CRYSTAL PERSI & RICH MARIS

Landscape Manager Wendi Propst & Groundskeeper Steve Kuchera

Severe storms which come through our area can be counted on to damage trees and other plants in the Masonic Cemetery. When that happens, the heavy work falls to our two person grounds crew, Wendi Propst, Landscape Manager, and Steve Kuchera. Groundskeeper, and they did their duty - big time!

 

The great ice storm of December 2016 was no exception. It made a mess of the cemetery: well, almost. Unlike the city, the cemetery suffered a great mess of downed limbs, mostly large fir limbs, and lots of trash. However, the loss of trees was minimal with only a few Madrone trees destroyed and some significant damage to large oak trees and one Ponderosa pine. The lack of major tree loss can be credited to the tree maintenance Wendi and Steve have been managing over recent years.

The cleanup began immediately, and one large fir tree that was leaning was removed before New Year's. The big job is still cleaning up the debris. Wendi and Steve have been collecting it into piles around the cemetery for disposal. There's a lot of it, and we are investigating a method to chip the branches and limbs on site, saving the cost of both disposal, and then having to repurchase mulch. Seems to make a lot of sense. It may result in contracting the work or possibly purchasing a chipper if the cost justifies the investment. The Board of Directors will rely on the advice of our superb grounds crew in making that decision. Thank you both!

           
On the evening of November 19, 2016, EMCA Board members and friends gathered at Oveissi & Co to honor two extraordinary men: John Bredesen and Denny Hellesvig. It was a surprise celebration and, in fact, they were surprised.

 

John and Denny have been Board members during much of EMCA's history, each serving in leadership roles. John was president from 2004 to 2014 and, again, in 2015-16, times during which the cemetery and Hope Abbey were transformed. Denny is the Board treasurer par excellence. He balances the books and keeps the Board financially well informed.

 

Hope Abbey's restoration owes much to the joint effort of John and Denny. John supervised the electrical and plumbing systems and the bathroom renovation. Denny oversaw the marble and other restoration and the installation of the entrance porch and ramps, copper doors and much more. Bringing Hope Abbey's clerestory windows back to their original glory is another combined achievement. They also worked together on construction of the Garden Cottage, with Denny as architect and project manager, and John overseeing the electrical and plumbing systems.

 

There are many individual accomplishments of note too. Denny has led the way in tombstone repair, improvement of the main cemetery entrance, and construction of the two steles. John is the brains (and often the brawn) behind the Music To Die For series and Sacred Harp Singers concerts. He also is responsible for starting the EMCA Endowments Fund. Both John and Denny are successful grant writers.

 

John and Denny have performed miracles for the cemetery and Hope Abbey. It's impossible to overstate their individual and combined achievements. They are indeed the EMCA's dynamic duo.