Cemeteries grant helps upkeep at Cristo Rey
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“Can we teach the county how to do this?”
Designated as a site of historical significance, the Cristo Rey Cemetery beyond the southeastern outskirts of Cotulla is overseen by a management committee that hopes to secure a $20,000 grant for training in specialized upkeep.
Addressing La Salle County commissioners Monday, April 14, committee chairwoman Geronima Garza said she believes the grant may ultimately benefit the county, which has established its own cemeteries department for management and upkeep of other sites.
“What we want to do is take advantage of this grant by learning how to maintain a historic cemetery, because it’s not what you think,” Garza said on Monday. “We have already learned that the use of weed trimmers may be damaging to valuable headstones.”
Garza told commissioners that the cemetery management committee has a “do no harm philosophy” with regard to preservation of historic burial sites.
Consulting attorney Keith Franklin advised commissioners that a grant secured by the Cristo Rey group in an upcoming fund cycle through the Texas Historical Commission may in fact be made to the county as a whole, although Cristo Rey should be regarded as the primary target.
“The county has an obligation to maintenance at Cristo Rey, but the court’s action today allows Ms. Garza to apply for the grant,” Atty. Franklin said.
“My vision is to extend our learning to the whole county for perpetual care,” Garza told the court.
An agreement on a letter of intent to the Texas History Program at the statewide organization was unanimous on a motion by Comm. Raul Ayala, seconded by Comm. Erasmo Ramirez.
“What we can do with this funding is have a team specially trained in the proper care of a cemetery,” Garza said outside the meeting. “There is a lot to learn, and we can send people to be trained. When they come back, we will be able to put their learning to good use, but we can then train others who care for the county cemeteries. Can we teach the county how to do this?
“Cristo Rey has historical significance because of the cultural heritage attached to the site,” Garza said. “It’s been a special place for many families for generations, but we must recognize that the preservation of a community’s history extends to all cemeteries, all families whose stories are intertwined in those and other places. This is how we tell the story of our community, and careful practices in preservation are important to that.”
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