The Price of Freedom from a Grateful People
Below is the forward to our book "Old Quindaro: The Price of Freedom from a Grateful People".
Through the years I have attempted to develop a way to remind me of why I chose this project. Without a doubt the death of my mother (Helen V. Hope September of 2002), contributed to this undertaking. For years on Decoration Day, (Memorial Day), the people were thoroughly disgusted by the lack of maintenance performed at the Quindaro Cemetery. The abundance of weeds and grass overgrowing the grave sites and the vandalism to the grave markers were too much to endure. The words were repeated each holiday “SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE”.
When the Wyandotte County/KCK Unified Government Director of Community Development approached me with a question of what did the cemetery need, my personal interest led me to form a committee to make recommendations for improvements that could be made to the cemetery. Those individuals forming the committee all have ancestors or other direct attachments to the cemetery. After many meetings, a Unified Government employee felt that it was too costly and went far past their planned budget. After many conversations with the Director, we both agreed that it would be better if someone from his staff were to work with us on this endeavor. That individual showed a great deal of enthusiasm and a great love for the cemetery.
After the bid process the project seemed to move at a very energetic pace. Anthony Hope volunteered his time to work with the contractor to ensure that no graves were disturbed.
This project is dedicated to those individuals who were somehow forgotten in an attempt to create a different heritage. We must always remember our roots and how we got here. By researching this work, we hope to rekindle the good times and the hardships that have led us to our current place in the history of the development of this historic area.
Jesse F. Hope III, President
CONCERNED CITIZENS FOR OLD QUINDARO
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