Community Call to Action: Save Woodlawn Cemetery

In doing so R. Suarez self surrender his California State Operational License on 01/17/2020 and pad lock all entrance into the property located at 1715 W. Greenleaf Blvd, Compton, California 90220, leaving families clueless on how to proceed with the continued care taking for their beloved.Celestina Bishop and helpful volunteers decided to be the change that Woodlawn Memorial Park in Compton, California so needed. As the grounds was unrecognizable as a cemetery due to the over-growth of vegetation covering headstones and tombstones in which some areas was at least 5 feet high, illegal trash dumping, several homeless enchantments throughout the grounds, wild animals and rottens just to name a few of the visual impacts of devastation that Celestina witness as she jump the gate to lay flowers on her Mother’s and GrandMothers grave on Mother’s Day 2020.

Celestina’s promised her Mother and deceased family that she would clean-up their final resting area, and that she did. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, supporters near and far, and her dedicated husband by her side she founded One Section At A Time (OSAAT) Nonprofit.

Months of diligent clean-up efforts, tons of trash removal,  repairs to missing and/or broken pipes for irrigation, grooming of unattended trees, roof repair, etc, Celestina was able to give Woodlawn back its beautiful visual reassurance to the families and restore dignity and respect back to the deceased.

Celestina has not only improved Woodlawn Memorial Park, she also has become a strong community activist, as her nonprofit passes out food boxes weekly to help assist families affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, also this pass December 2020, her organization supplied 307 families with holiday cheer as they passed out toys for children in need.

Celestina’s accomplishments over ay Woodlawn has been  the blessing that people need during this era in our lives. As Celestina’s has brought joy back to many families affected by the mismanagement of Woodlawn for well over 22 years, the community property value has gone up by her efforts to restore this abandoned cemetery, and families was able to focus more on the smiles the children had on their faces on Christmas Day from the gifts that was supplied at OSAAT toy drive.

Now  families have the comfort of knowing that OSAAT is truly its “Brother Keepers” as we all endure this pandemic.

OSAAT’s recently found out that the landowner never had intentions of transferring the property to her nonprofit as he stated in a news broadcasting in 2019.

R. Suarez led Celestina to believe that he wanted to make mends to the hurt he has caused  in all the families lives that had an emotional attachment to Woodlawn. His careless actions led Celestina to invest her life saving into this property without a second doubt, as she was believing she was making a change, and bringing peace to the deceased, and in fact it was another ploy of his to be  manipulative, and evil as he had been before.

R. Suarez knew that he was $70,000.00 behind in taxes as the default date began in 2013. Woodlawn could be soon be auction off, leaving this cemetery to be sold, and forcing OSAAT’s and its accomplishments in the city of Compton, out the gates permanently.

OSAAT’s is seeking assistance to help us purchase this property so we can continue to keep it a memorial park for the families, and turn this beautiful site into an outside museum, as this 200 year old cemetery has a lot of historical deceased.

Help OSAAT’s in it fight, to continue to be the change that Woodlawn and the Compton community needs. Your support is appreciated.

Thanks,

Celestinia Bishop

Click here to donate.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by One Section At A Time (@onesectionatatime)