The Bethany College baseball team gathered at the foot of Coronado Heights on Saturday to transplant 20 new eastern red cedar trees at the Smoky Hill Cemetery. The landscaping plan was set in motion by Judy Pilewski, sexton and caretaker of the cemetery that was established northwest of Lindsborg in 1875.
The Swedes grabbed shovels instead of bats and used teamwork on a windy, raw and rainy day to help beautify the southern edge of the property near the entryway.
"We have a connection with the players because we have adopted several of them the last few years through our church program and so we've developed relationships with them," Pilewski said.
The ravages of time and Kansas weather left the original cedars dead or dying and in need of replacement, said Pilewski, who also serves as the cemetery board's treasurer.
"I know they are always looking for community service projects and so we thought this would be a good one,' she added. "And we approached the coaches and they said, 'Sure,' so here we are."
