SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Families are sharing their concerns over the treatment and care of their loved one’s grave sites at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Brenda and Mac Salter have loved ones buried in the cemetery but say the gravestones are consistently covered with dirt and debris. Another issue the Salters mentioned is the flooding that can occur and the poor kept lawn.

The Salters said they often take matters into their own hands and handle the restoration and beautification of the gravestones.

“If they do mow, they do not edge around the markers,” Brenda said. “And the grass just grows around the markers between the markers. So, my family comes out here once a week in the summer to edge around everything.”

The Salters said they aren’t the only ones with these concerns, as they’ve seen other families doing similar care.

“We have seen many people out here doing it themselves,” Brenda said. “They just have a day that they come out here and take care of their loved ones’ gravesites, because the cemetery isn’t doing it.”

Perpetual care is promised when lots are purchased, but the Salters said management isn’t holding up their end of the deal.

Manager John Bokasxm said, “If the family is upset, we want to fix that for the families, so by no means am I saying the family’s wrong. That’s their perception and it’s valid. And we want to address that. We want to individually address that with each family that we’re privileged to serve.”