The signature project has been named a National Finalist in the 2016 Ragan Communications Nonprofit Public Relations Awards competition, http://www.prdaily.com/mediarelations/Articles/21163.aspx. The Athens-Limestone Community Association renovated the historic Trinity High School into the Pincham-Lincoln Center. Founded in 1865 by the American Missionary Association, Trinity was the only high school for black students in Limestone County, Alabama before integration. The school was built on Fort Henderson, an earthen-work fortress built by Union soldiers during the American Civil War. The school closed in 1970 due to a desegregation court order. ALCA, started in 1981, made Trinity and Fort Henderson its mission to preserve one of Athens' oldest historical landmarks. Through a partnership with ALCA, City of Athens and Limestone County, grants and years of fundraising, ALCA was proud to open the Pincham-Lincoln Center at the Trinity-Fort Henderson Complex 45 years after the school closed.

1. 45 Years in the Making: The Restoration of
a Northern Alabama Black High School to
a Community Center
Integrated Communications Summary
November 2013 - December 2015
Kristina L. Hendrix, APR
Communications Consultant and Board Member

2. 2
Board Members
Rebekah Davis
Charlotte Fulton
Edward Gilbert
Masheldia Green
Kristina Hendrix
David Malone
Richard Martin
Ronnie Smith
Carolyn Williams
Jimmy Woodroof

3. 3
Executive Summary
The Athens-Limestone Community Association (ALCA) was
formed in 1981 and reorganized in 2007. Its primary mission was
to preserve the former Trinity High School, Athens and Limestone
County, Alabama’s only all-black high school before integration,
and the Union fort that was used during the American Civil War,
Fort Henderson. It is located in Northern Alabama.
ALCA began forming a partnership with the City of Athens and
Limestone County Commission to make this project a priority. The
former school is located in Athens and when it was open it was a
private school before being included in the Limestone County
School District. In 2013, significant progress was made to restore
the former school. Then in February 2014, ALCA obtained
volunteer public relations support to help promote the Trinity
renovation project as well as the organization as a whole.
This document will outline the integrated communication strategy
developed during the two-year period leading up to the grand
opening of the newly named Pincham-Lincoln Center, the former
Trinity High School.

4. 4
Timeline
• City of Athens and the Athens-Limestone Community Association received a
Community Development Block Grant from the Alabama Department of
Economic and Community Affairs to renovate the former Trinity High School
to be used as a community center
November 2013
• ALCA Board Members voted Kristina Hendrix, APR to become the
Community and Public Relations Lead to support the board in all projects
• ALCA held its inaugural Black History Celebration fundraising event
February 2014
• ALCA received $75,000 total from The City of Athens, Limestone County
Commission, and the State of Alabama for the renovation projectMay 2014
• ALCA, Architect Jeff Tosh, and the City of Athens Department of Public
Works collaborated on the renovation project to get the project to a
reasonable cost
• ALCA released the book, Holding The Fort, a historical look at Trinity High
School
Summer 2014
• The City of Athens recommended the Trinity High School renovation project
be delayed until ALCA received more funding
• ALCA started an online crowdfunding campaign and a letter-writing
campaign to raise additional funds
September 2014
• ALCA board held a leadership and organizational workshop to outline board
responsibilities and begin planning for 2015November 2014
• The City of Athens began the construction and renovationJanuary 2015
• ALCA held the Second Annual Black History Celebration fundraising eventFebruary 2015
• Construction was completed
• ALCA Board Members voted to name the community center the Pincham-
Lincoln Center at the Trinity-Fort Henderson Complex
Summer 2015
• Athens Rotary Club gave ALCA $15,000 for the Pincham-Lincoln Center’s
landscapingSeptember 2015
• ALCA board planned and executed numerous events and activities leading
up the Pincham-Lincoln Center’s grand openingNovember 2015
• ALCA opened the Pincham-Lincoln Center at the Trinity-Fort Henderson
ComplexDecember 2015

5. 5
Research
History
Trinity High School was Athens and Limestone County’s only black high school
before integration. It was open from 1865-1970 and founded by the American
Missionary Association. Trinity High School was a private school and then in the
mid-1940’s it was acquired by the Limestone County Schools Board of Education
until it closed in 1970. In 1981, the Athens-Limestone Community Association
was founded to renovate the school so it could be used a community center. In
2007, ALCA reorganized with a renewed spirit to continue to the project.
There were a number of black schools in North Alabama that had the same fate
as Trinity. They were either abandoned, demolished, or renovated.
• Huntsville’s Councill High School- Abandoned
• Florence’s Burrell-Slater High School- Renovated to a community center
• Sheffield’s Sterling High School- Demolished
• Decatur’s Lakeside High School- Renovated to an elementary school
• Scottsboro’s Carver High School- Demolished
ALCA, The City of Athens, and Limestone County wanted to preserve this
historical site so a partnership was formed. Each organization understood the
significance of this project and how it was in their best interest to save this
landmark because the area of the city it was in was a blighted and neglected
community.
Funding Needed
The City of Athens began researching grants that could be used to renovate the
former school as none of the three main organizations had enough funds for the
complete renovation. Once a grant was identified, ALCA funded a grant writer.
The grant was a Community Development Block Grant from the Alabama
Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). In November 2013,
ADECA granted the City of Athens $250,000 to renovate Trinity. The grant was
later increased to $290,000. ALCA then started their own campaigns to raise
additional funds to complete the project. Funds came from corporations and
individual donors.

