Friends Of Woodland Cemetery Attains Nonprofit Status - Schedule Launch Party And Upcoming Events

Delhi —Friends of Woodland Cemetery has attained 501 (c)(3) nonprofit status, clearing the way for the group to embark on its mission to build greater awareness of Delhi’s historic cemetery, while also raising much-needed funds for it upkeep.

The achievement will be celebrated at an October 11th launch party held at Bushel Collective in Delhi where the group will introduce itself to the community, outlining the importance of Woodland, while also announcing a slate of upcoming events.

“This is welcomed news for everyone in Delhi and the surrounding communities,” announced Friends Chairperson Barbara Kopecek. “Woodland is a longstanding treasure in our community that is probably underappreciated. Friends wants to raise awareness of Woodland’s central and historic role in our community. We also want to help raise funds to support its maintenance. Like so many local cemeteries, it is under severe financial strain. The current incoming revenue simply doesn’t cover the cemetery’s operating expenses. We need to preserve this cemetery by helping to put it on sound financial footing,” 

Friends is dedicated to mobilizing resources and generating public support through a variety of ongoing activities that will ensure Woodland’s long-term preservation and accessibility. As a registered nonprofit, Friends will have greater flexibility to raise funds and support the Woodland Cemetery Association, which oversees the operation and maintenance of the 25-acre site, which includes five acres of undeveloped land. The association relies on lot sales, burial fees and the generosity of the community to remain solvent. 

Friends will raise money and build awareness through a menu of educational programs, events and activities designed to highlight the cemetery’s unique stories and historic and cultural importance. These events will be held at the cemetery and throughout Delhi and include hosted book readings, films, tours, musical recitals and more. 

In addition to the October 11th launch party, Friends has already established a robust schedule of events through the end of 2024. All events are free to attend and open to the public.

These include:

October 11 (Friday)

Friends of Woodland Cemetery Launch Party

Bushel Collective (Main St., Delhi)

Visit woodlandcemeterydelhi.org/friends/ for more information

October 12 (Saturday)

Storytellers, hosted by Lou Marrelli

Woodland Cemetery (2 Orchard St., Delhi)

Time: 3 PM

October 26 (Saturday)

Great Books Series

Edgar Allen Poe Reading (Bob Cairns) 

The Lost Bookshop (Main St., Delhi)

Time: 6 PM 

October 29 (Tuesday)

Halloween Classic Film Fest

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein 

Canon Free Library (Elm St., Delhi)

Time: 5 PM

November 7 (Thursday)

Friends Lecture Series

Coping With Loss During The Holidays (Helios Care)

Bushel Collective (Main St., Delhi)

Time: 6 PM

January 1, 2025

Hosted Contemplative Walk At Woodland

Woodland Cemetery (2 Orchard St., Delhi)

Time: 2 PM

"Woodland Cemetery is more than a serene holding place for our past. It also reaches into the present and the future. It is essential we preserve and appreciate this special place. This is one reason Friends is dedicated not to just raising money, but also incorporating Woodland into the community through all sorts of events,” noted Vice Chairperson Janet Schwengber.  “And we, of course, encourage any person, group or business to join us in this mission. All are welcomed.”

Woodland Cemetery: A Brief History 

Woodland Cemetery, which is non-sectarian, traces its roots back more than 200 years to 1813 when General Henry Leavenworth purchased a square rod of land to bury his wife. This plot was located at what is now Court Street and High Street adjacent to the Cherry Hill Estate. Soon after it was opened, others were invited to use the Court Street cemetery for their deceased relatives. In 1847, at the onset of the rural cemetery movement, village leaders realized a more substantial cemetery was needed for Delhi, which resulted in the purchase of land on Whig Road (now Meredith Street) where the current cemetery sits.