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Volunteer

Interested in Volunteering?

We value citizens’ commitment to improving the property at Unity Cemetery as well as researching and sharing its history. The success of Unity Cemetery relies heavily on volunteers, and we believe everyone can play a role.

If you are interested in volunteering, use the form below to sign up for a particular event.

We look forward to working with you and making Unity Cemetery a model of historic preservation.

Volunteer Information

Grave Cleaning and Best Practices

All cleaning of gravestones and monuments in Unity Cemetery should follow best practices in preservation. Workshops led by conservators will train volunteers in proper cleaning methods. Cleaning solutions and tools will be provided to volunteers to clean headstones.

Volunteers should not use flour, shaving cream, or similar materials to read illegible headstone inscriptions. Such materials contain elements that are harmful to headstones. Rubbings are discouraged.

Alternative methods of recording gravestone data include cleaning (removal of lichen or hardwater stains, using plain water or D2 solution), or photographing the stones in optimal light conditions.

Personal Protective Equipment

While COVID-19 and its variants are in circulation, volunteers should wear masks, and/or observe social distancing measures, to maintain a safe work environment. Personal protective equipment, including gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer, will be available to all volunteers on workdays.

Field Safety Measures

All volunteers and other visitors should be aware of potential hazards within the cemetery, including the presence of hazardous plants, and insect life, including ground bees, fire ants, termites (mounds), ticks (Lyme Disease), mosquitoes, and snakes, which thrive in old and undisturbed cemeteries.

Volunteers should wear long pants, closed-toe shoes or steel-toe boots, and long sleeves for work in the cemetery.

For more information, email [email protected].

Nadia K. Orton, Historian, Unity Cemetery Preservation Project, City of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, [email protected]

Volunteer Opportunities


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