6. 6
Research
12/23/15, 2:39 PMADECA News Release
Page 1 of 2http://www.media.alabama.gov/AgencyTemplates/adeca/adeca_pr4.aspx?id=8314
(To Print this page, press the "Print" button on your browser. To return to the previous page, close this window.)
November 8, 2013
Governor awards funding for improvements in
Tennessee Valley
MONTGOMERY—Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded more than $1.25 million in Community
Development Block Grants for improvements in four north Alabama municipalities.
Tuscumbia was awarded a $308,422 grant to upgrade water services and fire protection in one section
of the city, and Athens was awarded a $250,000 grant to construct a community center. New Hope plans
to make sewer improvements with a $350,000 grant, while the town of Hillsboro will use a $349,850
grant for drainage improvements.
“Community Development Block Grants provide essential resources that help Alabama counties, cities
and towns address urgent public needs,” Bentley said. “I am pleased to assist local officials with projects
that will improve life in their communities.”
Tuscumbia will replace deteriorated water lines in the Stuart/North Milton neighborhood. The new water
lines will eliminate rust-colored water caused by older metal pipes and boost water pressure, improving
service and fire-fighting capabilities.
Athens will use its grant funding to convert the historic Trinity High School into a community center. The
center will be available for senior-citizen and after-school programs, community meetings and activities
and for private functions. The school is located at the site of Fort Henderson, an earthen-work fortress
built by Union Soldiers during the Civil War.
New Hope will replace sewer lines in the Maple Road neighborhood, an area with about 211 residents.
The city will upgrade sewer pump stations to alleviate sewage backup in houses and overflows at
manholes.
Hillsboro will address some health and safety concerns by improving drainage in the Davis Road
subdivision and in a small housing area along Lawrence County Road 400. The project will minimize
flooding and standing water in the area.
ADECA approves of the grant for the City of Athens and
ALCA’s signature project.

7. 7
Planning
February 2014
Kristina Hendrix, APR offered to volunteer to develop and implement
all of ALCA’s public relations strategy. The board accepted her offer.
At the February 2014 board meeting, Hendrix outlined a positioning
plan that showed board members how to increase visibility and raise
awareness about the project.
The overall goal of the project:
To restore the former Trinity High School (ALCA’s signature
project) to be used as a community center
The communication objectives:
• To increase awareness by 50% about the Trinity renovation
project to the residents of Athens and Limestone County
during 2014 and 2015
• To obtain new donors from different target audiences
identified for the signature project during 2014 and 2015

8. 8
Planning
Initial Positioning Presentation given to the ALCA Board

9. 9
Planning
Initial Positioning Presentation given to the ALCA Board
(continued)

10. 10
Planning
Once there was a dedicated public relations practitioner
supporting ALCA, a strategic communications plan was
devised. Year one, 2014, was dedicated to fundraising and
increase awareness about ALCA and its mission. Year two,
2015, was dedicated to construction and awareness about the
community center and continued financial support to ALCA.
2014
Fundraising
and Increase
Awareness
2015
Construction
and
Continued
Awareness
2015
Grand
Opening

11. 11
February 2014
ALCA held its first Black History Celebration in 2014. It was widely
attended although there was very little publicity for the event. While at
the event, board members asked attendees to make a donation. In one
night, more than $12,000 was collected.
Implementation
May 2014
ALCA received a collective $75,000; $25,000, each from the
State of Alabama, Limestone County and the City of Athens.
ALCA released this photo and news release to the local media.
(See products in the rear of this document.)
ALCA board members accept funds from State Representative
Dan Williams, Limestone County Commission Chairman Stanley
Menefee, and Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks.

12. 12
Implementation
Advertising Businesses Churches Classifieds Government Medical
Real Estate Schools Movies Weather Email us ShopAthensFirst
Previous Page
ALCA Hosts “Holding The Fort”
Book Signing With Author Charlotte Fulton
ATHENS, ALABAMA - Athens and Limestone County have a magnificent story to share about
how generations of African-Americans were educated during the Civil War era through the
American Civil Right Movement at the Trinity School. Holding The Fort, by acclaimed author
Charlotte Fulton, is a book that tells the intimate story of how self-sacrificing white missionary
teachers came to establish schools for freedmen after the Civil War. Holding The Fort details the
sacrifice, determination, and perseverance of African-American students in Limestone County
who stood bravely to obtain a better future for them and their families.
Hosted by the Athens Limestone County Association, author Charlotte Fulton will be
autographing copies of Holding The Fort at the Trinity High School Grand Reunion Picnic on
Friday, August 29 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lincoln-Bridgeforth Park located on Hine Street; and
during the Trinity Grand Reunion Parade on Saturday, August 30 11 a.m. to 2p.m. at Pablo’s on
Market. Starting Tuesday, September 2, additional copies of Holding The Fort can be purchased
at the Limestone County Archives or from ALCA board members. The cost is $40 if picked up in
Athens and an additional $7 if it has to be shipped. Profits from the sale of Holding The Fort will
be to benefit the construction of the new Trinity Community Center. For more information, visit
www.athenslca.org.
Kristina Hendrix, APR
Athens Limestone Community Association
Public and Community Relations Lead
kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com
ALCA host Holding the Fort book signing http://www.athensplus.com/holding-the
1 of 2 12/27/15,
August 2014
ALCA commissioned author Charlotte Fulton to write a book
about the history of Trinity High School. Fulton spent five
years researching and writing the book. In August 2014,
Holding The Fort was released. The book sales were used
to benefit the construction and ongoing operation of the
community center.
Three media outlets picked up the release: AL.com,
Athens Plus, and the Athens News Courier.
Alabama
Christmas Scenes from Stevenson: Alabama designer turns historic 3-story
[http://connect.al.com/staff/KKazek/index.html] By Kelly Kazek | kkazek@al.com [http://connect.al.com/staff/KKazek/posts.html]
Email the author | Follow on Twitter [https://twitter.com/KellyKazek]
on August 29, 2014 at 10:25 AM, updated August 29, 2014 at 10:45 AM
ATHENS, Alabama [http://www.al.com/local/limestone/index.ssf] – For the past five years, local historian and retired
journalist Charlotte Fulton has researched the history of Trinity School, the Athens school where black students were educated
until integration in 1970. The result of her work is a book detailing the history of the school and its impact on the community,
including some tales of famous graduates.
Fulton's book, "Holding the Fort: A History of Trinity School in Athens, Alabama," a name derived from the fact that a Union fort
stood on the site [http://alabama.travel/places-to-go/fort-henderson-historic-site-and-trinity-high-school] of the school
during the Civil War, is being launched with book signings today and Saturday.
The book traces the history of the school from its founding in 1865 for the education of freedmen. The school is now a derelict
building on Brownsferry Street, but the Athens Limestone County Association plans to build a community center at the site and
later create a museum to house the school's memorabilia.
Proceeds from sale of the book go toward the building projects.
This weekend's book signings coincide with the Grand Trinity Reunion, held every two years for anyone who attended the school.
As many as 600 people are expected at the reunion.
Fulton, who said she became interested in the history of the school while writing for The News Courier in Athens, talked with
many surviving Trinity graduates to weave the tale, beginning with the white missionary teachers who established schools for
freedmen after the Civil War.
Fulton will be signing copies of the book during the reunion picnic from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Lincoln-Bridgeforth Park on
Hine Street. She will also sign books at Pablo's on Market in downtown Athens from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday during the Trinity
Grand Reunion Parade.
Beginning Tuesday, copies of "Holding the Fort" can be purchased at the Limestone County Archives in downtown Athens or from
ALCA board members.
Books are $40 each, plus $7 for shipping. For more information, visit www.athenslca.org [http://www.athenslca.org] .
Related Stories
Group hoping to make landmark of Athens'
historic black high school launches book tracing
its past
Group hoping to make landmark of Athens' historic black high ... http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/08/group_hoping_to_...
1 of 2 12/27/15, 6:27 PM

