Alexandria, VA October 5, 2006

On October 13, 2006, Ivy Hill Cemetery of Alexandria, Virginia, will announce during an 8:30am Special Breakfast at Belle Haven Country Club, 
the formation of the Ivy Hill Cemetery Historical Preservation Society as part of a day-long celebration of 150 years of service to our community.

Stated purposes of this organization include: the restoration and preservation of monuments and other structures at the Cemetery;  the protection, conservation or cultivation of trees and other flora and fauna on the grounds of the Cemetery;  the promotion and development of educational and cultural programs, including lectures and tours; and such other charitable and educational activities as are incidental and related.

The Society will announce it has received a dollar-for-dollar matching grant for cash-in-hand funds raised before December 31, 2006, up to a total of $100,000.The Preservation Society has already received a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt determination from the IRS and welcomes contributions from all who appreciate the special role Ivy Hill Cemetery plays in the life and history of our community and in its efforts in preserving a portion of Alexandria’s heritage.

The Sesquicentennial will reach its zenith at 11:00am, when the City of Alexandria Fire Department and EMS holds its annual memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony in the Circle of Honor at Ivy Hill.This year’s service will be particularly meaningful as Ivy Hill marks both its 150th anniversary and the 150th anniversary of the placement of the stone obelisk, a memorial from the citizens of Alexandria to seven firemen who were tragically killed in a fire in 1855. The public is invited to attend this moving ceremony.

The culmination of the day’s activities will be a luncheon hosted by the cemetery for the Alexandria Fire Department and invited guests at the First Baptist Church following the service.

We invite the community to join us in the celebration of our sesquicentennial and to support our efforts to preserve our community’s heritage.The cemetery grounds, graced with numerous aesthetically and historically significant monuments, are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Please visit and enjoy, in the heart of a great city, the peace and seclusion that this 25 acre cemetery can provide.