One man’s treasure

By Matt Smith/msmith@trcle.com

June 09, 2009 01:40 pm

— Johnson County Sheriff’s Office deputy Jim Sloan and JCSO work crew members first discovered the items a year or so ago.
They are plastic containers hidden in tree hollows, bushes or beneath rocks or fallen markers. The containers hold a mix of inexpensive toys, trinkets and notes.
Sloan and his workers have uncovered several such containers tucked away in various Johnson County cemeteries, a practice Sloan, and members of the Johnson County Cemetery Association, strongly discourage and wish would cease.
After investigating, Sloan discovered that the containers play a role in a Web-based scavenger-hunting game initiated by Geocaching.com.
“Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices,” according to the organization’s Web page. “The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.”
Sloan supervises trustys who, among other duties, work to maintain 35 cemeteries throughout the county, a program initiated by the Johnson County Cemetery Association.
“I don’t have a problem with people holding a scavenger hunt,” said Doris Lanfear, JCCA president. “But a cemetery is not the proper place for something like that. They should do that in a park, or out at the lake or something instead. If they have time to look for that stuff, maybe they should consider volunteering to help us out instead, or any other group. We’re all always needing volunteers.”
Lanfear said she considers playing treasure-hunting games in cemeteries distasteful.
“I’m surprised how some people feel about cemeteries,” Lanfear said. “I was taught that it’s not right to step on graves. Of course, working with the association and cleaning up the cemeteries, sometimes I have to. And that was the hardest thing for me to get used to. When I have to do it, I just hold my breath and jump. But I don’t think people should be running around our cemeteries doing this stuff.”
Lanfear said she encourages residents to visit county cemeteries to pay respects and enjoy their rich history.
“But with this treasure-hunting game, we do worry about possible vandalism,” Lanfear said. “You also have a situation of people coming into the cemeteries looking for these things, then more people coming in after them. We already have our hands full maintaining these cemeteries without the possibility of people coming in digging around and upsetting the grounds.”
Former Cleburne Councilman Bob Force agreed.
“I don’t think a lot of people are aware of the fact that if they’re tramping around in those cemeteries it’s easy to cause damage,” Force said. “A lot of those old headstones can be easily damaged.”
Sloan confiscated geocaches he and his workers have found in cemeteries, but they keep popping up. Sloan discovered another on Tuesday at Laramore Cemetery while workers mowed the grounds. The small plastic container was fitted into bored-out branch placed under a hollowed-out tree root.
Sloan said he tried unsuccessfully to contact Geocaching.com.
“I basically just wanted to ask them if they could stop placing items in the cemeteries and discourage their members from doing that,” Sloan said.
The Web site guidelines don’t specifically mention cemeteries but do discourage the placement of geocaches in archaeological and historic sites. They also prohibit geocaches that are buried.
“If a shovel, trowel or other pointy object is used to dig, whether to hide or find a cache, then it is not appropriate,” according to the Web site.
The geocaches discovered in Johnson County cemeteries so far have been at least partially concealed, but none have been buried, Sloan said.
An e-mail sent to Geocaching.com’s public relation’s office on May 29 requesting their position on placement of items in cemeteries received no response.
Beyond discouraging the practice and short of incidents of vandalism, it is unclear what, if anything, can be done.
County Judge Roger Harmon said the commissioners court has no real power to pass ordinances but said he plans to discuss the situation with county attorneys.
A prohibition against treasure hunts in cemeteries “would probably have to be something to come from the state legislature,” Harmon said. “The cities could maybe pass some kind of ordinance too. But then, a lot of these cemeteries are outside the cities in county areas.”
Cleburne Mayor Ted Reynolds said the problem falls within a gray area.
“Obviously if we have people messing with grave sites or vandalizing our cemeteries,” Reynolds said. “But I don’t know if it’s illegal per se to hide stuff in cemeteries.
“I don’t like the idea. I’ve always thought of cemeteries as solemn places, not a place to run and play and have treasure hunts. I’m sure these people aren’t doing this with any malice in mind. But still, if I had loved ones buried in a cemetery, I wouldn’t be too pleased with people running around doing this stuff there.”

Showing appreciation
Sloan discussed the cemetery scavenger hunts with JCCA members during a recent luncheon held at Prices Chapel Cemetery near the Liberty Chapel Volunteer Fire Department.
“The weather was bad, and I thought we might have to cancel,” Lanfear said. “But thankfully, [LCVFD Chief] Jerry Sanders let us use the fire department.”
The luncheon also gave Lanfear a chance to thank JCCA members, supporters, members of the sheriff’s office and the trustys who have worked through the years to help maintain the cemeteries.
Although she’s heard of groups maintaining one or two cemeteries, Lanfear said hers is the only group in Texas she knows of that maintains such a large amount of cemeteries.
Lanfear said she helped groups in other counties start their efforts but that most of them didn’t last long.
Lanfear and her husband, Leroy Lanfear, began maintaining three cemeteries in 1989. It grew from there and the couple soon realized they needed help.
“The difference in our association is backing from the sheriff’s department,” Lanfear said. “We couldn’t keep doing it without them.”
Lanfear praised the support of former Johnson County Sheriff Eddie Boggs who offered to help soon after the Lanfears began cleaning cemeteries in 1989.
Lanfear further praised the support of Warden James Duke, who came on board after Community Education Centers took over operation of the jail last year.
“It’s certainly a program we support,” Duke said. “CEC came into Johnson County with every intention of being part of the community and helping out.”
Lanfear also singled out Force and former County Commissioner Jack Hewlett for their help and support through the years.
She said the program wouldn’t have survived all these years but for the efforts of Sheriff Bob Alford and JCSO Capt. Tom Craig. Alford said the credit actually goes to Doris and Leroy Lanfear and the JCCA board members.
“It’s a fantastic program, and we’re truly blessed to have people who are willing to take up the responsibility of maintaining our cemeteries,” Alford said. “We [the county] wouldn’t be able to handle it all and those are an important part of our history. I always say that without our past, we have no future.”
Working the cemeteries also proves beneficial to the trustys, Alford said.
“It gives them the chance to give back instead of just taking,” Alford said. “And for some, that’s the first time they’ve done that. They’re also pretty enthusiastic about doing that after they’ve started. It gives them something to do other than hang around the jail all day.”
Force also praised the association.
“They’ve gone in and cleaned some of those cemeteries that hadn’t been touched in decades,” Force said. “Some of those, you couldn’t even get into a few years ago. I just hope that [new members] step up and keep this going in years to come. We’ve been fortunate not to have as much vandalism in those cemeteries in recent years and I attribute that to JCCA’s presence there.”
The biggest problems the association faces, Lanfear said, is the need for volunteers and money given that the association is almost entirely funded through donations.
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the Johnson County Cemetery Association, call 817-641-1671.

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