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| | Hall of Fame Wall at the Lithuanian Club (Cleveland, OH)
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2010 Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies / Fundraiser
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Recher Hall (Slovenian Society Home)
20713 Recher Avenue
Euclid, Ohio
44119
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Congrats to the Hall of Fame Class of 2010!
Joe Cannavino
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 | | Joe Cannavino - HOF class of 2010 |
| | A. Bielskus overseeing aibas Juniors
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Algirdas Bielskus
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34251 Ridge Road
Apt #408
Willoughby, Ohio
44094
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2000.
President of aibas (1950 - 1957). President of Baltic Athletic Federation of North America (BAFNA). President of Lithuanian Athletic Union of North America (LAUNA 1968 - 1970. Currently General Secretary of LAUNA. Legendary aibas Track & Field Coach for the past 50 years.
Phone: 440-833-0545
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 | | 1969 aibas Juniors Track team |
Rytas Babickas
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deceased
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2001.
President of aibas (1957-1975). aibas Volleyball Coach. aibas volleyball was highly regarded in North American during 1950s,60s and 70s. His teams won numerous American Amateur Volleyball Association's AAU class tournaments, women's team won the Ohio State title for 10 consecutive years from 1959-1969. They also took the Regional AAU Women's volleyball championships seven times. Coach for the LAUNA women's all-star volleyball team on a 1973 European tour. On this tour, they won 14, tied once, and lost only two games playing some of Europe's elite teams.
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Vytenis Ciurlionis
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2001
Lithuanian skiing enthusiast, coach and section leader. Vytenis continues to be a stellar skiier on the National level amongst the senior circuit. He has passed his passion for skiing on to numerous Lithuanian youth in the Cleveland metro area over the many years.
vciurlionis@msn.com
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Juozas Kijauskas
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2001
Besides being one of the areas top basketball players for many years, Juozas Kijauskas felt the need like so many others to give back to his sport and to his community. He was an active member of the Lithuanian Athletic Club, better known as AIBAS for over 40 years. His accomplishments during those years were numerous:
> He served as aibas basketball director from 1953 1965
> He was also a longtime member of the clubs Executive Board which does fund raising like tonights events in order to pay for the annual costs of gym rentals and hosting of major tournaments in Cleveland.
> In 1975, he was elected the 3rd president in aibas history and he served 16 years from 1975 1991
> Representing aibas in the Lithuanian Athletic Union of North America which sponsors these annual tournaments, he served as a member of their Executive Council
> However, I think one of Joes finest achievements over the years was his leadership in Lithuanian womens basketball. He was a pioneer in this area and one of his proudest moments was when he was selected to organize and coach the North American Lithuanian womens all star team. His hard work and dedication culminated with his team traveling to Australia to participate in the Lithuanian World Games of 1988.
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Ausra Barzdukaite-Babickiene
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2002.
Auras career in the sport of volleyball began in 1957 first as an outside hitter, later as a setter. But more importantly she was always the teams captain, the brains behind the team as well as their source of inspiration and motivation. In a 17 year period, the aibas team participated in every tournament organized by the Lithuanian Sports Federation of North America, often winning the championships. Looking for new challenges, the team participated in many double A tournaments outside of the Lithuanian community, including Lake Erie AAU and USVBA Region IV Championships. In a 17 year period from 1958 through 1975, they managed to capture the AAU championship ALL but three of those years. From 1959 for 10 consecutive years they were Ohio champions, and 7 years they were USVBA Region 4 champions. This region consisted of 4 states, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and West Pennsylvania.
In those days the world of volleyball was dominated by teams from California, Texas and Hawaii. Yet this team with humble origins in Cleveland, Ohio under the leadership of Aura went on to become a national powerhouse. Having won the Regional championship, this small ethnic team became five-time qualifiers for the finals of the United States Volleyball Association (USVBA). In 1965 and 1974 they placed an impressive 9th place in the nation, beating out many well-known, very accomplished and established teams.
