Maintenance at a Franklin Township cemetery just got a little easier thanks to a contribution from a local fire department.

Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 recently donated a new zero-turn Snapper lawn mower to Union Hill Cemetery, according to Travis Nothstein, president of Union Hill Cemetery Association.

Nothstein said the Snapper lawn mower was purchased from Hillside Small Engines in Franklin Township, and donated from the fire company through its small games of chance raffle.

“We want to say thank you to Lonny Armbruster (president of Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1), from the fire company and ‘Bud’ Hartsell,” Nothstein said. “Bud started this whole process; the fire company has small games of chance, and he got word out to the fire company that we were in need of new equipment for maintenance.”

Nothstein said the fire company purchased the mower from Ryan Hartman, owner of Hillside Small Engines, and in turn, donated it to the cemetery.

He said the zero-turn Snapper mower cost about $3,000, and has a four-year warranty.

Nothstein said the cemetery received the mower in October, and it has just 23 hours on it.

He added that the cemetery is always looking for volunteers, and anyone interested may call 570-249-8766, or 484-695-5147, by email at unionhillcemetery1881@yahoo.com, or by mail at 140 Union Hill Road, Lehighton, PA 18235-2830.