The IBSSS Mary Ingalls Society is very happy to announce that $6,000 has been raised to complete the Lot 31 Project.  This money will allow us to purchase a grave monument for Lot 31 of the West Addition in Evergreen Cemetery.  This lot was purchased in the mid 1800s for and holds the remains of six known students from the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.  No permanent marker has been present on this spot since the first student was buried in 1864. The last known burial was in 1880.  

This past summer Rich Farmer notified the IBSSS Mary Ingalls Society of research he had done regarding a lot in Evergreen Cemetery belonging to the Braille School with no identifying marker.  Rich had been able to identify six students buried there.  Armed with this information, the Mary Ingalls Society established the Lot 31 Project in an effort to get a marker for the lot.  

Realizing this goal could not have happened without the amazing response of the community.  There is nothing like seeing a grassroots movement taking shape.   We were also fortunate to receive 3 major contributions to get us to the desired total in a very short amount of time.  These include a memorial for Donald and Arlene Eckhart by Dean and Linda Ohrt, a Sellers family gift in honor of their mother, Delores Sellers, and a challenge gift from the IBSSS Alumni Society.  Because of the generosity of the community and these donors, we will not only be able to purchase a monument for Lot 31, but will have funds to get permanent markers for 2 additional students buried across the drive from Lot 31. 

It is great to be part of a community that honors its history.  We are blessed with newspapers that are willing to print articles for us and directly participate in our projects.

Please stay tuned for updates on progress and ultimate unveiling of the monument and markers.