Willard Memorial Project History
March 28, 2011
Colleen Kelly Spellecy met with several members of the Romulus Historical Society (RHS) to see if they would support the project.
March 29, 2011
Spellecy wrote a news story and sent to the Reveille/Between the Lakes, which is a local newspaper.
March 30, 2011
Spellecy sent the same news story to writer at the Finger Lakes Times (FLT).
March 31, 2011
Article in Reveille/Between the Lakes was published with a picture of "Who is # 143."
Dave Shaw called from FLT to do a story on the project.
April 14, 2011
Shaw's article appeared on the front page of FLT including pictures.
Received several emails from interested and sympathetic people about the project.
Heard supportive words from both Senator Michael F. Nozzolio's and Brian Kolb's offices.
Secretary of the Ovid Union Cemetery, Reynolds, asked to meet and talk with Spellecy about combining the project to include the Ovid Union and Holy Cross Cemeteries, as patients of the psychiatric center are buried there as well.
April 18, 2011
Sent several emails to the Office of Mental Health executives, in Albany as well as letters to Commissioner of Mental Health, Michael Hogan, Commissioner of Education, David Steiner, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Office of Mental Health, John Allen, and the Office of Information Management.
April 25, 2011
A thirty-minute phone call was granted to Spellecy with Allen. Conversation concluded with reasons for NOT allowing the names, but however agreed that the cemetery needed to be put in good condition and did support ideas for a memorial on site. Allen also gave Spellecy contact information for Tom O'Clair at the Office of Mental Health.
Tom O’Clair called Spellecy and supported her ideas to have a memorial at the cemetery. At that time Spellecy invited him to the Tour of Willard on May 14th.
April 26, 2011
Spellecy met with Reynolds to view the Ovid Union Cemetery “patients row.”
April 29, 2011
Spellecy made flyer for Open House at Romulus Historical Society for the Willard Tour on May 14.
Made donation flyers for all three cemeteries.
May 1, 2011
Spellecy emailed and called other individuals and groups that have had successful cemetery restoration projects. These include: Gowanda, Ogdensburg and Washington State (Grave Concerns).
Spellecy sent email to area representative of Catholic Conference for Human Development, Kessler, because of past involvement with similar projects in Minnesota.
May 14, 2011
The Romulus Historical Society hosted a Tour and Open House at Willard with the at least 25 of the total attendees also visiting the cemetery.
May 15, 2011
Spellecy wrote an email to the Director of Public Information at the Office of Mental Health, Jill Daniels and Allen regarding the deplorable conditions at the cemetery on May14th for the Tour and Open House.
May 18, 2001
Spellecy sent letters to Seneca Meadows, pharmaceutical company to solicit funds for the memorial project and to inform them of the project.
May 21, 2011
Spellecy created marketing materials for publicity and solicitation. She created a marketing poster with Lawrence Marek as the “poster hero.” Spellecy also received a map of the Willard Cemetery that indicated placement of numbers and location of graves.
May 22, 2011
Spellecy visited Seneca Stone and with hard hats on was escorted through the quarry to pick out a stone for the marker if other ventures failed.
May 23, 2011
Spellecy spoke with Sgt. Keefe at the Office of Corrections about mowing the Willard Cemetery and/or the inability to mow. She also went to Senator Nozzolio’s Office to ask for help in getting the lawn mowed.
Spellecy was asked to speak at Seneca Falls Rotary meeting August 16th at noon at the Holiday Inn in Waterloo.
May 24, 2011
Spellecy followed up with her initial call to Senator Nozzolio’s Office in regards to the request for mowing at the Willard Cemetery.
May 25, 2011
The first formal meeting of the Committee to memorialize Willard Cemetery met in Ovid
May 26, 2011
Paulette wrote a press release from the minutes of the meeting and the release was sent to the FLT.
May 28, 2011
A website was begun with wmcp.webs.com as the site of Willard Memorial Cemetery Project
