Graveyard Dinner Fundraiser Draws Controversy

The Rose Hill Cemetery in Kissimmee has a long storied past. For 119 years the dead have ended up here, but this coming Saturday night that peaceful quiet feel will come alive when the Osceola County Historical Society hosts a fundraising event on cemetery grounds.

The event, called "Dine with the Departed," will feature an elegant dinner and live entertainment. Actors will portray some of the dead, including Kissimmee's first mayor, Jacob Aderhold, who is buried at the cemetery.

“This is not a ghost tour. We are focusing on the contributions these citizens made to the community,” said Anza Bast with the Osceola County Historical Society.

However, the event is upsetting some people. Judy Laverty has relatives buried at the cemetery.

“I think partying out here with spirits crosses the line,” said resident Judy Laverty. "At first, I didn't know what to think, I was just aghast. I couldn't believe anyone could come up with an idea to party in a cemetery.”

But The Osceola County Historical Society says it plans to host the event in an isolated area away from the grave sites.

“It's like partying with the dead. You just don't do that. You respect the dead. But you don't party with them,” Laverty said.

Event organizers say they have already sold more than 125 tickets to the dinner outing. They expect it to be their biggest event of the year.