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 | | 1959 Ohio AAU Volleyball Champions - Ausra third from the right | | view full size |
Rita Cyvaite - Klioriene
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| |  | | Rita Klioriene, Vidas Tatarunas, Algis Bielskus (2003 HOF) | | view full size |
aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2003.
aibas Juniors Track & Field Star in short distance events holding numerous club records: 100 yd & 100m, 200 m & 220 yd, 400m & 440 yd, 800m & 880yd., long jump.
Captain of one of the finest teams ever assembled at Cleveland State University from 1973 to 1975. In 1974, they won the NCAA Midwestern regional title.
Won the "Most Outstanding Volleyball Player" award that year (1974).
Was also named "Female Athlete of the Year" in 1975.
In later years, she was inducted to the Cleveland State University Hall of Fame for volleyball.
At Cleveland State University, she along with 3 other aibas volleyball teammates quickly took over the scene and turned the program into a perennial winner. In 1975, Rita and her teammates won the NCAA Midwest Region Championships and qualified for the National Championships in Portland Oregon finishing fifth in the nation.
Captain of aibas women's volleyball during the glory years of the 1970s when aibas excelled at the local and national level. Rita and her teammates (including Hall of Fame inductee Egle Giedraityte-Laniauskiene) dominated the local Lake Erie AAU scene and eventually became one of the elite teams in the USVBA East region (which included Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania. They were frequent participants in the AAU National Championships and in 1973 Rita was selected to the North American Lithuanian All Star team which traveled to Europe for an exhibition tour.
RKliorys@att.net
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Lenny Kedys
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| |  | | Lenny Kedys, Rita Klioriene, Linas Vaitkus, Marius Laniauskas celebrating 1st pl | | view full size |
aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2004
Lenny was a star basketball player for St. Joseph High School, Tri - C and Cleveland State University .
He was a premier point guard for aibas during his long and illustrious career. He was still considered a major threat even in his late 40s due to top notch conditioning.
Was a very strong volleyball player as well for aibas winning numerous LAUNA men's championships.
He coached aibas Juniors Basketball and Track and Field.
In 1980, he was selected to the LAUNA all-star men's basketball team for an Australian tour.
During the Australian tour, he also coached the Junior A (18 year olds) all- star team as well.
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Egle Giedraityte - Laniauskiene
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2005.
As a aibas Junior, Egle set records in numerous running events and field events such as long jump, high jump and baseball throw that still stand today in the North American Lithuanian record books.
Representing aibas, at the age of 16, she was the Lake Erie AAU womens Pentathlon champion. At 17, she was the first Zaibas Junior to win in the North East Ohio Region High School championship in the Long Jump. She went on that year to the AAU Jr Olympics in Detroit Michigan and took second place in the Pentathlon.
Egle and her teammates (including Hall of Fame inductee Rita Cyvaite- Klioriene) dominated the local Lake Erie AAU scene and eventually became one of the elite teams in the USVBA East region (which included Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania. They were frequent participants in the AAU National Championships and in 1973 Egle was selected to the North American Lithuanian All Star team which traveled to Europe for an exhibition tour.
At Cleveland State University, she along with 3 other aibas volleyball teammates quickly took over the scene and turned the program into a perennial winner. In 1975, Egle (who was the team captain) and her teammates won the NCAA Midwest Region Championships and qualified for the National Championships in Portland Oregon finishing fifth in the nation.
She won 3 gold medals in the Lithuanian World Games 1978 in Toronto and continued to participate in the Senior Track meets even at the age of 37.
Today Egle coaches volleyball at Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, OH.
eglelan@comcast.net
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Algis Motiejunas
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2005
Participating in numerous AAU and Cleveland City Rec track meets, Algis was an early standout. In fact, during one of the Greater Cleveland Jr. Olympics finals whereby over 3,000 participants competed, Algis at the age of 10 came away with a bronze medal in the long jump. This was the first time a aibas junior athlete medaled in such an important event.
Algis started his basketball career in Collinwoods Junior High School, eventually becoming a 3 time letterman for Collinwoods varsity and elected as the teams captain his final year.
He was inducted into Case Westerns Hall of Fame where he starred on the universitys track, basketball and of all things varsity football teams.
He was the Presidents Athletic Conference champion in the triple jump, long jump, 100, 220, and of course the relay race teams at Western Reserve.
