Monument firm removes graffiti

By Karen Blackledge
The Daily Item

April 23, 2009 07:28 am

— DANVILLE — Graffiti has been removed from vandalized tombstones and all but one damaged tombstone repaired at the Mooresburg United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Four workers from Catawissa Monument Co. finished the job Wednesday, said the Rev. Allen Acor, pastor of the church.
The monument company called Acor Monday to offer to clean and repair the stones free. Damage was estimated at $5,000 to the 38 toppled tombstones and eight headstones spray painted with graffiti.
“They did a fantastic job,” Acor said.
One three-tiered stone was so unstable the workers feared causing more damage by uprighting it.
“Somebody will have to contact the family to see what they want to do,” Acor said.
Mooreseburg wasn’t the only church vandalized — 42 tombstones at Odd Fellows, St. Joseph and St. Hubert cemeteries in Mahoning Township were also were damaged.
At Tuesday night’s Montour County commissioners meeting, Vice Chairman Jack Gerst said volunteers were prepared to help with the repairs.
“This is why it’s so great we live in Montour County,” he said. Work-release prisoners will also be available to assist.
“We can be attacked by whatever they are,” Gerst said. “I don’t believe it’s kids. Some of the stones weigh a couple hundred pounds. It may be a grown man who should be out getting a job.”