The concept of local groups adopting a park or stretch of roadway to maintain is being applied in Easton to gravesites in the town’s old cemeteries.

The effort originated with Senior Center Director Valerie Buckley and her assistant Kay Oestreicher, who suggested volunteers might be willing to adopt individual gravestones to look after.

Center patrons quickly embraced the idea as a way to honor families who lived in town for generations.

“To see trees growing up among the graves and stones tipped over breaks our hearts,” said Lillian Kocsis, a member of the Easton Historical Society who became an adopt a grave leader.

Under the program, individuals or groups are asked to pledge the $50 or $100 that might be needed to restore a broken or collapsed gravestone.

The first targeted were in the Center Street Cemetery, but plans are to expand the program to three other abandoned cemeteries.

The Senior Center has mailed out notices listing graves that need adoption to 2,000 seniors and civic group leaders.