Local woman makes dreams come alive

   Mary Woodlan is always dreaming up something. For years, as co-president of the Brookwood High School PTSA she coordinated dozens of fundraisers, including the Miss Brookwood Pageant. She spent decades as a volunteer coordinator at her church, dreaming up ways for people to have fun while contributing to their community. With all this volunteer work, one might think she’d eventually run herself into the ground. And that’s just about what she did. 

   After her son graduated from Brookwood, Woodlan began volunteering at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, stirring up the same kind of excitement as she’d done in Gwinnett. It didn’t take long before she was claiming both a title and a paycheck. As the Volunteer and Special Events Coordinator for the Historic Oakland Foundation, Woodlan works hand-in-hand with fellow Gwinnettian Kevin Kuharic of Duluth, who is the Restoration and Landscape Manager. Together they dream up ways to bring life to the historic cemetery and to educate people all over Metro Atlanta about the ways they can get involved with their past—and their present.

   One of Woodlan’s favorite ventures is Sunday in the Park, which is always held on the first Sunday in October. Woodlan notes that in days gone by, families would picnic in the cemetery on Sunday afternoons. Adults would clean up around the gravestones while grandchildren would play together around the burial plots of their ancestors, making it a true family affair. Everyone—even if only in spirit— was present for these Sunday visits.

   Today, with extended families being scattered across the country, and with Sunday soccer games taking precedence over graveyard visits, Sunday in the park no longer means much to anyone.

   However, Woodlan has put life back into the term, which in the case of Oakland Cemetery, actually is a whole new term.

   Oakland Cemetery is officially an Atlanta City Park that just happens to be a place where people are buried. People live it up in this park all the time in many ways. 

   “Lots of garden clubs use Oakland as a special events venue. Last year we had two wedding here. Law firms bring their interns to have picnics on the grounds and we have a 40th birthday party with a live band on the schedule,” said Woodlan. “We promise a unique experience for visitors of all ages. Admission is $1.00 and free parking is available nearby.”

   Highlights include a teddy bear tea, horse-and-carriage tours, a Victorian costume contest, photography contest, and a scavenger hunt masterminded by Caleco Creations, who are donating their services for the event. (More info: mary@oaklandcemetery.com or 404-688-2107)

   You know, some people who live inside the perimeter like to call Gwinnett County a bedroom community. Maybe it’s because people out here like Mary Woodlan are always dreaming up ways to keep all of Metro-Atlanta alive.

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