VOLUNTEERS
Vale Cemetery depends on the help of volunteers. Volunteers are needed to help care for andmaintain the cemetery, research the history of the cemetery, and enter gravesite data into a computer database. Groups of volunteers from industry and fraternal organizations have held work days raking leaves, mowing grass, and picking up brush and litter. Vale's day-to-day operations are dependent on volunteers for answering phones, responding to letters, preparing the newsletter, fund raising, and bookkeeping and record keeping.
Voluntters are also needed for to enter the 33,000 individual burial records into a computer database. Historical records need to be catalogued and archived. Maintenance of the historic caretaker's home and the repair of Vale's tools is necessary. Volunteers can also be used to catalog damaged monuments in order to make repair claims. Anyone who can spare as little as 2 hours per week to help Vale Cemetery is urged to call 518-346-0423 for volunteer opportunities or use the contact page to contact the Cemetery by email.
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH CONTRIBUTES FENCE
Through the generosity of the First Reformed Church of Schenectady an ornamental metal fence was erected around First Reformed Cemetery plot in Vale. The new fence will help protect the tombstones, which date back as far as 1725. THe tombstones, which include a number of Revolutionary War veterans are invaluable and irreplaceable. This section was moved to Vale Cemetery in 1874
UNION COLLEGE HELPS VALE
A deep debt of gratitude is owed to Union College and President Stephen Ainlay for their contributions to Vale. With their assistance the Union Faculty PLot has been gloriously restored. The Union College Grounds Department helped stabilize the crypt of Alecander Holland, an early Union College tresurer who became an officer of American Express in the 19th century, and has provided vehicles to carry materials used to repair Vale's roads. Union also contributed the use of its "Seward's Trolley" bus for 9 tours in 2008.
Fraternities at Union College have held several community service workdays at Vale cutting brush, raking leaves, and restoring the Civil war-era Grand Army of the Republic section that had been hidden by overgrowth and vegetation. Union has also aided the restoration of the African-American Ancestral Burial Ground at Vale and is supporting the installation of a monument to Moses Viney and others buried there. Moses VIney was a freedom seeker on the Underground Railroad who became the chauffeur and friend of Union College President Eliphalet NOtt. Nott helped purchase Viney's freedom from his owner in Maryland.
BUSINESS CONSULTANT ADVISES VALE
Kenneth Moore, business consultant and president of Kenneth Moore Associates, graciously contributed his time to meet with an Ad Hoc committee of the Vale Cemetery Board of Trustees on several occassions. He familiarized himself with the operation of Vale and its Board of Trustees, and then offered expert advice to the Board on employment policies, creation of job descriptions, performance evaluations, marketing, fund raising, budgeting, and lot sales.
Vale now needs assistance in implementing Mr. Moore's recommendations. Anyone who has an interest in Vale Cmeetery and would be willing to help implement these recommendations, should contact Vale at (518) 346-0423.
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