Charlotte Knights volunteers clean abandoned Cedar Grove Cemetery on Veterans Day

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - More than 30 volunteers from the Charlotte Knights cleaned Cedar Grove Cemetery in West Charlotte on Veterans Day, where leaves, weeds, and tree limbs cover some veterans’ graves.

Cedar Grove Cemetery has about 1,000 graves, and some are the graves of veterans. The cemetery dates to the 1880s, and dozens of veterans are buried there.

Volunteers say why they came

Hannah DeFrank, a volunteer, said joining the effort was an easy decision. Her brother served in the Navy for about 20 years before he retired.

“We just want to make sure we are doing something to give back to the community on Veterans Day,” DeFrank said.

DeFrank said the work is a labor of love.

“They keep us safe. They are the ones who are going out putting their lives on the line to make sure that we have everything we could ever want, the freedom that we want in this country,” she said.

Tom Dellinger, president of the Charlotte Knights, said the work had to be done.

“Our goal is to be not only at Truist Field but out in the community engaged and having fun. Hopefully, that is what the community will hopefully see,” Dellinger said.

Cemetery relies on community support

The cemetery depends on community support to stay clean. An American flag was placed at the graves of veterans last year. The flags remain, and there is no money to buy new ones.

Che Abdullah of the NC African American Cemeteries Network said 60 Black soldiers are buried in the abandoned cemetery.

“We know our Black soldiers are often overlooked, and in this situation, we are in an abandoned cemetery where 60 of them rest, so it’s super important that we come and acknowledge them,” Abdullah said.

Knights plan to return

This is the second year Charlotte Knights volunteers have cleaned the cemetery for Veterans Day. The Knights said the effort is not a one-time event and that they will return. The team hopes more people will join.

“We need everybody because these people served everybody. They weren’t selective about who they protected, so we shouldn’t be selective about honoring their service to us,” Abdullah said.

To learn more about Cedar Grove Cemetery click here.