Hurricane Beryl’s damage to Houston’s Olivewood Cemetery sees cleanup help from volunteers but not FEMA

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Cleanup and removal of storm damage are costly processes, and they are even harder for a place like Olivewood Cemetery.

Descendants of Olivewood, a nonprofit organization, helps with the upkeep and restoration of the property. Finding cleanup funds is challenging for them, but the cleanup is underway with the community’s help.

The roar of the chainsaws and the hands of help cleared off hurricane havoc left by Beryl. Up to 60 trees were lost, and more than a dozen headstones were damaged.

“This is a huge task for us,” Margott Williams, who is part of the Descendants of Olivewood, said.

The nonprofit organization helped keep the 150-year-old cemetery looking good. On Tuesday morning, volunteers from Cheniere Energy were helping out, but federal assistance was not coming.

“Basically, FEMA says we don’t qualify as a museum or cultural site. They don’t fund cemeteries,” a disappointed Williams said.

So, for now, the cleanup is in the hands of Cheniere and people like Charles Cook, who’s been mowing and edging in Olivewood for more than 30 years.

“It’s all about community; we only come this way one time, try to leave it better than before,” Cook, who said he’s happy to help out, told ABC13.

Olivewood, a piece of Houston history, a piece of Texas history, needs your help.

“This is a historical site. The people that are buried here in Olivewood, they helped weave the fabric that is Houston, the fabric that is Texas. They tell the true American story,” Williams said.

For more information on how you can help out, visit the cemetery’s website.