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Volunteers for Nesbitt Memorial Library Foundation’s annual Live Oaks and Dead Folks cemetery tour fundraiser served as both actors and tour guides for the first time this year, Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Old City Cemetery in Columbus.
Every first Saturday in November, the Nesbitt Memorial Library Foundation (NMFL) welcomes community members and visitors to stroll through history in either the Old City Cemetery or the Odd Fellows Rest Cemetery in Columbus. NMFL volunteers lead guided tours throughout the evening to showcase the influential settlers of Colorado County. Volunteers engage tourists by dressing and acting like notable residents of the cemetery. This year, NMLF president Tracey Wegenhoft halved the number of volunteers to 16 by having them serve as both actors depicting historical figures and tour guides instead of having two separate crews.
“The manpower and the number of volunteers was getting to be so much…it’s hard to get 30-35 people to volunteer,” Wegenhoft said. “I think it worked pretty well…The feedback on the street was that everybody seemed to have a good time and seemed to like it.”
Wegenhoft described how NMLF consolidated their numbers to aim for consistent and reliable volunteer attendance. She said that volunteers would often call out at the last minute or never show up, resulting in the total number fluctuating between skeleton crew and fully supported. However, Wegenhoft named more than a few loyal supporters.
“We have some fan favorites that we always depend on, and they never let us down,” she said. “…For our cemetery tour, [volunteers] are vital because we are a small board…Without our volunteers to help us this weekend, we couldn’t do it.”
Wegenhoft reported only one other major change this year—the rain. Visitors and volunteers got soaked with rain for the first time in the event’s 22-year history. While some left soon, many stayed despite the weather.
“[The event] was very successful in spite of the rain. We’ve been getting a lot of good feedback,” Wegenhoft said. “…Everybody was so gracious. They got into the spirit of things. They didn’t let the weather bother them.”
Nesbitt Memorial Library Foundation was charted as a nonprofit in 1994 and functions to provide financial support for the Archives and Texas Room in the Nesbitt Memorial Library. The foundation also assists in raising awareness and resources for library events beyond what the city of Columbus provides. Wegenhoft detailed how Live Oaks and Dead Folks upholds the foundation’s mission.
“We think of it as a public service for the community too because it lets people know about the heroes and pioneers and the people that came before that contributed and made this county what it is,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know. They don’t know some of these unsung heroes that are buried right beneath their feet. That’s what we try to do, we try to let people know you’re living among the greats. They’re just not with us anymore. We are living with what they accomplished, and we want people to know that.”
Wegenhoft thanked NMLF volunteers and community supporters for their generosity with time and resources. She said year’s event will likely be hosted in the Odd Fellows Rest Cemetery.
