Operation Dignity  is a national movement to honor more than 50,000 deceased mental health consumers who died while institutionalized at various psychiatric centers across the United States, many of whom were buried in unmarked or numbered graves. 

The Western New York connection began when an unidentified cemetary was accidentaly discovered on Wheater Road in Collins, NY.  An investigation  revealed that the cemetery contained the bodies of approximately 1,000 individuals who had been patients at the Gowanda Psychiatric Center, which had been closed in 1994.

Most of the graves were marked with numbers; some of which had been reused, some worn away by the elements, rendering the identities of the deceased impossible to determine.  The only records that existed disappeared when the center was closed.  The cemetery was found in complete disrepair; overgrown with weeds and berry canes.  Members of the Western New York Peer Movement cleared awaythe grass and weeds and has sinced been maintained by the Collins Correctional Facility, which now occupies the former psychiatric center.

The cemetery remains unidentified and barely accessible by a simple dirt road and demanding terrain.  The late, much loved Sandra Hooten, a peer advocate at Housing Options Made Easy, Inc., decided to honor the deceased by organizing Operation Dignity , initially a ceremonial release of butterflies and poetry readings at the cemetery on June 21, 2002. With supporters and the local media in attendance, the deliverance of the butterflies signified the freeing of souls forgotten by thier families and the state system entrusted with their care.

Sandy beleived that this blatant disregard for the deceased patients contributed to the stigmatizing practice of concealing nuerological illnesses.  Her ultimate vision was to pay permanent tribute to them by seeing to it that the cemetery was consistently maintained and clearly identified with a commemorative plaque or monument that, in Sandy's words, would "let no soul go unnoticed."

To make a financial contribution to this cause contact:

Housing Options Made Easy,Inc.

75 Jamestown Street

Gowanda, NY 14070

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Update September 23, 2008

During a Teleconference with OMH, PEOPLE Inc., Collins Correctional Facility, Olean Friendship Club, Cattaragus County Mental Health Association, Sienna College School of Social Work and the Western NY Peer Networking Group Leadership Team; the following was discussed in regards to the Wheater Rd. site:

TELECONFERENCE September 23, 2008

 

OPERATION DIGINITY

 

Discussion was about what everyone was or could do to help with the restoration of the Gowanda Cemetery on Wheater Rd. We discuss what Tammy Querns and Shelly Woods are doing with the $300 Grant they received for some restoration for the Gowanda Cemetery. On October 29, 2008 they are taking a group of kids from Randolph Academy to work on the cemetery. In addition they have approximately 60 people so far that have agreed to help with the restoration including the students.

 Jim Thompson, Deputy Superintendent of the Collins Correctional Facility says the biggest barrier is funding. The Collins Correctional Facility has agreed to have a water truck at the site on September 29th, 2008 and to provide some tools for the clean-up of the site. he also stated that they might be able to help with some of the repairs of the crosses at their shop at the facility. He offers as much support as they can give in the effort to restore the site of the graves.

Tom O’Clair from the Office of Mental Health reported that OMH is responsible for 17 Cemeteries in New York State. They have roughly $35,000 to be divided between all the cemeteries for restoration. The first cemetery to have restoration by OMH is the Harlem Hill site but Wheater Rd. site is high on the list. The problem with matching names to the sites is the fact that the HIPPA law restrict from giving out information to non-family members. The states of GA and HI have already did similar restoration projects which there is a DVD that is available that documented the process. The DVD is available by emailing Tom at the Office of Mental Health.

 Faith, secretary from the Olean Friendship Club is collecting poems and drawing from the youth and others to be published in this year’s Anthology Collection which is titled “Let No Soul Go Unnoticed”. Olean Friendship Club is also doing a quilt from the collection of drawings and poems. Faith also announced that groups of volunteers will be present at the Gowanda, Wheater Rd. site on Saturday, October 25, 2008, all are encouraged to come on "Make a Difference Day".

 Professor Diana Strock-Lynskey, M.S.W., Siena College specializes in the field of Cemetery Restoration. Told of her experience in Europe restoring cemeteries. She will be giving a workshop on cemetery restoration in Saratoga Springs, NY. She gave advice that Home Depot and/or Lowe’s might help with donations of equipment to help with the clean-up of cemeteries.

 Lorraine Washington from OMH mentioned that the Native American Community would like to be involved.

 The WNY PNG is going to explore the possibility of doing a permanent marker for the Wheater Rd. site. To date they have raised $617.00 and hope to match funds with the maker of the marker.