Carol Boggess and her husband Joe enjoy walking in Friendship Cemetery, but one thing stood out to them.
The Margaret Munroe Crypt, a popular spot for children to play in years past, has now fallen into a state of disrepair.
“On one particular day, we talked about how sad it was that such a prominent, historic structure was disintegrating and no one was doing anything about it,” she said. “Joe commented that a garden club might take it on as a project, and I approached the Columbus Garden Club, of which I am a member, and they voted to make it a project.”
Finding a club to sponsor the project was only half of the battle. From there, an organization to collect the money was needed.
“We needed a tax deductible organization to deposit donations and the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation agreed to accept donations under its 501c3 status,” she said.
Thus far, the group has collected around $12,500 in donations.
The total estimate to repair the crypt is $25,000.
That is where the upcoming fundraising event comes in.
The event will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, at Annunciation Catholic Church, 823 College St., Columbus.
There is a $25 donation to attend the program.
“Living Floral” author and founder of “Flower Magazine” Margot Shaw, will give a presentation and afterward, will be signing copies of her book.
“It’s just going to be an enjoyable presentation for anybody who likes beautiful things, flowers, historic architecture, historic preservation, gardening, interior design,” Margaret Toledano, one of the organizers of the event, said. “It’s just a very pleasant afternoon for a very good cause.”
Other funding
Boggess said there are other avenues the group is exploring to further fund the project.
One such opportunity is a grant from Mississippi Department of Archives and History, which the City of Columbus applied for.
“Any decision made about a grant will be made at the end of April,” Boggess said.
Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, which hosts its annual “Tales of the Crypt” event at Friendship Cemetery, is heavily involved with the process as well.
Boggess said the students were the first to make a donation, when they donated $1,000 from the tour’s proceeds.
How to go
■ WHAT: Munroe Crypt Project Fundraiser
■ WHEN: Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
■ WHERE: Annunciation Catholic Church, 823 College St., Columbus
■ HOW: $25 donation to attend
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 45 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
