Kids Doing Scavenger Hunts in Our East Texas Cemeteries?

TYLER, TEXAS - A Tyler woman shared her concerns after she noticed some teenagers engaging in a scavenger hunt at a local cemetery.

Although I've not had the opportunity to meet Jamie Mims in person, I've interacted with her on social media and she is a sweetheart with a beautiful family here in Tyler. And so, when I saw her post on Facebook regarding alleged scavenger hunts at a local cemetery, I took notice.

Here's what she posted:

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"As someone who takes my profession very seriously and looks after loved ones who have passed away, I'm charged not only to be their caretaker but to give families the peace of mind that their loved ones are in a safe place."

She went on to share that twice in one week, she'd noticed older teens or those just starting their college education showing up in the cemetery and doing what seemed to Mims to be some type of scavenger hunt.

What happened when the Tyler woman politely confronted the young people in the cemetery?

Mims said when asked, the teens made comments like 'Oh I'm looking for someone,' but when asked for a specific name they would play it off, say nothing, or grin and admit they were doing a scavenger hunt.

In her post on Facebook, Mims added:

"Parents, schools, or whoever is [...] giving kids scavenger hunt lists, it's not a joke, it's disrespectful, and above all else, it takes me away from working with these precious families who are going through very hard times. Please be respectful and know that this isn't a game to me."

An honorable response, in my opinion.

What did people say in the comments regarding what Mims shared regarding an alleged scavenger hunt taking place in a Tyler cemetery?

Most of those responding said they agreed that, even with the best of intentions, it doesn't seem appropriate for teenagers to do this. Whether or not they were advised to do so by parents or schools or whether it was something they came up with themselves isn't known.

However, one lady commented on her post and said when she was in school they did something similar where they were tasked to find certain headstones and that it was illuminating for her and it was done in a respectful manner. Mims responded that this wasn't that kind of a scenario.

What is your opinion? Should our cemeteries disallow this type of activity or should it be allowed in certain circumstances?

Thank you for sharing this, Jamie Mims. It's an important discussion about which we should all be made aware, for both the safety of the kids and for honoring the memory of our loved ones.