by Kathryn Tuttle and Denise Pettengill

Fourteen University of Kansas students, part of the annual Big Event, helped with the Oak Hill Cemetery Committee Spring Clean-Up on April 5, 2025.  The Big Event is a student group founded in 2011 that connects the KU campus with the Lawrence community. Thousands of student, faculty, and staff volunteers work at hundreds of local job sites during one day of service. Committee members Denise Pettengill, Justine Burton and Kathryn Tuttle, as well as volunteers John Vannicola and Melissa Warren,  made the best of a cold and windy day to collect 61 bags of leaves and sticks.  Parks and Recreation staff picked up the bags and also provided the leaf bags that were used.  KU student volunteers arrived with their own rakes, gloves, and additional leaf bags.

Leslie Beesley prepared a brief history of the cemetery and a list of some prominent burials, and she placed pink flags at these gravesites the day before. The materials were handed out to the students as they arrived.  Cleanup focused on Sections 8 North and 8 South.  Communication with The Big Event staff prior to the event was very good, and it is clear this KU student organization is well-practiced in organizing an  important community event.

Overall, the cleanup went well and we are thankful for the KU students and the Big Event.  We recommend registering for the Big Event in the future.