Lutz Cemetery introduces new QR codes to gravestones
Original reporting by Ayla Yebba
Lutz Cemetery is introducing a new feature. They are partnering with the American Legion to launch a project that will preserve the stories of those buried here with the use of QR codes.
It took 18 months for the Lutz Cemetery staff to walk up and down each row to catalog and record every single headstone.
Visitors can now search their loved one’s name on the cemetery’s “map search” site and follow direct GPS tracking to the gravestones.
Families also have the option to add a QR code to the gravestone, where they can upload obituaries, photos and video links.
“There’s a lifeline in there of all kinds of activities and things that individual went with and we started looking at you know the various names and doing a little bit of research. And said there’s got to be a way of sharing this information,” said Cemetary Director Donald Hinst.
Adding this technology opens the door for youth participation. The Lutz Cemetery Florida Legacy Project connects youth organizations with an individual buried in the cemetery.
The young historians conduct research and document the person’s life and lasting legacy.
That information is then uploaded to QR codes that will be placed on the gravestones.
“It was really built for them, to give them an opportunity to, to have a part in this history building and teach them you know the importance of keeping a legacy alive,” said Lutz Cemetery Operations Manager Toni Hedstrom.
Lutz Cemetery is only the beginning of the project’s much bigger goal.
They hope more cemeteries will follow in their footsteps to digitize the lives of loved ones forever.
For more information, visit Lutzcemetery.org.
Allergy season is underway
Original reporting by Lydia Diehm
Allergy season is back, and in Florida, it can last most of the year.
Right now, tree pollen is the main trigger, but that shifts to grass and then weeds later on in the year.
The best way to manage symptoms is to keep windows closed and shower after being outside so it doesn’t stick to your clothes or hair.
Credits
Anchor: Emma Brisk
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