In Franklin, a local police officer has found a unique way to merge personal healing with community service. As reported by the City of Franklin's official website, Officer Anthony Estrada channeled his love for his late father into a birdhouse project that both commemorates his dad and aids in promoting mental health awareness.
Estrada, driven to tangibly remember his father and to support mental well-being in the community, built and installed three custom birdhouses at the Refuge Center for Counseling. These structures are recreated in the likeness of the center’s main building and aim to slowly draw more attention to the significance of mental health. In a statement, Estrada conveyed that this endeavor was a gesture to "remember my dad and contribute to a place that’s making a real difference in people’s lives." His intention was for the birdhouses to not only honor his father's legacy but also to spread a little joy and awareness to those on the trails.
The birdhouses carry a deeper meaning, having been designed after Estrada's father's firm, Churp Modern, known for its mid-century modern birdhouse styles. Adding a personal touch to the refuge's landscape, they have swiftly become a visual metaphor for the solace that one may find within the walls of the counseling center. They're also equipped with wooden tokens, each inscribed with a message about the center’s mission to provide accessible professional mental health counseling—inviting passersby to take a piece of hope with them as they leave.
Alongside Estrada, Lieutenant Chris Hollingsworth played a pivotal role in the project, leading the community service aspect as part of a class group from Leadership Franklin. Hollingsworth highly praised Estrada's craftsmanship, recognizing the impact of the personal narrative embedded in the work. "His craftsmanship and the personal story behind it turned this into something truly special," Hollingsworth told the City of Franklin's news outlet. The Franklin Police Department has since expressed pride in their officers for seamlessly to find creative and heartfelt methods to serve their community and honor their personal heroes.
