Project Respect, Inc.

Our thanks to everyone who turned out to contribute on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at the Harrisburg-Jackson Cemetery. The number of volunteers was small, but the quality of their contribution was great. Our day was filled with work as well as several tours of the property discussing its history and the sometimes unappreciated contributions of the people buried there. Although I had visited the Jackson Cemetery many times since I first discovered it in the 1990s, I learned even more about the contributions of those early Texans on Saturday. We discoverd markers that were covered with overgrowth that were new to my eyes, too.

The Jackson Cemetery is just one of many places in our communities in ruins. Much of the rich history contained there is only known to a few historians. Creating an organization and venues with modern technology and internet access to expose our ancestor's contributions is our primary mission. Our doors are open to all to join our work to research, identify, document, and save our rich heritage.

We applaud everyone's ongoing support of these projects. We are working with our volunteers, sponsors, and heavy equipment suppliers to arrange for equipment needed for the removal of trees and the filling of the holes opened when large tree roots pulled dirt and some tombstones away when the trees were toppled by hurricane Ike.

We will notify everyone of next scheduled day at the Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery after equipment arrangements are made. A new work schedule will be posted upon completion of planning, schedule commitments, and a few days for us older folk to recover from our work on Saturday in the heat of the Texas summer.

Woody Jones
Project Respect, Inc.