13. 13
Implementation
September 2014
The City of Athens recommended the Trinity High School
renovation project be delayed until adequate funding was secured
by ALCA. ALCA began two campaigns:
• Letter writing campaign to individual donors, churches, and
other corporations. These letters were mailed or distributed.
• Online crowdfunding campaign using Go Fund Me. This
campaign was launched to reach a new target audience. The
link was posted on board members’ personal social media
pages since the board had not agreed upon a branding
strategy for the organization.
Nearly $2,000 was raised in the first month on
the online platform and even more through the
other campaign.

14. 14
Implementation
November 2014
The ALCA board decided to hold a leadership and
organizational workshop to outline board responsibilities and
begin planning for 2015. The City of Athens confirmed that
construction would begin on the project in January 2015 since
funding had been secured from donations and a $40,000
addition from the ADECA grant. ALCA knew that going into
2015 they needed reorganize much of their operating
procedures leading up to the construction of the community
center. They also knew they needed to identify an integrated
branding strategy.
Former Mission Statement
To create a historical reflection of the Browns Ferry Street site
whose ties to the antebellum times, Civil War at Fort
Henderson (“The Fort”) which included many African-American
soldiers from this area serving in the U.S. Army, the American
Missionary School for freed slaves which later became known
as Trinity High School – all providing a significant impact to
Athens, Alabama and abroad.
Current Mission Statement
To create a connection between the history and the future of
Athens and Limestone County through quality programs and
stimulating activities.
Current Vision Statement
The Athens-Limestone Community Association aims to inform
and engage with the public through cultural, educational, and
historical activities that will honor the past and enrich the lives
of current and future generations.
The former mission and vision statements were not inclusive of
the organization and left the organization with no future once the
signature project was completed.

15. 15
Implementation
The leadership and organizational workshop yielded a vast
improvement in how the board operated. Simple tools as a flip
chart and frank discussions helped to start the conversation and
set the stage for 2015. Notes were taken and an action list was
given to all board members following the workshop. (It is included
in the rear of this document.)
Six pages of notes were taken on the flip charts that
included the following:
• Likes and dislikes about the organization
• New Vision and Mission Statement
• Board Roles
• Communication Products
• 2015 Black History Program
• 2015 Calendar of Events
• Revenue-Generating Streams

16. 16
2014
Fundraising
and Increase
Awareness
2015
Construction
and
Continued
Awareness
2015
Grand
Opening
Implementation
2015 was the year ALCA focused on creating awareness
to its target audiences that community center was being
renovated and more funding was needed. It had been
150 years since the school opened and 45 years since the
school closed. Using those two anniversary dates helped
to resonate with target audiences as they understood the
significance of those dates.
The City of Athens began construction in January of 2015.
The board also reiterated all official correspondence was
to go through the Community and Public Relations Lead
as 2015 was a very important year for the organization.
They wanted a consistent and professional look for all
products.

17. 17
Implementation
January-August 2015
Construction began on the community center in January 2015.
Many media outlets covered the ongoing construction. Here are
pictures from beginning to end in August. The landscaping and the
interior’s décor were last to be completed.
Mid-2012 January 2015
August 2015
CBS affiliate
WHNT-19 News
has covered the
ongoing
renovation since
2012.
• January 2015
• June 2012

18. 18
Implementation
February 2015
ALCA, in partnership with the City of Athens and Spirit of Athens, a
downtown revitalization organization, held the Second Annual Black
History Program. This was the official black history program for the
City of Athens. This year, more preparation was used to create
awareness about the program and ALCA’s signature project. The
following communication products were implemented:
• Press Release
• Flyer
• Printed Program
• Speech

19. 19
Implementation
February 2015
The Second Annual Black History Program garnered more than 300
people attending and more than $7,000 in donations.
NBC affiliate WAFF-48 and the Athens News Courier covered the
event. Pictured here are guest keynote speaker Dr. Robert Mayberry
and the entertainment, the Committed Acapella Chorus.

