VTLEG#380826v.1
StateofVermont
SenateChamber
Montpelier,Vermont
SenateConcurrentResolution
OfferedBySenatorsWeeks,Collamore,Williams,Baruth,Bongartz,Chittenden,Clarkson,Douglass,
Gulick,Hardy,Hashim,Ingalls,Lyons,Major,Norris,Perchlik,andWatson,
OfferedByAllMembersoftheHouse,
S.C.R.2.SenateconcurrentresolutionhonoringtheVermontOldCemeteryAssociation.
Whereas,thefirstknownestablishedcemeteriesinVermontarenowintotheirthirdcenturyservingas
adignifiedfinalabodeforthedeceased,and
Whereas,in1958,UniversityofVermontProfessorLeonDeanformalizedhispassionfortheState’s
earliestestablishedcemeterieswhenheestablishedtheVermontOldCemeteryAssociation(VOCA), and
Whereas,VOCAoffersspecificcemeteryassistanceintheformoffinancialgrants,volunteerlabor,
andsiteguidance,andmorebroadly,theorganizationeducatesthepubliconthecentralityofVermont’s
long-enduringcemeteries, and
Whereas,theawardingofdirectmonetarysupporttolocalcemeteryassociationsandmunicipalities
beganin1974,withamodest$25.00donationtotheTownofHalifax,andsincethen,theorganization
hasissuedover$60,000.00infinancialgrantsfortherestorationofoldcemeteries, and
Whereas,hundredsofoldVermontcemeterieshavebenefitedfromVOCA’svolunteerguidanceand
restorationservicesthatbringanewbeautyandserenitytothesecemeteries,andthesegrantssavelocal
cemeteryassociationsandmunicipalitiesexpensesthatmightotherwisenotbeaffordable, and
Whereas,VOCAisespeciallyfocusedonthedignityofveterans’burialsthroughspearheadingthe
enactmentoflawsensuringtheirrespectfulinterment,replacingdamagedmonuments,andestablishing
newonesforthoseveteranswhowereneverproperlyhonored, and
Whereas,asapublisher,VOCA’sinformativequarterlynewsletterpresentspreservationadviceand
cemeterylawupdates;theorganization’sbook,BurialGroundsofVermont,isacomprehensiveresource
forthehistoryandstatusofmostVermontcemeteries;anditsschoolcourseguide,StonesandBones,isa
greatresourceforincorporatingourState’soldcemeteriesintoaschool’sVermonthistory
curriculum, and
Whereas,VOCAhasservedasamodelforsimilarcemeteryrestorationinitiativesinotherstates,now
therefore be it
ResolvedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentatives:
ThattheGeneralAssemblyhonorstheVermontOldCemeteryAssociation,andbeitfurther
Resolved:ThattheSecretaryofStatebedirectedtosendacopyofthisresolutiontotheVermontOld
CemeteryAssociation.