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REGIONAL NATIONAL CEMETERY IMPROVEMENT CORP.
P.O. BOX 4221,
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS 72702
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The Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corporation (RNCIC) was incorporated on May 7, 1984 to aid in the
expansion and improvement of the Fayetteville National Cemetery. The incorporators were Col. Larry L. Browne, Jr.,
Ken Gibson and John Wm. Murphy. These three were also the RNCIC's first Board of Directors.
It is a legally constituted, not-for-profit corporation whose officers and directors are made up of veterans and
non-veterans who work without compensation. Membership in the RNCIC is open to all interested parties.
We have kept the Cemetery open and increased its size by over 200% since our founding.
RNCIC's Mission
The mission of the RNCIC is to secure land adjacent to the Fayetteville National Cemetery to ensure the
cemetery can continue to receive veterans for burial. Veterans living in Northwest Arkansas,
as well as many veterans living outside our region, have planned their final resting place here. This desire
stems from having been born and raised in Northwest Arkansas, having close family ties
here, or having made their homes in the area following their service.
RNCIC's Goal
The Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corporation is committed to the acquisition of
land adjacent to the Fayetteville National Cemetery to ensure that it is not closed to burials. Without past
donations for the purchase of land, the cemetery would be closed to burials today.
22 pieces of land have been purchased by the RNCIC since 1984 totalling 7.55 acres.
There are still 16 pieces adjacent to the cemetery that are suitable for expansion. We have an opportunity to purchase
additional land. The owners of several tracts on Hill and Government Avenues are ready to sell. Our goal is to
purchase all property along Government Avenue to the railroad tracks and all property along Hill Avenue east of the cemetery.
The History
The Fayetteville National Cemetery opened in 1867. On July 17, 1862, Congress enacted legislation that
authorized President Abraham Lincoln to purchase "cemetery grounds" to be used as
national cemeteries "for soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country." Fourteen cemeteries were
established that first year, including one in the sleepy Maryland town of Sharpsburg
where 4,476 Union soldiers were laid to rest after the one day of terrible slaughter that was the Battle of
Antietam. By comparison, approximately 3,000 Americans, British and Canadians died on June 6, 1944, in the
invasion of Normandy.
Since September 1, 1973, responsibility for the national cemetery rests with the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Today, there are 136 national cemeteries in all. The Department of Veterans
Affairs, through its National Cemetery Administration, administers 120 of them. Two national Cemeteries,
Arlington and Soldiers Home, are still administered by the Army. Fourteen national
cemeteries are maintained by the Department of the Interior.
More than 2.5 million Americans, including veterans of every war and conflict - from the Revolutionary War to
the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars - are honored by burial in VA's national cemeteries. More than 14,200
acres of land from Hawaii to Maine, and from Alaska to Puerto Rico are devoted to the memorialization of
those who served this nation. More than 300 recipients of the Medal of Honor are buried
in VA's national cemeteries, including Clarence Craft in the Fayetteville National Cemetery. Visit the
Medal Of Honor website to read Craft's
remarkable citation. He lived in Fayetteville many, many years.
Many of the national cemeteries have been closed to further burials - including the one in Little Rock - having
reached full capacity, and additional ones are open only for cremation urn placements. Expansion to any
existing cemetery can only be done by
adding adjacent usable land. Any acquisition must be donated to the National Cemetery with an
unencumbered title and the land cleared of all utilities, pipes, sewers, etc.
We Need Your Support
Many people have given generously in the past and are being asked to contribute again. Your giving will be
deeply appreciated and donations are tax deductible under current law. RNCIC tax
identification will be furnished upon request. Find out more about us from news articles linked below.
We thank our friends at the Northwest Arkansas Times, Morning News, White River Valley News,
The Vista, Channel 5 TV and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for publicizing our efforts.
Print out the contribution/donation form and mail it with your check to:
Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corp.
P.O. Box 4221
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702.
Monthly business meetings are at 10:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month
at the American Legion Post No. 27, 1195 S.Curtis Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
If your club, business or organization wishes to have a speaker to tell our story, please contact us.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Ron Butler, President 479-750-2598
Merle Williams, Vice President
Lorna Sterrett, Secretary
Harold Crivello, Treasurer
THE 4TH ANNUAL VETERAN'S MEMORIAL 5K RACE
WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2012 AT THE FAYETTEVILLE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
More information will be posted later.
