Get Involved
For General Information
Would you like to talk with someone directly about the Toledo State Hospital Cemeteries?
Interested in a public speaker for your event? Contact Larry Wanucha at lwanucha@neighborhoodproperties.org.
If you are trying to find information about someone who was once a patient at Toledo State Hospital, contact tshcrp@buckeye-express.com
.
Volunteer Information
The TSH Cemetery Reclamation Project welcomes volunteers of all ages and interests.
Please review our volunteer and donation needs below to choose from among a number
of opportunities. Volunteer as an individual, with a few friends, or as part of a
larger group or organization.
Volunteer Opportunities
1. Locating and Raising Burial Markers: Old Cemetery = 247 found. New cemetery =
980 found, taking our total to over 1225. Work will resume on March 30, 2012 at the
old cemetery. Volunteers are needed.
2. Researching Individuals in Cemeteries: Current volunteer researchers have established
a site at www.findagrave.com. Additional help and new information is welcomed.
3. Family Connections: Connections with 37 families have been established. Efforts
continue to connect with as many as possible. A family member is needed to volunteer
to better organize family members and keep them informed through an email newsletter.
4. Web Site Improvements: Work continues to improve the web site, and provide visitors
with up-to-date information on this project, as well as information about the history
of the hospital. Assistance would be welcomed.
5. Committee Membership: New members to the TSHCRC are welcome if you bring passion
for the project and are willing to contribute energy. Meetings take place once a
month, with additional time commitments possible. (One does NOT need to be a member
of the committee in order to volunteer for any projects listed here.)
6. Preservation Efforts : Develop method of protecting individual markers and trees
from damage from mowers, and bury small metal strips next to each marker as a method
of improving location methods.
For more information on Volunteer Work, click here.
Donation information
More information on projects we require donations for can be found on the “Donating”
page. Donations can be made to NAMI of Greater Toledo, 2753 West Central Avenue,
Toledo, Ohio 43606 – with a notation in the memo line “TSH Cemetery Reclamation Project”.
If you would like your money to go to a specific project, please let us know.
Projects Completed
1. Ohio Historical Society Signs : Sponsored by UTMC.
2. Granite Memorial in Old Cemetery
: Sponsored by Ohio Department of Mental Health.
3. Records Research and Documentation: Sponsored by Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital.
4. Brochure Improvements : Sponsored by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and by private donations.
5. Display Board for displays about the cemetery : Sponsored by private donations.
6. Mapping of the cemeteries using GPS: Provided by Glass City Engineering & Surveying, LLC
and University of Toledo. Watch for the maps on our website in the near future.
Projects in the Works
1. Materials for cemetery restoration - Sponsored by UTMC.
2. Flag Pole in honor of veterans in Old Cemetery: Anticipated cost $1800. We would love to acknowledge your veteran's organization as a sponsor at the site.
3. Kiosk for the old cemetery containing the names of those buried there taken from the State Hospital burial log.
4. Mapping the cemeteries : GPR of areas in which we are having trouble locating markers, particularly in the old cemetery.
5. Replacement of trees : we will be taking out the dead trees in both cemeteries in the future (many of which are Arborvitae) and are looking for donation of replacement trees. There are 5 trees which need replacing immediately and a further 10 which will need replacing within the next 12 months. Ultimately, all the Arborvitaes will need to be replaced. If you would like to donate one or more trees, possibly in honor of a family member, please contact us.
5. Beautification : Items on our list for the old cemetery include brick structures to define the site corners, benches, fencing, off-road parking, a pathway with a buy-a-brick theme and a paved area around the memorial.
If you can help with any of these items, please contact us at tshcrp@buckeye-express.com.
TSHCRC is a grass roots organization that welcomes donations to support of our efforts to restore the State Hospital cemeteries. Tax deductible donations can be made to NAMI of Greater Toledo. For more details see our Donating page.