Every year our generous donors support our annual appeal. The funds raised during each year’s donation cycle help us keep our beautiful cemetery maintained, as well as help us keep the costs of plots and burials very affordable. Lately, donors have helped us choose the names of, and purchase road signs for, all of the cemetery’s little roads. This year, kind donors have chosen to help us purchase new benches for the Veterans’ Knoll. Donors on our list receive a letter like the one below every August. If you don’t receive a letter, and would like to do so, please contact Cait Dewey at cdew219@gmail.gov. If you would like to make a donation anytime, please mail a check payable to the Alfred Rural Cemetery Association. Our mailing address is on the homepage. We hope to someday have a way for donations to be made online. Stay tuned for that!

August 2025

Dear Friends and Alfred Rural Cemetery Association Members:

Another year has passed us by, and the ARCA gratefully acknowledges your gifts and donations.  Your support allows us to maintain its peaceful parklike setting.  The grounds are immaculately kept by the dedicated care-taking duo, Dan and Julie Smith, who have announced their retirement after this season.  Meghan Snyder has seamlessly taken over the management of the cemetery this year, and our Superintendent, Brad Burdick, continues to provide care and support for burials and our roads. The Board of Trustees knows that the Alfred Rural Cemetery’s reputation as one of the most beautiful, well-kept and maintained cemeteries in the County is directly attributed to the folks like you who support it.

So many of you responded to our road naming challenge/survey last year that I lost track of the count!  It became clear that we needed to pick a theme and stick to it.  Meghan has inputted all of the suggestions and votes into a spread sheet, and the results are above written on the map from last year. Thank you for your participation! 

As I was working on flowers for family gravesides this spring and summer, I thought about adding a note in our appeal letter about flowers/plants that are deer resistant.  If you spend any time in the cemetery once spring has sprung and the deer population has increased by hungry babies, and their foraging mamas, you’ll note that the live flowers we all lovingly leave, or plant, are often eaten! While annuals like geraniums, petunias, and pansies are staples at greenhouses before Memorial Day, they are most likely to be munched on practically the minute you drive away from the gravesites you just planted!  I have had a lot more luck with perennials such as lavender (which is also great because it doesn’t need a lot of water) and lemon balm. There is a type of geranium that is also known for its citronella-like scent that deer will not eat. (It’s also good for keeping biting bugs away.)  All of these are good for sunny gravesites in the cemetery. Nasturtiums are an annual that are quasi-deer resistant, and they do well in sun/shade, but do need to be watered. If you’re lucky, they may reseed themselves. Marigolds are not a deer favorite but do need lots of sun and water. Another great perennial I’ve seen do well in the cemetery is called a Lenten Rose.  It does well in part sun/shade and blooms in late spring.  Deer do not seem to like it. If you’re frustrated by trying to keep ahead of the deer in the cemetery, maybe these low-maintenance suggestions will be helpful.

As we appeal to you now in our annual fund drive, know that your monetary gift enables us to continue the tradition of management, maintenance, and upkeep that our memorial park is well known for. Your financial sponsorship is gratefully received, carefully managed, and appropriated~ always.  

Sincerely,

Caiti Dewey

Board of Trustees Secretary

Cemetery Manager Meghan Snyder’s contact information:

585-466-6045

meghansnyder@ymail.com