I want to bring attention to something that has gone unnoticed for a while now, the removal of personal decorations from gravesites at our local cemetery in Daytona beach (GREENWOOD CEMETERY) . While it may seem small to some, for families like mine, it means everything.
Before my mom passed away, I used to go with her to decorate my uncle’s grave, which is her son. It was something we did together to honor his memory to keep him alive and it was something she always did out of love to feel close to him always ! Now that she’s gone, I continue to do the same  for not just her but for both of them. I try to keep their memories alive the same way she always did, through care, time, and thoughtfulness.Every time I visit their graves now, something is missing. First it’s one thing, then another, until eventually, everything we placed with love is gone. It feels like their memory is being slowly erased. These decorations aren’t just items, they are symbols of our love, our grief, and our commitment to never let them be forgotten. My mom doesn’t have a headstone yet , only a small nameplate, which is all we’ve been able to afford. So The decorations we place are the only way to make her resting place feel cared for and personal. When those things are taken without warning, it makes their site feel cold and forgotten, like they don’t matter to anyone but us . I take pride and time picking out things I think they’d both love and appreciate. It’s not easy It’s hard enough to go out and buy something for two people I love who are no longer here with me. Decorating their graves is one of the few things I can do for them to keep their memory alive to still feel close to them every time I do it. In Doing this I’m hurting all over again but I still do it, because I love them and they mean something to me. These decorations aren’t for show , nor to have the best-looking site, or to be any inconvenience to the city they’re to show them that we still love them, think about them, appreciate them, and that they are not forgotten by us. But having it all taken away without notice adds even more pain to something that already hurts. I’m angry , I’m hurt and I’m not the only one This affects my whole family not just me . Seeing their resting places stripped down to bare dirt and nameplates is heartbreaking. It feels like no one cares, like their lives and their memories don’t matter it isn’t right. If no one else is willing to say something or bring this important message to light I will! I will, because it is the right thing to do I’m speaking on behalf of those mourning still and for my loved ones who are laid to rest who aren’t able say anything anymore because their voice still matters! I know this isn’t just affecting me or my family, it’s affecting thousands of other families too. People who are grieving and trying their best to honor their loved ones, only to have their love and effort taken away. I understand the cemetery needs to be maintained, and I respect those who do the work, but there has to be a better way. At the very least, give families a chance to remove decorations ourselves Let us return them after clean up instead of them just being tossed like they have no meaning.The things we place aren’t clutter, they’re love, they’re memories, they’re part of our healing. This isn’t just about policy, this is personal, emotional, and it deserves to be handled with care.

Please sign this petition to help us protect the right to honor our loved ones with respect and kindness.