20. 20
Implementation
Summer 2015
The board held numerous meetings to discuss how to proceed with
landscaping, interior décor, rental agreements, and how to promote
the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.
During this time, the board voted to name the community center the
Pincham-Lincoln Center. It was named for two Trinity graduates who
were integral to the revival of the school as well as benefactors for
the project. The two men were Judge R. Eugene Pincham and Dr.
C. Eric Lincoln.
The board did not want to lose the Trinity name recognition since
the community knew the area for Trinity High School. The new
name for the existing Pincham Athletic Field, forthcoming Fort
Henderson Memorial, along with the community center, was voted
as the Trinity – Fort Henderson Complex because of the former
school and Fort Henderson was the name of the Union fort where
black soldiers fought for their freedom during the American Civil
War.
The board also discussed implementing a new branding strategy
since most of the work pertaining to the signature project was
completed and the organization’s brand needed an update. The
initial logo for the organization was not in keeping with the new
mission and vision statements that were implemented in November
2014.

21. 21
Implementation
September 2015
The Athens Rotary Club, a long-time partner of ALCA, gave
$15,000 for landscaping the Trinity-Fort Henderson Complex.
Rotary contracted with Grayson Bailey Landscaping to
manage the project. The board decided to wait until
November when the weather was cooler to plant the trees
and grass. This update was posted on ALCA board members’
personal social media pages and in the Athens News Courier.
The board set the grand opening for December. The
Community and Public Relations Lead presented an
integrated communications plan leading for strategies and
tactics leading up to the grand opening. (The plan is in the
rear of this document.)

22. 22
Implementation
October/November 2015
The board planned numerous activities leading up to the grand
opening and ribbon cutting ceremony in December. The
strategies included the following:
• Community Relations
• Traditional Media Relations and Social Media
• Special Events Planning
The tactics were diverse so that they reached many of the target
audiences. More than 20 different tactics were executed. October
and November were used to prepare the media and ALCA
partners and supporters to make them aware of the upcoming
opening. Communication products such as a feature story and in-
depth media interviews were pitched early. Links to the stories
published are in the integrated communications plan.

23. 23
Implementation
The former logo incorporated elements
from Trinity and Fort Henderson. The
school colors and the dates for the fort
and the opening and closing of the
school are represented. The name of the
organization is not listed in the logo.
The new logo includes the former
school’s colors, purple and gold and the
organization’s name. The people are
different colors and sizes to represent
the community as a whole and the
curved line where the people are
standing on shows the bridging of the
community. There is a variation of the
logo with the organization’s initials listed.
There are also two brand extensions to
include the Pincham-Lincoln Center and
the Trinity-Fort Henderson Complex.
The brand identity was proposed and approved by the board in late
October 2015.

24. 24
Implementation
October/November 2015
The three events were the main events leading up to the completion
of the signature project. The board knew partnerships with existing
partners were the best way to communicate and spread the
message about the grand opening.
• The black church community is a long-time supporter and
partner of ALCA with direct ties to Trinity High School. Two board
members attended Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church
(located behind the Trinity-Fort Henderson Complex) and offered
to host a reception for the community following morning worship
service.
• ALCA and the Athens Rotary Club partnered to host a
Community Landscaping Day. This event allowed for more
people to be exposed to the project.
• The Pincham-Lincoln Center Grand Opening was the final event
for the signature project. The board expected record attendance
at this event.

25. 25
Implementation
November 2015
The following products were used for the Honoring Trinity
School Day and the Community Landscaping Day. There was
also media coverage from the Athens News Courier, the
Decatur Daily, WHNT-19 News about the Community
Landscaping Day.
Decatur Daily (above) & Athens News Courier (below)

26. 26
Implementation
November/ December 2015
The board had an opportunity to add more activities leading up
to the grand opening. The purpose of those activities was for
more awareness and fundraising for the signature project’s
grand opening. They were no to low-cost events with very little
impact to the organization.
• North Pole Stroll: The inaugural Christmas tree display
located in Downtown Athens. ALCA was one of 15 trees.
• Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night: The Athens location donated to
ALCA a portion of the proceeds from each meal purchased
one evening.
• Initials, Inc. Party: A board member hosted a party and
portion of the proceeds benefited ALCA from the sale of the
bags and other gifts.

27. 27
Implementation
December 2015
The lead up period to the Pincham-Lincoln Center’s Grand
Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was a fast and furious
time for the ALCA board. It was an ‘all hands on deck’ event for
all board members. Each board member had certain
responsibilities.
Most of the tools needed for the ceremony and reception were
donated or borrowed to keep the costs down. Costs were
mainly for printing and decorations including a commemorative
Christmas ornament to be given to all guests. The rest of the
costs were associated with permanent décor of the center. The
board also utilized the services of the Limestone County
Sherriff Department’s trustee program to help with the manual
labor to clean the interior and exterior of the community center.
ALCA started its own Facebook page a week prior to the
event. This was a great way to streamline the message from
one channel. Within the first day, there were 100 likes to the
page.

28. 28
Implementation
Shareable: 398 views,
8 likes and 1 share
Before
and After:
1,245
views, 17
likes and
12 shares
Pincham and Lincoln
Name Sakes Post:
849 views, 10 likes and
3 shares
Grand Opening Album:
363 views, 7 likes and 12
shares
Meet Our ALCA
Board Post: 1480
views, 16 likes and 1
share
Facebook posts were to encourage awareness prior to the grand opening.

29. 29
Implementation
The fountain
was restored
with
monuments
that were
around the
complex.
The Long Live Trinity 16 foot mural is at
the entrance of the center. It depicts the
history of the school, 1865-1970.
The naming plaque for Judge
Pincham and Dr. Lincoln is
located in the center.
The brick
display is
where people
can have their
name at the
center.
The dignitaries cut the ribbon at the new community center, a project that
had been 45 years in the making for Athens and Limestone County.
A live Christmas tree was
donated and commemorative
ornaments were bought as
giveaways for the guests.