He continued to represent aibas in Track and Field, winning numerous North American Lithuanian and Baltic championships. To this day, he continues to hold several club records in long jump and triple jump.
In 1964, he was selected to the North American Lithuanian Mens All Star team for an international tour to Australia. A total of 25 games were scheduled. His team dominated by winning 24 games and for the finale handily defeated Australias Olympic basketball team in an exhibition as well. On their return from Australia, the team was invited to play an exhibition game against Canadas Olympic team which was also training for the Olympic Games in Tokyo that year. The Lithuanians again defeated an Olympic Team this time the Canadians in an overtime game. Algis represented his team well and obviously this was the highlight of his basketball career!
Al continued his aibas athletic career for years to come participating in numerous sports including volleyball and also becoming an outstanding division I racquetball player.
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Elvyra Siksniute - Vodopaliene
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2006
At 14, she won her first gold medal in the 60 meter run at the first Occupied Nations Olympics held in Nuremburg, Germany. Over the next three years as a young teen she dominated the German track scene by winning gold medals in both short distance events and the long jump. Under the watchful eye of Algis Bielskus she became a local phenom.
In 1952, at Ohio State University she starred in the womens volleyball, basketball and table tennis. In fact, representing aibas she won 2nd place in the Ohio State Table Tennis Championships.
Even though there was no collegiate program, Elvyra became very well known in the US track circles. In 1952 representing aibas Track Club at the Ohio AAU track championships, she broke the Lithuanian record in the 60 meter dash and won 3 gold medals in the 50 yd dash, 100 yd dash and of course long jump. She went on that year to the US national AAU Championships and was invited to the US Olympic tryouts.
She continued to dominate the US Lithuanian and local Ohio track scene the next couple of years culminating with her finest moment in 1954 where she won the bronze medal in long jump at the National AAU championships.
In 1975, she earned a Masters Degree in Sports Administration from the University of Maryland where she also coached Womens Volleyball and Track and Field programs.
After moving from Cleveland, she founded similar Lithuanian sports clubs in both Los Angeles (1958) and Washington, DC (in 1972).
She later became an executive member of the Lithuanian Athletic Union of North America (LAUNA)and helped organize numerous national sporting events for the Lithuanian youth.
ejvodo@prodigy.net
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Ray Jonaitis
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2006
At St. Joseph High School Ray starred in track and field winning the Ohio State Championship. His specialties were the middle distance races (i.e. 400, 800, 1500) and discus.
He took over the reins of the Track and Field section from his one time coach and mentor Algis Bielskus and the aibas Renaissance period began. From 1976 1984, he actively recruited the Cleveland youth to the program and soon transformed the club back to its former glory days in track and field. During this period Zaibas not only dominated both Lithuanian and Baltic national track meets but also AAU Jr. Olympic track championship meets.
In 1980 and 1984, aibas Track dominated in the Freedom Olympics which were comprised of star athletes from 8 Soviet Bloc Eastern European countries.
He also played on numerous aibas men's basketball teams over the years and also had several stints of coaching aibas Juniors basketball teams as well.
rjonaitis@adelphia.net
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Vytautas Januskis
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2006
Founding President of Lithuanian Sports Club in Cleveland - aibas (1950)
Vytautas was very active in sports during WWII in a displaced persons camp in Hanau, German. Lithuanians love to compete so they formed the first sports festival in the camp competing with other Latvians, Estonians and Poles in various sports such as basketball, volleyball, track/field and table tennis. Vytautas was one of the first organizers of such games.
He even found time to participate in the table tennis tournament winning second place in the mens division. These games became so popular that organized national clubs sprouted up and of course Vytautas joined the Lithuanian Sports Club Perkunas to head up their table tennis team. Table tennis became very popular in the DP camps and eventually all star tournaments were born.
In 1947, Vytautas ended up with 2nd place in the individual competition and 1st place in the doubles competition.
May 5, 1950, the Cleveland Sports Club aibas was formed and Vytautas Januskis was elected as its very first president.
Both basketball and table tennis became very popular not only in Cleveland but in other major cities in North America where Lithuanians immigrated to. Thus creation of the Lithuanian Athletic Union of North America (LAUNA).
