For the Miami Valley Today

TROY — As part of an annual grant program, the Ohio Department of Commerce has awarded Troy’s Cemetery Department $1,000 to host a cemetery restoration workshop. Thanks to the state grant, the workshop will be offered to the public for free on May 21, 2022.

The restoration workshop will be conducted by Misti Spillman, an expert in researching and restoring headstones. Spillman serves as reference and liaison to numerous museums and historical societies throughout Ohio, and has worked for Ohio History Connection.

Anne Petit, superintendent of the Division of Real Estate for the Ohio Department of Commerce, visited Riverside Cemetery on Oct. 29 to present a check for the grant. She noted that the city of Troy is the first applicant to use Department of Commerce cemetery grant funds for training in the grant program’s three-year history. The Ohio Department of Commerce awarded funds to 51 Ohio cemeteries for improvements this year.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from families and visitors in cleaning up monuments, and we’re excited to help people learn about the history of our cemeteries and about restoration,” said Mayor Robin Oda. David Hastings, Cemetery Foreman, thanked the Department of Commerce for the opportunity to generate interest in cemetery preservation.

More information on the upcoming workshop will be announced soon. Residents interested in attending can call the Cemetery Department at 937-335-2710.