30. 30
Implementation

31. 31
Evaluation
Community Relations
There were five tactics that ALCA originally outlined
but then added three more totaling eight. This is an
evaluation of those activities.
Tactics Status
Athens Rotary Club Meeting
(Guest Speaker)
Did not pursue
Round Island Creek Missionary
Baptist Association General
Assembly Meeting
Made an announcement to 200
people
Athens-Limestone County
Tourism Association Meeting
Made an announcement to
150 people
Honoring Trinity School Day Held a reception for nearly 100
people
Community Landscaping Day - 55 people volunteered
- WHNT-19, Athens News
Courier, and Decatur Daily
covered the event
North Pole Stroll Decorated a Christmas tree for
the community event with more
than 3,000 views
Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night Raised less than $4.29
Initials, Inc. Party Raised $120.62

32. 32
Evaluation
Media Relations
There was an aggressive media relations strategy in
place for all activities leading up to the grand opening.
ALCA wrote the following communication products:
• Media Pitch about all ALCA activities and it
included a feature story (October)
• Media Advisory for the Community
Landscaping Day (November)
• Press Release for the Grand Opening
(December)
Each of these products were sent to nearly 50
different media outlets in the Tennessee Valley and
across Alabama to give ample time to develop the
story. (Links to many of these products are in the rear
of this document.)

33. 33
Evaluation
Media Relations
WAFF-48 News , WHNT-19 News,
and Athens News Courier covered
the grand opening and used all of
ALCA’s messages in the copy.

34. 34
Evaluation
Social Media
ALCA began a Facebook page on December 7th. Within the 24
hours, the page had 100 likes. By the end of 2015, the page had
more than 200 likes. This page helped to focus the message and
encouraged people to find ALCA.
The City of Athens, Limestone County and the president of the
Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association, and the Limestone
County District Attorney each had posts on their Facebook pages
for their friends to view the grand opening. This further showed the
partnership between ALCA and these organizations.
There were
more than
6,000
potential
views to all
posts
leading up to
the grand
opening and
the photos
of the
opening.

35. 35
Evaluation
Special Events
The grand opening event had been 45 years in the making. Many
people wanted to donate their time and resources to help make
the event a success. The following tables will outline the costs
associated for the grand opening event and for the permanent
costs to the center.
Table 1. Grand Opening Expenses
Tactic Expense
Catering Donated by the Trinity Class of
1970
Chairs Donated by Royal Funeral Home-
Mason Chapel
Christmas Tree Donated by Trim-A-Tree
Christmas Tree Farm
Commemorative Ornament $380
Decorations $179.50
PA System Borrowed from Athens Recreation
Center
Photography Donated by Kenneth Owens
Photography
Programs, Invitations, and Two
Posters Printing
$347.70 (Program Design was
donated)
Stanchions Borrowed from Athens State
University
Grand Total $907.20

36. 36
Evaluation
Special Events
Table 2. Center’s Permanent Expenses
Tactic Expense
ALCA Flag $150
Brick Display $800
Chairs and Tables $3,100 (Funded by a Grant)
Fountain $3,200
Mural Design and Printing $926.50
Mural Glass and Installation • $84.04 for materials
• $940.00
Naming Plaque Design and
Framing
Donated
Signage $1,095.60
Grand Total $4,316.14

37. 37
Evaluation
Overall Goal and Objectives
The overall goal of the project:
To restore the former Trinity High School (ALCA’s signature project) to
be used a community center
This goal was started in 1981 and completed on December 17, 2015.
ALCA will begin renting the facility in 2016.
The communication objectives:
• To increase awareness by 50% about the Trinity renovation project
to the residents of Athens and Limestone County during 2014 and
2015
Limestone County has a population of 90,787 and in Athens, the
population is 24,522. Because Trinity High School was the only black
high school in Limestone County before integration, one could deduce
that the black population were aware of the former school. In Athens,
black people make up 17.5% or 4,300 people. In Limestone County,
black people make up 15.33% or 13,900. So a conservative estimate
would be that 9,600 black people live in the city and county.
ALCA felt pretty confident that 4,000- 5,000 black people knew about
Trinity and at least another 5,000-7,000 people within the county knew
about Trinity and its upcoming renovation, totaling 12,000 people.
To increase awareness by 50%, that would mean 6,000 more people
would need to know about the project. During the two year period,
ALCA’s aggressive integrated communications strategy garnered
awareness from more than 6,000 people because of the strong media
relationships with ten different outlets and local social media outlets as
well as relationships with many other ALCA partners.
• To obtain new donors from different target audiences identified for
the signature project during 2014 and 2015
The new target audiences were outlined early in 2014. ALCA received
numerous donations from people who were recently made aware of the
project during 2014 and 2015. During those years, $40,000 was raised
and more than half of that was from new donors.

38. 38
Appendices
A. Positioning Plan
B. Board Organization Workshop Recap
C. Pincham-Lincoln Center Communications and Logistics
Plan (It does include links to all of the stories published
for the grand opening.)
D. Other Development and Public Relations Products

39. S
Athens Limestone
Community Association:
Positioning for the Future
Presented by Kristina Hendrix, APR

40. Overview
S Where are we now?
S Where do we want to go?
S Who do we want to get involved?
S How can we start?
S Trinity Project

41. SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
Let’s look at where we are today!

42. ALCA Strengths
S 501 C 3 Status
S Strong Mission, Vision, and Goals
S Solid Board of Directors
S Built-in Audience
S Available Financial Resources

43. ALCA Weaknesses
S Name that doesn’t resonates with the
mission
S Similar Age Demographic
S Small number of revenue- generating
projects
S Name Recognition Year Round
S Small Team

44. ALCA Opportunities
S Unique mission from other non-profits
S Interesting story to share
S Reach a younger demographic
S Unite the community

45. ALCA Threats
S Other non-profits (Existing and Emerging)
S Lack of interest by community members
S Loss of financial resources

46. Fiscal Position

47. Positioning
S Keep the ALCA brand visible
S Expand the reach of ALCA efforts
S Become the premier non-profit for the
community
S Be an influencer in the community

48. Current vs. Future Target Audiences
Current Audiences Future Audiences
Trinity HS Alumni Athens/Limestone Community
Members
Trinity HS Descendants Historical Groups
Friends of Trinity Art Groups
Black Churches Agricultural Groups
Children’s Groups
Women’s Groups
All Churches
Educational Groups (Formal and
Informal)
Young Adults
We have to expand our target audiences
to be more inclusive!

