Volunteers help clean up the historic cemetery of Poplar Springs Baptist Church.
BURNSVILLE — Community members of all ages volunteered with the Burnsville Recreation and Learning Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to help restore a historic cemetery.
Those who participated started the day by listening and reflecting on the legacy of Dr. King. They listened to songs, speeches and prayers. Lunch was given out before the physical work began.
Volunteers helped clean up the Poplar Springs Baptist Church historic cemetery. This cemetery dates back to the 1800s. Recent efforts put in place by Carol Smith of the Burnsville Recreation and Learning Center have allowed this now historic site to be cleared of branches, overgrown trees and shrubbery. In the process, final resting places of family members are being discovered. The site is now listed in the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology.
Allen Jackson, Anson Athletic Program supervisor, emceed the event. Eleventh grader at Anson High Jazlyn Brewer recited Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. David Perry of the Poplar Springs Baptist Church led the opening prayer.
The Burnsville Recreation and Learning Center extends a thank you to the volunteers who gave their time to celebrate the civil rights leader and those who were buried at this historic site.
