Homeless Man Hired To Guard Cemetery In Exchange For Home

Updated
Donald Shortstack Oliver homeless cemetary guard
Donald Shortstack Oliver homeless cemetary guard

Vandals broke into one of the oldest cemetery west of the Mississippi in April 2011, toppling and smashing 26 headstones. It took almost a year and $28,000 for volunteers to repair the damage in Marysville, Calif. And just when the work was complete, hoodlums struck again, knocking over and smashing 10 more. "It's very upsetting," said Roberta Shurtz, the chairwoman of the Marysville Cemetery board. She says that she would install security cameras, if the city could afford it.

The Marysville Police may have come up with a much niftier solution. His name is Donald "Shortstack" Oliver, a local homeless man, who in exchange for an on-site trailer, will guard the 162-year-old cemetery with the help of his dog, Rosie.

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