Gravestone group plans program day

HIRAM — The Maine Old Cemetery Association (MOCA) will hold its third 2012 program day and annual meeting on Saturday, September 29 at the Great Ossipee Museum at 20 Historical Ridge (off Schoolhouse Road, off Route 17) in Hiram. The public is invited to attend.

Featured speakers will be Jessica Felix, an educator and leader of NH cemetery restoration projects, and Wayne Holmquist. Felix, at 10 a.m. will present “Cemeteries as an Educational Tool” and Holmquist, a professional dowser, will at 9:30 a.m. talk about how dowsing can be applied to cemeteries.

Then, at 1 p.m. he will demonstrate dowsing at an unmarked grave at the Hiram Village Cemetery. The Hiram Historical Society is the hosting group.

From 8:30 a.m. there will be exhibits and displays - attendees are invited to display information about cemetery-related projects. In the afternoon there will be a tour of some Hiram cemeteries.

After the cemetery tour the Hiram Historical Society is planning and sponsoring a Felix-led stone cleaning workshop. Registration cost is $3 at the door.

Lunch reservation deadline is September 20 and those wishing to order lunch (cost $8) should mail a check for lunch, payable to MOCA to 114 North Shore Road, Blanchard Twp., ME 04406-3829. They should include the names of those for whom they are ordering lunch.

Questions about the program day should be directed to Jane M. Macomber at janem@mainestream.us or 879-4125. Additional information is available at the MOCA website, www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~memoca/moca/htm.