49. Getting Started
S Build a diverse coalition
S Start a social media presence
S Write opinion editorials/articles for the newspaper
S Start a signature annual fundraising event
S Have a monthly event that keeps the brand in front of
people
S Start an online newsletter/publication
S Partner with other non-profits on special events and
programs

50. S
Athens Limestone
Community Association:
Positioning for the Future

51. Trinity HS Project Initial Start
S Perform informal and formal research
about the current state of the project
S Educate people as to why it is important
S Locate other cultural arts/community
centers that we could emulate
S Leverage existing relationships

52. Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences
Rocky Mount, NC
Arts, Science, Theater, Facility Rental, and Children’s Museum

53. Real Life Example: Imperial Centre
S City-owned/operated museum and cultural
arts center; Managed by the Parks and
Recreation Group
S Job Creator
S Shares the story of Rocky Mount and other
cultures that interests the community
S Fiscally Strong because of ticket sales and
other revenue-generating ways

54. Benefits of the Trinity HS Project
S Make this an attraction for Athens
S Tells the ENTIRE Athens and Limestone
County Story
S Keeps the Trinity story alive
S Ability to tell more stories about Athens
and Limestone County

55. S
Athens Limestone
Community Association:
Positioning for the Future

56. 1
Athens-Limestone Community Center
Board Retreat Recap and Actions
November 11, 2014
Major Topics of Discussion
• New Vision and Mission Statement
• Board Roles
• Communication Products
• 2015 Black History Program
• 2015 Calendar of Events
• Revenue-Generating Streams
• Actions
Vision Statement- It was voted on and approved by the board.
The Athens-Limestone Community Association aims to inform and engage with the public
through cultural, educational, and historical activities that will honor the past and enrich
the lives of current and future generations.
Mission Statement- It was voted on and approved by the board.
To create a connection between the history and the future of Athens and Limestone County
through quality programs and stimulating activities
Board Roles
• President: Preside over meetings, official spokesperson, coordinate functions, and
signatory authority
• Vice President: Acts in the president’s absence, property/inventory administrator
(Will work with the secretary to perform an annual inventory of all artifacts and
exhibits bought or donated to ALCA)
• Secretary: Prepare and record minutes and meeting agendas, sends minutes prior
to the meeting, notifies board members of the meetings
• Treasurer: Signatory authority, financial administrator, official financial document
provider, Holding The Fort book shipping coordinator
• Recording Secretary: Signatory authority, sends donation receipts, acts as the
liaison to Trinity graduates through the class representative, acts in the secretary’s
absence
• Public Relations: Official spokesperson, develops all communications products,
and special event planner
• Project Managers: Work with the City of Athens on all building-related projects

57. 2
Communications Products
• Website that will accept book sales and donations
• Letterhead
• Envelope
• Note card/Stationery
• Promotional Rack Card
• Brochure
• All direct mail pieces
• Social Media Accounts- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Promotional Items
2015 Black History Program
• Theme: A Century of Black Life, History and Culture (The National Black History
Month Theme)
• Date: Saturday, February 7, 2015
• Event time: 6pm-6:30 pm Social Hour; 6:30pm Event Begins
• Potential Location: First United Methodist Church- Beasley Center, Limestone
County Event Center
• Potential Speaker (in order): Robert Mayberry, John Meredith, and Sonnie Hereford
• Introduction of the Speaker: Rev. Louis Malone
• Entrance Fee: No
• Donations Encouraged: Yes
• Entertainment (in order): 100 Men Choir, Committed
• Refreshments: Seek a sponsor
• Partnerships: Coordinate with the City of Athens, Spirit of Athens, and Limestone
County to make this event the OFFICIAL Athens and Limestone County Black History
Program
2014-2015 Calendar of Events
• December 2014/January 2015: Small Scale Ground-Breaking Event
• February 2015: Black History Month Program
• April 2015: Poetry Event
• June/July 2015: Trinity Community Center Ribbon Cutting
Revenue-Generating Streams and Other Activities
• Donations
• Holding The Fort Book Sales
• Black History Program
• Limestone County Student Hall of Fame- Similar to the Limestone County Sports
Hall of Fame but with an academic tie. This program would start in 2016.
• Poetry Event
• Brick Sales- Inviting people to buy bricks as a legacy that will be displayed at the
Trinity Community Center

