Coming together for a day of service earlier this fall,  almost 20 members of Chapter 58, Stanislaus/Merced E. Clampus Vitus descended upon the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery to give the non-profit organization a boost in grounds care efforts.

“With mowers racing, and line trimmers slinging grass, the volunteers, clad in their recognizable red shirts, cut a wide swath of cleanup in several sections of the historic burial grounds,” said cemetery board member Melinda Owen.

E. Clampus Vitus is a fraternal organization that is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the Western U.S., especially the Mother Lode, gold mining regions and areas related to the history of Gold Rush times.

Clampers – as they are often called – are responsible for many of the historic monuments you can find around the state that indicate a special happening or historic town, such as Knights Ferry or Langworth, two in this area.

“They quite often do volunteer work at area cemeteries,” Owen explained. “Cleaning, repairing broken monuments, refurbishing stones and more are tasks they do willingly.”

The volunteers come from all walks of life and often provide their own working materials, including the lawn care equipment, gas, string, tools.

The Humbugs, as they are called, include all ages; the vintage brothers have earned the name of Grey Beards.

Clampers have also earned the reputation of a fun group as they donate their special talents to the world around them. They often take part in parades, and other community events adding their brand of fun to all.

Local Chapter 58 Clampers leadership recently reached out to Oakdale Citizens Cemetery and offered their volunteer services to the OCC Board of Trustees.

As an historic non-profit cemetery, founded in 1883, that is owned by the families who have graves on site or family members buried there, volunteer help or donations are often the life-blood in maintaining the cemetery and keeping it open and under local control.

“Needless to say, the Clampers help was certainly appreciated and would always be welcomed,” Owen said.