FENTON, Mo. — George Vanmeter is not a big gardener. He's not really big on landscaping, but he has a big heart.
"When you see something needs to be done, you do it," he said.
Two years ago, Vanmeter saw a cemetery with overgrown weeds and headstones that had tipped over.
"I took it to heart and I wanted to take care of it," he said.
Vanmeter began mowing the lawn almost every other weekend for the past two years. He took care of headstones-- many unmarked and some dating all the way back to the early 1800s.
"I can't see it go by," he said. "I can't let it go."
Vanmeter said more than 50 people are buried at the 200-year-old McCormick Cemetery in Fenton. He said many of them were early pioneers of Missouri; old lead miners and even children.
"They didn't have parades or anything like that," Vanmeter said. "They were just put in the ground. Stuff like that touches my heart."
He said he contacted the state about the forgotten cemetery. Vanmeter said there are so many old cemeteries, the state told him they can't keep up with maintenance.
"I refuse to give up on these people," Vanmeter said.
Vanmeter said it's been a two-year journey, maintaining the cemetery and hopes people join him. He said you don't need any skills — just a heart.
"Why should you help, the question is why shouldn't you," he said. "It's the right thing to do."
If you would like to help, Vanmeter said you can contact him on Facebook as 'George Vanmeter.'
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