For their outstanding effort to preserve historic cemeteries, two Maryland organizations have received the Periwinkle Award from the Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites, Inc., Maryland’s only non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the state’s old family and public cemeteries, historic churchyards, and Indian burial grounds.

The awards were presented on April 17, 2010 on Kent Island, Maryland.

Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park in Elkridge, Maryland

One of our winners this year was the Rosa Bonheur Society which preserves the Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park in Elkridge, Maryland. This cemetery was formed in 1935 and operated until 2002. Candy Warden, James Lanier, and David Simpson formed the Rosa Bonheur Society in 2007 after another volunteer group could no longer care for the cemetery. They have worked almost every Sunday since then taking care of landscaping, painting gates, benches, and locating memorials. Petitioning for the introduction of a bill to protect pet cemeteries and recording and gathering information of memorials in Rosa Bonheur has been a tremendous task for the Society. The group has started a website, has located people who have pets buried in Rosa Bonheur, and has started a twice yearly newsletter. We are pleased to honor this hard working, conscientious group who cares for the final resting places of all creatures great and small.

Scott Lawrence and St. Mary’s Genealogical Society

For their work in St. Nicholas Cemetery, on board Patuxent River Naval Air Station, St. Mary’s County, Maryland.