FORTY FORT, Pa. — Hundreds came to the Forty Forty Cemetary not to mourn lost ancestors but to ensure their memories continue to be preserved here in Luzerne County through the inaugural Forty Fort Cemetery Run and Walk Through History.
"Well, this cemetery is really a historic gem in the area, but with all historic cemeteries, there really aren't a lot of ways to raise money, because you have no plots to sell, and so all the money for this goes directly for the upkeep of this cemetery, to offset what it takes to cut the grass, take care of the trees, take care of the monuments, do the plowing, those sort of things," said Dick Hughes, Forty Fort Cemetery Board Member.
"My son did the community service project here for a junior black belt, and he cleaned the cemetery up. And then I saw that they were doing a 5k, so I decided to support the cemetery this way as well," said Clarissa Buchman of Swoyersville.
370 runners and walkers signed up to race through Forty Fort on River Street, then along the levee in a 5K and 10K race.
"It is a lot of work. I had no idea what people go through to put these races on," Hughes said.
The course for this inaugural run highlights not only the cemetery but also the Susquehanna River, the Wyoming Valley airport, and the Wyoming Monument.
The course then looped back around and finished up in the cemetery.
"Even when I was in here cleaning up, you don't realize how many ancestors, like people, actually have here. There are so many headstones that have been preserved, and they do an amazing job. They're just trying to keep the history alive," said Buchman.
After the race, many chose to learn more about the history here with a tour.
"Showing the historic meeting house, which is circa 1806, and then the others are doing the quadrants of the cemetery," said Hughes.
" I don't think people realize the history that's here in Forty Fort cemetery, not just for Forty Fort but for Wyoming Valley. And it's history that needs to be preserved. And this is another event and another way to begin that preservation process to help fund that preservation process," said Forty Fort Mayor Brian Thomas.
The Fort Fort Cemetery Run and Walk Through History raised more than $30,000 for the cemetery in Luzerne County.