Vytautas continued to compete in table tennis and even participated in the second annual games which were held in Cleveland in 1952
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Henrikas Johansonas
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deceased
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2007
Henrikas in his youth, was an avid athlete and like many of his peers, he honed his athletic skills in the Lithuanian Displaced Persons camps in Germany during World War II. He starred in basketball, table tennis and chess.
Like many of the early arrivals in Cleveland, Henrikas saw a need to organize the athletes and provide an outlet thru athletics. On May 5th, 1950, along with Vytautas Januskis and Jaunutis Nasvytis they founded the Cleveland Lithuanian Athletic Club aibas.
Later that month, he organized the first aibas mens basketball team and they played their first game ever against an established mens basketball team from the Lithuanian parish St. Georges. A healthy rivalry was born that day as neighborhood bragging rights were up for grabs ! He continued to coach the mens team for several years participating in the Cleveland Muny league and numerous NALA tournaments.
After successfully starting the Mens program, Henrikas knew he wanted to do more. In 1956, he gave up his coaching position with the mens team and turned his focus on the Lithuanian youth in Cleveland! Starting with 13-14 year old boys from the St. Georges Lithuanian neighborhood, he created the first aibas Juniors basketball team.
Like mushrooms popping up after a good rain, young basketball players sprouted up everywhere to join his teams. They eventually participated in 1957, in the North American Lithuanian Games in Toronto. To everyones surprise, Henriko team was not only talented but very well coached and they pulled off upset after upset defeating teams from much larger citys like Chicago. A true Cinderella story - they came home that year as Champions of the NALA juniors games.
In true Red Auerbach like fashion, his teams continued their dominance over the Lithuanian Juniors basketball landscape for years to come, repeating as champions in 1958 and 1960. Star players and future Hall of Famers like Modestas, Silingas and Motiejunas all started with Henrikas teams and eventually travelled to Australia in 1964 to represent the Lithuanian American All-Star team. His passion for basketball was passed on to these players and in turn inspired many other individuals.
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Steve Stempuzis
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deceased
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2007
Steve Stempuzis (husband, father and friend to many of us) stood out from his peers in the fact that he never took a break from the Lithuanian Athletic Club he was truly a lifelong active member. He started his aibas career at the tender age of 7 years old in track and field and was an active member as juniors basketball coach until his untimely death at the age of 48 in 2002.
Like many of us, Steve started his athletic career in track and field with aibas under the watchful eye of coach Algis Bielskus. He fortified the aibas track team for many, many years in his field event specialties: javelin, discus and shotput. He also anchored his high school track team at St. Joseph in both events as well. He was a finalist and champion in many of the Lithuanian and Baltic meets that he competed in and participated in many AAU events well into his adult life. His records in javelin, discus and shotput have held up for many years.
In addition to track and field, Steve also shared a love for basketball and was captain for many teams throughout his aibas career and at St. Joes H.S.
He continued to participate in our club as a Juniors coach in both track and basketball. Steves style as a coach was endearing to the kids. Never one to raise his voice. He will always be remembered as a kind hearted soul who gave more than he took.
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 | | 1970 Junior A Class Team. Steve Stempuzis (Back row 3rd from right) | | view full size |
| | Class of 2008 Onute Draugelyte-Jokubaitiene and Vytautas Jokubaitis
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Vytautas and Onute Draugelyte-Jokubaitis
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deceased
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aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2008 inductees were a husband / wife team who were known not for their athletic prowess but rather their organizational skills and their passion to make a difference. They are Vytautas Jokubaitis and Ona Draugelyte-Jokubaitiene. They have both passed but their memories and life long achievements live on.
Vytautas and Onute were both born in Lithuania in the early 1920s. As a youth, Vytautas enjoyed weightlifting and wrestling.
Along with many Lithuanians, they emigrated to Germany during WWII where they met and were wed. They set foot on American soil in 1949 and settled in Cleveland, Ohio where they started their family and became lifelong members of our Lithuanian Athletic Club, aibas.
