The Senior Scene

For the last seven years, Bud Dyer and the Auburn Valley Wings, an Auburn-based motorcycle club, have donated time and supplies to clean up the Washington Soldiers Home Cemetery in Orting. The group annually is dedicated to making sure the cemetery looks its best right before the Memorial Day weekend.
Dyer said he approached the Soldiers Home administrators, telling them that the cemetery was in bad shape and his group would like to help.
“We did everything they couldn’t do by themselves. We raised headstones before they sunk,” he explained.
Now each year 50 to 70 members of the motorcycle group show up. “We make sure everything is spruced up. We bring our own supplies and provide labor, plants, bark and we feed the people who come out and work,” Dyer said.
This year, state Rep. Graham Hunt and other volunteers collaborated with the Auburn Valley Wings in a coordinated effort to spiff up the cemetery. It was appreciated by the Soldiers Home, said Heidi Audette, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Veterans Affairs.
“We depend a lot on community support, and the cemetery in Orting is one of those things,” she said
Hunt, who serves the Second Legislative District in south Pierce County and lives in Orting, said he and his wife have visited the Soldiers Home for the last few years with their children. Hunt and his wife are veterans, and they have used the experience as a history teaching tool for their children.
One of the things that bothered them was the state of disrepair of the cemetery.
“The original purpose was for displaced homeless veterans from the Civil War, and later they established the cemetery,” Hunt said.
Keeping the gravesites in good repair and clean was quite a challenge. “Some of them lean left or right or go forward and some are really in bad shape,” said Hunt.
Hunt organized his group and they cleaned the headstones, working hard to remove all the mold and moss. A new cleaner, also used by the White House, was applied to the headstones.
“Since this was approved by the Veterans Affairs, we were allowed to use it for our event,” he said.
Hunt has created YouCaring.org and a fund-raising site to raise money to not just clean the headstones, but also to restore the cemetery.
“We want to preserve the trees without disrupting the remains of the soldiers. We have trees there that are probably close to 100 years old, and there is history in that,” he said.
YouCaring has raised $860 so far. Hunt said the goal is to raise $700,000.
“It is not just Washington soldiers that are buried here. They are from all over the U.S.,” said Hunt.
With 2,265 sites at the cemetery, the volunteers’ work was cut out for them at the cemetery. Hunt said both groups worked well together.
“What a blessing it was to have them there that day. Some of our volunteers helped them and some of their volunteers helped us,” he said.
Lunch was provided by the Auburn Noon Lions Club and Hunt Family Insurance, the business that Hunt owns.
“There is still a lot more work to do to get the cemetery to an area that truly is fitting to be honoring our veterans, but it is leaps and bounds forward from where it was,” Hunt said.

Joan Cronk, who wrote this article, is a freelance writer.

Every Monday from September to the end of May, the Memorie Singers meet to rehearse for upcoming performances.
The group, comprised of folks who are at least 55 and have a love and talent for singing, are serious about their craft. That being said, they also have a lot of fun with it.
Musical Director Cyndie Carr sang in choruses and played in bands and orchestras most of her life and admits that her new role is a bit challenging, but she loves it.
“I do enjoy what I’m doing,” she said.
The Memorie Singers perform at nursing facilities, retirement centers, hospitals, adult daycare centers and more throughout the year, and their rendition of songs from the past bring smiles to the faces of the residents.
“The expression on their faces – it is really wonderful,” said Carr.
Currently the group is practicing like mad to be ready for its yearly performance on June 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, located at 7116 Sixth Ave. in Tacoma. The show, titled “Way Way Way Way off Broadway,” will feature Broadway songs most everyone can relate to. The TotemAires and the Out of Time Gospel singers will also perform.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. All money raised by the performance will be donated to Tacoma Musical Playhouse’s Scholarship Fund. Tickets can be purchased in advance from any member of the group, by calling Doris Leister at 253-472-1208, or at the door on the day of the performance.
Leister, has been with the Memorie Singers for about four years, “saw them sing at St. Ann’s Convent, and after the performance I asked them, ‘How do you get into this group?’ and they said ‘Just show up for practice.’
“We sing because we like to sing,” Leister added.
Suzanne Tate said she has been a member for about a year and enjoys the diversity of folks who participate.
“It was so easy to join,” she said. “People are very friendly.”
At a recent practice session, the Memorie Singers belted out tunes such “Memories,” “Another Opening-Another Show,” and “Put on a Happy Face.”
Male and female voices blended and chimed in at just the right moment, practicing tunes over and over until they were satisfied. Carr sat up front, her glasses balanced precariously on her nose, directing, explaining and giving directions. The group did a lot of laughing.
“We are just learning some of the songs, but by show time, it will be much better,” said Carr.
One member of the group arrived late, but as she rushed through the door, she was already singing along.
When they sang “Easter Parade,” it was with gusto and enthusiasm. Singing along with everyone else was 96-year-old Bill Parks, who joined the Memorie Singers in 1970 and is still a regular member.
Piano players are hard to come by for the Memorie Singers, and they value their current players, Vivian Skagerberg and Carol Benton. Skagerberg and Benton take turns playing, and when they aren’t working the piano, they are singing right along with the group.
Outfits for performances vary with the season. Leister said the basic outfit is black slacks and a white shirt, with the vests changing color throughout the year.
“Cyndie tells us to wear all the gold jewelry we own,” said Leister laughing.
The group gets a real kick out of performing and looks forward to the yearly appearances at the playhouse.
“It is fun being on stage,” said Leister. “Our grandkids are waving and everyone smiles. All of our lives, we watched the movies and never dreamed of being on stage, and now we are there performing and people are applauding.”

Joan Cronk, who wrote this article, is a freelance writer.