Story by Elaine Hobson Miller
Photos by Graham Hadley
and Submitted photos
Two parks needed signs. Two brothers needed Eagle Scouts Service projects. It was a perfect match.
Hunter Smith, 17, created a welcome sign at Lincoln’s Landing, while his brother, Allen Hill, also 17, created an informational sign at Jackson Shoals Park on Choccolocco Creek. Both members of Boy Scout Troop 137 of Lincoln, the brothers designed the signs, raised construction funds, built their signs and led in the installations. Both signs were installed in July.
The Lincoln’s Landing sign simply says, “Welcome to Lincoln’s Landing,” and has a laser etching of a bass at the top. The Jackson Shoals sign gives information about plants and wildlife in the area.
“Both boys did all the planning and implementations on their projects,” says their Scoutmaster Darren Britton, who is also police chief of Lincoln. “They did the research, got the approvals, did the fundraising and provided the leadership to carry out the projects.”
Smith says he came up with the idea for a new sign at Lincoln’s Landing after observing the inadequacy of the original sign, which was nothing more than a banner. His project required him to draw the sign and present the design to Scoutmaster Britton and the City of Lincoln for approval.
“The 3-by-5-foot sign is made of 3/16th-inch steel,” Smith says. “After I designed what I wanted, I got with Park Director Les Robinson, who gave me the Lincoln’s Landing logo. I sent that logo, along with my design, to Laser Cut Designs in Birmingham, and they cut it.”
Tom Martin, the grandfather who raised both boys, is a do-it-yourselfer who guided them along in the work. “He did none of the work but made sure we did everything right and didn’t mess up,” Smith says.
Allen Hill went through the same process as Hunter Smith to construct the sign at Jackson Park. That one is made of vinyl-coated aluminum, framed in wood with a metal roof, and measures 4 by 4 feet. It cost $625 to build.
Hill and Smith secured funds from most of the same donors: Laser Cut Designs of Birmingham, Griffin Laser Engraving of Lincoln, Midway Auto of Lincoln, Home Depot of Pell City and Lincoln Hardware. In addition, Lincoln Park Director Les Robinson contributed to Smith’s project, and Eastman Chemicals of Anniston bought the initial supplies for Hill’s project.
“Mine was a personal donation, the park didn’t contribute anything,” Robinson says of Smith’s $450 Lincoln’s Landing sign. “Hunter and the Scouts who helped him install the sign did outstanding work, and I’m glad it turned out so well. Maybe we can get together with those guys on another project another day.”
Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson says the Lincoln’s Landing sign reflects the time and quality Smith put into them. “It’s wonderful,” Watson says. “Now we have a professional-looking sign. People have seen it and commented on how nice it is. It’s a welcome addition.”
Fellow Scouts Hunter Smiley, Christian Hunt and Riley Alvein helped with the construction of both projects, while former Eagle Scout Jacob Turner helped the boys get together the paperwork they need to process in order to become Eagle Scouts. Hill and Smith will be the 42nd and 43rd Eagle Scouts respectively, from Troop 137. “The final result is not what these projects are about,” says Chief Britton, who has been scoutmaster of the troop since 2005. “The main part is the leadership involved in making it happen. Other than minimal adult advisement, they did everything.”