RNCIC ANNUAL MEETING HELD JANUARY 14, 2012
A new Board of Directors
was elected along with officers for 2012
COMBAT VETERANS MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION DONATES $1,000 TO RNCIC
Steve "Top" Real, CVMA Commander, presented a check for $1,000 to Ron Butler, RNCIC President,
at a ceremony on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at the Fayetteville National Cemetery
before the Wreaths Across America event was held. We are grateful for the donation.
Click on pix for larger photos.
L-R: Ron and Steve, Ron and other CMVA members with check, the big check and both RNCIC and CVMA crews.
SUSANNAH PORTER BEQUEATHS $20,000 TO RNCIC
Susannah Adair Handy Porter of Fayetteville died Saturday, August 20, 2011.
Her bequest of $20,000 to the RNCIC was received November 22, 2011.
Both Susannah and her husband, James Lee Porter, are buried in the Fayetteville National Cemetery.
Read Susannah's obituary to see what an extraordinary person she was.
We are very grateful to her for the bequest and it will be used in our next land purchase.
THE 3RD ANNUAL VETERAN'S MEMORIAL 5K RACE
WAS HELD ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2011 AT THE FAYETTEVILLE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
All proceeds went for the expansion of the cemetery.
Registration Fees: $25 early and $30 day of the race.
Send registration fees to Veteran's Memorial 5 K Race, C/O RNCIC, P.O. Box 4221, Fayetteville, Arkansas
72701.
Contact Roger McClain for info on being a sponsor, making a donation or to assist in anyway.
Click for more information: Race Brochure, Race Letter, and Race Sponsors.
You may sign up online HERE!
Take a look at our SPONSORS! who supported the race and give them your business.
Check the complete races results here: Overall Finish List and Age Group Results
Click on pix for larger photos.
L-R: RNCIC crew, Start of race, Kalani Holleman - female winner and Kyle Schmidt - male winner.
FIRST TWO LIFE MEMBERSHIPS PRESENTED
President Ron Butler presents life membership #1 to Jake Lamkins and #2 to Lorna Sterrett
at the RNCIC meeting on September 10, 2011.
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
STARTING JULY 19, 2011
The following Membership dues have been approved by the RNCIC Board of Directors:
Lifetime $500
Sustaining $100 per year
Supporting $ 35 per year
Family $ 20 per year
Individual $ 10 per year
We invite you to express your interest in a membership.
This entitles you to attend our monthly meetings on the second Saturday
of every month (except December), 10:30 a.m.,
at the American Legion Post 27, 1195 So. Curtis Ave., Fayetteville, AR.
If that is not a consideration at this time,
perhaps you would like to make a donation to the RNCIC in memory of or in honor of an individual.
A membership form is shown for your consideration.
Right click, save to your computer and print out.
Membership dues are being accepted now.
We already have our first Lifetime Member,
and would like to add your name to the roll in any category that suits you.
We have recently purchased two properties on Hill Ave. which will give the RNCIC
a block of four properties to turn over to the VA for future burial sites at the Fayetteville National Cemetery.
However, we still have a lot of work ahead of us with fund raising to purchase additional properties.
WE NEED YOUR HELP AND PARTICIPATION!
Make your check payable to RNCIC and mail it to P.O. Box 4221, Fayetteville, AR 72702.
You will receive a membership card by return mail.
Thank you!
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LINKS
Fayetteville National Cemetery
Interments in the Cemetery
VA Burial & Benefits
VA Homepage
Veteran's Records
Fayetteville map
Cemetery map
2005 aerial photo of the cemetery
2009 aerial photo of the cemetery
showing Sale Barn property
2010 aerial photo of the cemetery
shows latest RNCIC donations being prepared for burials
RNCIC Bylaws
New RNCIC Bylaws adopted 7/9/11
Download our RNCIC Brochure
VA Arkansas state summary
RNCIC Life Members
| PAST NEWS ABOUT THE RNCIC
Many thanks to our contributors for their support!
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The RNCIC.com website is possible due to a continuing donation from Jake Lamkins
in memory of Bill Murphy, Larry Browne, Ken Gibson, Elvie Heiney, Milo Cumpston, John Swaim, Bob Sterrett, Joe Hussey, Walker Collins, and veterans everywhere.
Many, many thanks to Bob and Lorna Sterrett for their $50,000 donation on March 8, 2008, Don Tyson for his donation of $75,000 on May 28, 2010
and Susannah Porter for her donation of $20,000 on November 22, 2011 - the largest gifts ever received by the RNCIC since it was founded in 1984.
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