After the Rotary Meeting on May 19, 2008, Newport Rotarians gathered at the Amariah Garner Cemetery in Newport to complete the restoration of the Josiah Bell gravesite. President Maher Saikali led the effort.
Josiah Bell is one of the five original Town Commissioners of the Town of Newport, and according to current Mayor (and Rotarian), Derryl Garner, is the only one of the original "Town Fathers" whose gravesite has been located.
The gravesite was in disrepair after years of neglect. It waqs overgrown with weeds, the brick casement was broken into many pieces, affecting the grave's integrity, and the headstone was cracked in two pieces, and had shifted away from the grave's foundation.
Over the past several months, Newport Rotarians sought out local community experts and restored the grave. The headstone was reset on this occasion with the assistance of Rotarian Amos Parker of Amos Parker Builders and Tom Hege. Also pictured onsite are Rotarians Bob Chambers, Harold Chartley, Jack Askew, Pam Wall and Bevin Wall.
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