Have you been by the Pinal Cemetery in Central Heights lately? A wall is going up around the perimeter, and drainage issues are being fixed. This is the work of a partnership between the newly formed Gila County Memorial Foundation (GCMF), Gila County Public Works and Tonto National Forest.

Formerly the Globe-Miami Memorial Foundation, this group has restructured to include more areas and people. This new group’s mission remains the same: to catalog the biographical records of local citizens and assist with the upkeep and platting of area cemeteries by providing work opportunities utilizing people of our communities. The foundation is a nonprofit, community-based organization existing solely to benefit the people of our communities. It is governed by a board of directors elected by the individuals who contribute to the foundation.

Currently, membership is represented by Gila County, City of Globe, Lamont Mortuary, Gila County Historical Society, Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum, Globe Elks Club, Gila County 4-H, individuals and volunteers.

Donations to the GCMF, a 501(c)(3), enable the committee to do repairs and other projects, such as the new fence at Pinal Cemetery along Main Street. Significant funds will be needed to complete this one project and to fund future projects, both at Pinal and other cemeteries in the county. You can mail donations to: Gila County Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 489, Claypool, AZ 85532.

The GCMF is open to the public and meets every third Tuesday of the month at 3:30 p.m. in the Gila County Supervisors’ Hearing Room at the Gila County Courthouse, 1400 E. Ash St., Globe. Bring your ideas for both projects and fundraising. You can follow what the committee is working on by visiting their Facebook page, Gila County Memorial Foundation.

For more information about the Gila County Memorial Foundation, call Joe Sanchez at 928- 200-2012 or 928-473-3550, or Mary Anne Moreno at 928-425- 7242 (message).