58. 3
• Memorials- Either on paper or with a plaque in the building for people who have
donated to ALCA in memory of someone else
Actions
• All: No receipts will be sent after the book, Holding The Fort, is sold to buyers.
• Rebekah Davis: Send minutes and agenda prior to the meetings, notify members of
the meetings, help with the inventory (with David), and submit existing community
center rental policies (with Masheldia)
• Masheldia Green: Update the donor list (with Carolyn), create a list of the Trinity
High School class representatives to communicate with (with Carolyn and David),
submit existing community center rental policies from other centers (with Rebekah),
and research legacy brick vendors so this activity can begin again and bricks can be
sold.
• Kristina Hendrix: Work with the City of Athens, Spirit of Athens and Limestone
County to deem the Black History Program the official program for the city and
county, continue with rebranding, develop a card to promote Holding The Fort as a
Christmas present to others, continue to plan other special events, and work with
formal and informal educators about the Center’s use
• David Malone: Begin drafting an inventory plan of all exhibits and artifacts (with
Rebekah)
• Richard Martin: Begin research for Student Hall of Fame plan and continue to work
as the project manager with the City of Athens for the Center
• Carolyn Williams: Update the donor list (with Masheldia), ask Robert Mayberry to
be our Black History Program speaker, ask Frank Travis of the 100 Men Choir and
Committed’s representative if they will be the entertainment for the Black History
program

59. Revised: October 2, 2015
Athens-Limestone Community Association
Pincham-Lincoln Center
Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting
Communications and Logistics Plan
September 17, 2015
Presented by: Kristina Hendrix, APR
Community and Public Relations Lead

60. 2
Overview
The Athens-Limestone Community Association (ALCA) is nearing the completion of
the Pincham-Lincoln Center. The plan will explain the strategies used to
communicate the grand opening before, during and after and the tools need to
execute the plan.
Goals
• To communicate and execute a ribbon cutting/grand opening for the
Pincham-Lincoln Center at the Trinity – Fort Henderson Complex.
• To continue to reach current and potential donors for the Trinity – Fort
Henderson Complex projects.
Objectives
• To plan one memorable event for the opening of the Pincham-Lincoln Center
for the citizens of Athens and Limestone County during November or
December 2015.
• To educate current and potential donors about the progress of the Trinity –
Fort Henderson Complex during October 2015-January 2016.
Target Audiences
• Citizens of Athens and Limestone County
• Tennessee Valley media outlets
• Local and state government officials
Key Messages
• Trinity School was Limestone County’s only school for black students from
1865-1970.
• Trinity School closed 45 years ago.
• The location of Trinity School has been deserted since many of the activities
ended in the 1980’s.
• Established in 1981, the Athens-Limestone Community Association began
working to renovate the former school into a community center.
• After many years of fundraising and community involvement, ALCA will be
opening the Pincham-Lincoln Center at the Trinity – Fort Henderson
Complex. The center is named for two prominent Trinity graduates - Judge
Eugene Pincham and Dr. C. Eric Lincoln who were integral to the revival of
the Trinity School location.
• ALCA is planning the ribbon cutting and grand opening for the Pincham-
Lincoln Center is Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 10am.
• The center will be used for community outreach purposes.

61. 3
Strategies
• Community Relations
• Media Relations/Social Media*
• Special Event Planning
*If the ALCA Board agrees on the overall social media strategy, information will be
shared on those platforms.
Tactics
Community Relations
Tactic Description Date
Athens Rotary Club
Meeting
Arrange for a speaker at
one of their luncheon
meetings
October or November
2015
Round Island Creek
Missionary Baptist
Association General
Assembly Meeting
Make an announcement
and distribute progress
flyers at the meeting
September 25-26, 2015
Athens-Limestone
Tourism Association
Meeting
Make an announcement
and distribute progress
flyers at the meeting
September 29, 2015
AND another date in the
future
Honoring Trinity School
Day
Partner with Sweet
Home Missionary
Baptist Church for a day
of worship with the
classes
November 1, 2015
Community
Landscaping Day
Partner with Rotary to
plant all the trees
November 21, 2015
Media Relations/Social Media
Pre-Grand Opening: We will build relationships with each of these outlets to get
placement in their publication or television show prior to the grand opening. The
focus of these stories will be to explain the history of the project and the upcoming
opening.
Publication/Media Outlet Date
Limestone Life Article November
Source: Athens Limestone
Hospital Magazine Feature
Story
November/December
WAAY-TV Noon Show November/December

62. 4
WAFF-TV Noon Show November/December
WHNT-TV Noon Show November/December
Cooper and Company November/December
Athens News-Courier
Feature Story
November
AL.com (Kelly Kazek) November/December
Boom! Article November/December
During the Grand Opening:
Publication/Media Outlet Date
News Release 2 weeks before the event
Media call backs to each of
the outlets
3 days before the event
Post-Grand Opening:
Tactic Date
Image Release with
extended caption of the
ribbon cutting
Immediately following the event
Special Events Planning
Ribbon Cutting Agenda
Location: Pincham-Lincoln Center Front Steps
Date and Time: November/December 2015 10am
Emcee: Kristina Hendrix, ALCA Community and Public Relations
Welcome and Recognition of Special Guests…………....……..Kristina Hendrix
Presentation of the Colors…………… Austin High School, COL James Walker
National Anthem…………………………………………………………….Talent TBD
Prayer………………..Robert Malone or Trinity Congregational Church Pastor
Remarks
• ALCA-Kristina Hendrix (History, Progress, and Future)
• Athens City Council- Jimmy Gill, President
• Limestone County Commission- Mark Yarbrough, Chairman
• City of Athens- Ronnie Marks, Mayor
• Alabama Department of Economic Development- Jim Byard, Director
Ribbon Cutting (Individuals will be selected to cut the ribbon. There will be an
approved list as well as identified standing positions.)

