The Point Vicente Chapter gathered at the Pacific Crest Cemetery in Redondo Beach along with friends from the South Bay Cities Genealogical Society (SBCGS) for a seventh gravestone prep, clean and photo session on May 3 as part of an ongoing Day Of Service project.

Beginning with maskless greetings now that the CDC’s recommendations allow for no masks while outdoors, the project process calls for volunteers to determine whether or not a headstone is simply missing or possibly buried using a list compiled prior to the day’s work. Volunteers use a highly sophisticated tool — an eight-inch-long screwdriver — to probe the grassy area where a known grave lies, but no headstone is visible, then notates the findings for the photographer. Meanwhile, other volunteers trim, and clean gravestones in preparation for photographing.

Typically, the screwdriver-wielding volunteer finds nothing, but about 30 minutes into the May 3rd session, a buried grave marker was discovered. With at least four pairs of hands, the team unearthed the gravestone of Olive May Broughton creating more than a sense of accomplishment, but also a fulfilling manner to combine Historic Preservation with Genealogy Research.