring clean-up in the North and South cemetery.  During the work, we also practiced personal distancing... One of the members commented that this was the earliest he's ever remembered working on the cemetery.  As we talked we realized that mid-April was really early!  Here's why we were out today.

Each winter, in conjunction with Elim, the Gammelgården and the city of Scandia, the Elim Foundation puts up Christmas lights on several of the tress in the cemetery.  We turn them on in January and leave them through Vinterfest (1/25/2020) and into February. 

On Wednesday, 3/18 we took them down, removed all of the extension cords and Dan  & Rick Sandager pruned almost all of the recent plantings (from the summer of 2015).  To keep them from encroaching on the sidewalks, they were pruned quite severely.   The cemetery crew filled a trailer and minivan with the branches and dried out Christmas wreaths on the graves.  We also removed old plastic flowers and other memorabilia like solar lights that didn't work anymore.

In late April and May we'll be
  • Removing the stakes (that mark blocks in the cemetery)
  • Turning the water on.  (mid-May)  Last year we had 5 serious leaks at during May and June.  We hope we don't face this again.  (Last winter there was very little snow cover through the 1st half of January.  The frost penetrated almost 5' deep in some areas of the cemetery and caused the breaks).
  • Doing some additional clean up.
  • Preparing to place 187 Veteran's Stars and Flags on our Veterans grave sites.
We understand with Covid-19, many people are sheltering in place and don't go out.  We'll try to help with the normal cleanup tasks the relatives and friends usually handle.
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