It’s a Sign!
By Lena Kozubek
Why Now?
Have you ever gotten lost coming into our sanctuary? Did you ever take a wrong turn and struggle to turn back around the winding lane? Be honest! I missed it my first time visiting.
Since our opening, incoming visitors relied on our mailbox and street address. Our long driveway into the property allows us to keep the chimpanzees quietly tucked away from local roads. However, our subtle entrance proved difficult for our supporters and even our delivery trucks to find us. Vague instructions previously guided them in and GPS sometimes took them in the wrong direction.
A Sign of the Times
For our 10-year anniversary, we have exciting new on-site programs to introduce later this year that will further help the chimps. The first step, then, is to be more visible than just a mailbox!
With the help of employee collaboration, community assistance, and individual skills, a formal sign was successfully constructed to guide incoming groups to the sanctuary. Project Chimps has many opportunities for a fun day, which are now emphasized on the sign. Our Airbnb tour and lodging, gift shop, offices, and hiking trails are prominently noted with arrows to guide visitors to the area they are looking for!
This sign is not only helpful for our visitors. It increases our neighborhood’s awareness of our presence, which in turn will contribute to the continued success of our program and support the chimps. Also, large deliveries were previously delayed as drivers drove right past our mailbox, sometimes having to reroute because they could not turn around on the narrow dirt roads they ended up on. Our newly constructed sign now allows a more efficient delivery for material and produce, directly contributing to the chimps’ overall care.
A Sign is a Like an Onion – There Are Many Layers to It!
How difficult is it to put up a sign? Well, it’s not just a matter of slapping on some concrete and paint!
The sign’s installation required a lot of planning, assistance, and teamwork. Behind the scenes, the Project Chimps team discovered there were a lot more moving parts than initially predicted! However, we are constantly inspired by our chimpanzee’s strength and perseverance. Keeping this at the forefront of our mind, we began the process, no matter the hurdles, and ultimately reached our goal.
The Sign Design
Ben Holliday, a long time volunteer and who just so happens to be a professional sign guy, is the sign’s designer. The gradual formation of ideas and its design process took approximately 4-6 months. In this time, Ben wanted to combine the community and Project Chimp’s aesthetics.
He was inspired by the “Jurassic” theme, with rustic characteristics to reflect in the sign’s wooden structures. These “safari” features are beautifully balanced out with bright colors, emphasizing the residential and modern features of our local neighbors. The green and white hues stand out against the sign’s wooden backdrop, allowing incoming visitors to clearly see the directions. Once Ben solidified his design, he verified the dimension with a structural engineer, which finally paved the way for the sign’s physical arrangement.
The Procurement
Traci Holliday (yup, she’s related to Ben!) was passionately involved in procuring the various items for construction. By visiting local businesses, she succeeded in finding structural pieces that aligned with the overall aesthetics of Ben’s design. Maintaining low costs for our non-profit budget required communication with various vendors to see who could offer us the best price.
Her relationships with the local businesses allowed Project Chimps to purchase all the components at the lowest price possible. Conserving costs, in any way possible, allows us to better serve and care for the chimps! When these items were gathered, Traci submitted the plans to Fannin County for a public permit, which granted Project Chimps the permission to install the sign.
Mathematics & Weather
The sign’s construction could begin once the designing and procurement was complete. However, there is more than just physical labor that is required in construction! With the help of Rodney Newberry (our facilities manager) and Steve Mango (a volunteer for the facilities department), we were able to start installing the signpost.
The county permit instructed us on the specific distance necessary from the sign to the main road. Given that the public road is a winding lane, we had to trim back several trees to make sure the sign was visible to drivers coming around the curves. We also needed to maintain a significant foundation to withstand any potential weather. To ensure the sign’s strength, we used over two yards of concrete to secure the main post.
Following the qualitative blueprint layout, both durability and visibility were considered. With a hefty amount of collaboration and teamwork, both features were successfully completed. The result? A beautiful sign that our visitors can now see before entering our property!
Now, when we give out directions, we can proudly say, “you can’t miss it!”
Continue to check our website and social posts for the upcoming 10-year anniversary events! We are excited to share our journey with you as we work to further establish a haven for the chimps.