Vytautas was not only involved in organizing aibas but he was also involved in the Lithuanian Athletic Union of North America (where he was vice president for many years) along with being a member of the executive council and Vice President of the Baltic Athletic Federation of North America. One of his proudest achievements was probably in 1982, when he organized the Lithuanian games to be held in Cleveland and he was individually recognized for his work by then mayor of Cleveland George Voinovich. The games were proclaimed throughout Cleveland as the Lithuanian Sports Day!
Vytautas was involved in numerous other organizations (Boy Scouts of America, Lions Club International, Lithuanias Supreme Liberation Committee, Lithuania Alliance of America, Lithuanian-American Community, Inc and of course he was a Director of the Lithuanian-American Club here in Cleveland. His awards and accomplishments outside athletics were too numerous to list, but a few notable ones were:
> Lithuanian Presidential Medal (1993) conferred upon outstanding representatives of the world Lithuanian community for services to the restoration of the Independent State of Lithuania.
> Ohio Governors Humanitarian of the Year award (1994)
> AFL-CIO George Meany Award which was the national union recognition for significant contribution of service to Americas youth in Boy Scouts of America.
> Numerous Boy Scouts of America awards for his contributions to the world Scouting movement
> CYO St. John Bosco Award for contribution to physical, psychological, and social development of youth.
Onute on the other hand was not to be outdone by her husband. She too was a member of our aibas club for over 40 years many of those as the head of the ever important Parents Committee. She paved the way for aibas teams to use the OLPH parish gym. She not only was a huge fundraiser but also was responsible for organizing and sending many aibas teams abroad (i.e Australia, Europe and South America). Without her support many of these trips would not have been possible.
In 1971, during aibas 20th anniversary celebration, she was honored and recognized for her individual contributions towards those accomplishments.
Ona was actively involved in numerous other organizations as well - Lithuanian Athletic Union of North America, Lithuanian Relief Fund, American Lithuanian Council, Lithuanian Alliance of America, and the Lithuanian-American Community, Inc. Her individual awards and accomplishments outside athletics were also very impressive:
> Outstanding Citizen of the Year award (1960) presented to her by Cleveland Mayor Ralph Locher.
> And as the Founder of St. Casimirs Lithuanian School on Neff Road.
Their daughter Milda Jokubaityte-Sandragas put it best when asked about her parents. My parents were always involved, wholeheartedly, and untiringly, with the restoration of the Independent State of Lithuania... the nurturing of youth ... and, they lived their lives for God, country, and their fellow man --- with their involvement in organizations deemed necessary for the procurement of such.
They were true sports activists/community leaders and this years inductees into the aibas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2008.
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 | | Jokubaicio children and grandson at their induction ceremony March 2008. |
Gytis Barzdukas
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| |  | | Bielskus, Titas-Barzdukiene, Babickiene, Kijauskas, Tatarunas (back) | | view full size |
aibas Hall of Fame Class of 2009.
Gytis Jonas Barzdukas was born February 9, 1937 in Kaunas, Lithuania, the youngest in the family of three children. Both parents were teachers.
During the Second World War, when the Russians started pushing Germans out of Lithuania towards the west, Barzdukas family was forced to leave their country and move with the German front. After the war, the family ended up in Rebdorf, Germany, in a DP camp. There Gytis started first grade in the gymnasium. With the kids in the camp he played soccer, basketball, learned how to swim. He was pretty good swimmer. In the camp for the children there were no organized sports.
After the Allies started closing the DP camps, in 1949 the Barzdukas family left for US. Gytis' mother had a cousin in the suburb of Cleveland and he invited the family to come. Gytis attended St. George parish grade school, graduated from Benedictine High School. He served two years in US Army, where he played on a base baseball team. He attended Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. There Gytis played on the University's volleyball team. He continued to star as a basketball and volleyball player for many of Zaibas' teams. Once he retired from playing he also coached several Zaibas Juniors volleyball teams. His dedication to the sport and to our youth were self evident.
Gytis sang in Ciurlionis Ensamble, was a sea scout, and mingled with Ateitininkai.
In 1963 he married Vida Titas, who was also an outstanding track star and volleyball player for Zaibas. They raised 3 sons. Two older ones played volleyball on University of Michigan's team. He left 4 granddaughters and 4 grandsons.
Gytis died on August 22, 2002 and is buried at the All Souls cemetery.
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