In the face of tragedy, Home Depot and the Knights of Columbus teamed up to restore St. Patrick’s Cemetery.

At St. Patrick's Cemetery is a memorial that had fallen into disrepair over the years, so much so that it was nicknamed "the grotto."

Al Collins, the Grand Knight of the Wareham Knights of Columbus, lost his daughter a year ago in July. For a long time, Collins and his wife were too grief-stricken to think beyond their loss. However, it soon became clear to Collins that the cemetery deserved to be kept at its best in memory of those who've passed on.

"Unfortunately, it took something like that to happen for me to notice. I thought 'this needs to be restored,'" said Collins.

After seeing the state of the memorial, Collins was inspired to repair it. He presented the project to his fellow Knights, and they were on board. The project commenced in fall of last year, beginning with a cleanup of the site.

Home Depot #2613 Manager Joe Pratt donated time, materials, landscaping plans, plants and flowers, and manpower to team up with the Knights for the project. Collins estimates that they donated $15,000 to $17,000.

"The public needs to be aware that Home Depot does things like this," Collins said. "They stepped up to help us, and I can't express enough gratitude."

To show their appreciation and deep thanks to Home Depot for their contributions, the Knights assembled in full regalia to present Pratt with a plaque to commemorate the project.

"It looks beautiful, and we're not finished," said Collins of the revamped memorial.

The Knights are hoping to sell the stones at the memorial to establish a cemetery upkeep fund.

Collins is thrilled that something good could come out of a painful part of his life.

"We're very proud," he said.

A rededication at the memorial is slated for some time in October. For Collins, fellow Knights Carl St. Pierre and Home Depot liaison David Gendron, the rededication would mark a very important stage in the long process of restoring the memorial.