63. 5
Closing/Enter the Center/Reception
Special Event Logistical Support
The following items will be needed to successfully execute the ribbon cutting.
Tactic Point of Contact Status/Due Date
Catering
• Light
refreshments
• Punch
• Plates, napkins,
silverware, cups,
serving utensils
Class of 1970; Deborah
Gill and Marie McLin
Chairs City of Athens
Commemorative
Memento
Kristina Hendrix
Decorations
• Balloons
• Flowers
• Table cloths
Carolyn Williams
Invitation List Kristina Hendrix and
Masheldia Green
Invitations Kristina Hendrix
PA System Edward Gilbert and
Masheldia Green
Parking TBD
Photography TBD
Podium Edward Gilbert
Printed Program Kristina Hendrix,
Rebekah Davis, and
Charlotte Fulton
Purple and Gold
Ribbons
Carolyn Williams
Signage Kristina Hendrix
Stanchions Kristina Hendrix
Thank you cards Carolyn Williams,
Charlotte Fulton, and
Kristina Hendrix
Additional items for on-going status

64. 6
• Exterior signs- Kristina is working with Athens Sign Company now. She
should have new drafts for board review and approval in the coming days.
• Historical Mural- Photos have been sent to Kelly Cain and she is laying out
the design now.
• Fort Henderson Project artist’s rendering- An email has been sent to Jeff
Tosh for him to design the Fort Henderson project exterior.
• Brick Project
• Pincham and Lincoln Naming Plaque- Kristina and Charlotte will work
together with a designer to lay this project out for approval.
Budget
The Athens-Limestone Community Association Board must approve all monetary
requests. There will be a running tally of all requests throughout this event.
Evaluation
After the event, there will be a full analysis of all tactics from both a quantitative and
qualitative perspective. The final results will be shared with the ALCA board in early
2016.

65. Media Report
Publication/Media
Outlet
Date Topic
WHNT-TV (CBS) June 2012 Preservation
Athens News
Courier
May 2014 $75,000 Gift to ALCA
AL.com August 2014 Holding the Fort Book Signing
AthensPlus.com August 2014 Holding the Fort Book Signing
Athens News
Courier
August 2014 Holding the Fort Book Signing
WHNT-TV January 2015 Beginning Construction
WAFF-TV (NBC) February 2015 2nd Annual ALCA Black History
Program
Athens News
Courier
February 2015 2nd Annual ALCA Black History
Program
Athens News
Courier
November 2015 Community Landscaping Day
Decatur Daily November 2015 Community Landscaping Day
WHNT-TV November 2015 Community Landscaping Day
Athens News-
Courier
November 2015 Progress Feature Story
Athens News
Courier
November 2015 Funding Story
AthensPlus.com November 2015 Progress Feature Story
WEUP 1700AM November 2015 15-minute Radio Interview
WHRP 94.1FM November 2015 PSA posted
The Valley Star November 2015 Progress Story
WZDX-TV (FOX) December 2015 Grand Opening
WAAY-TV (ABC) December 2015 Grand Opening
WAFF-TV December 2015 Grand Opening
WHNT-TV December 2015 Grand Opening
Athens News
Courier
December 2015 Grand Opening
The Sportsman
(Tabloid Magazine)
December 2015 Grand Opening
WLRH-AM (Public
Radio)
February 2016 Grand Opening and history of
Trinity

66. 606 Trinity Circle Ÿ P.O. Box 1476 Athens, AL 35612
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
45 Years in the Making: Grand Opening Planned for New Community
Center in Limestone County’s Historic Only Black High School
ATHENS, ALABAMA, December 3, 2015 – The Athens-Limestone Community
Association will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for one of
Athens and Limestone County’s oldest historical landmarks. The Pincham-
Lincoln Center, the former all-black Trinity High School, will open its doors on
Thursday, Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. on the Trinity – Fort Henderson Complex at 606
Trinity Circle near downtown Athens. It will be a community center for
educational enrichment and job skills training for youth and adults.
The school opened immediately following the American Civil War in 1865 and
closed due to a desegregation court order in 1970. The plan for a community
center has been 45 years in the making. Through a partnership with ALCA, City
of Athens, and Limestone County and years of fundraising, the plan has become
a reality. “This project has been a dream that so many of us who went to Trinity
wanted completed. The community center will be a place where future
generations can learn about the people who taught and went to school here at
Trinity as well as learn new skills that they can carry with them throughout their
lives,” said Edward Gilbert, ALCA president. “I am proud that ALCA was able to
partner with Athens and Limestone County to restore this wonderful piece of
history.”
The City of Athens and Limestone County played a significant role in the
development of the center. In 2013, the City of Athens received a Community
Development Block Grant from the Alabama Department of Economics and
Community Affairs to start construction of the community center. "I am proud of
the efforts made by the Athens-Limestone Community Association to preserve
this significant historical site and create a community center to serve our
citizens," Mayor Ronnie Marks said. "Many facets of the community have
- more -

67. 606 Trinity Circle Ÿ P.O. Box 1476 Athens, AL 35612
supported our efforts to enhance the Trinity-Fort Henderson site for its historical
value, beautification of a blighted area and educational opportunities." Limestone
County Commission Chairman Mark Yarbrough said, “The County is pleased that
through this project, such an important part of Limestone County history will
continue to be a part of the County’s future.”
ALCA has transformed a portion of the 1959 school building that once housed
the library, principal’s office, and a classroom, into a 3,600-square-foot space
with a meeting room, office area, restrooms, and a kitchen.
The Pincham-Lincoln Center is named for two prominent Trinity graduates,
Judge R. Eugene Pincham and Dr. C. Eric Lincoln. Each of these men was
integral to the revival of the school as well as benefactors for the project.
Pincham died in 2008 and Lincoln in 2000.
The public is invited to attend the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.
Once the ceremony is completed, guests may enter the community center and
view the pictorial mural that shows Trinity High School through its 105-year
history. A reception will follow the activities.
ALCA’s next major project at the Trinity – Fort Henderson Complex is the
building of a memorial to Fort Henderson, the Union fort where black soldiers
fought for their freedom during the American Civil War. Donations are being
accepted now for the development of that memorial with plans to begin
construction in 2016. The memorial will complete the construction of the three
facilities at the complex – the Pincham-Lincoln Center, the Pincham Athletic Field
and the Fort Henderson Memorial. Plans for future development at the complex
include opening a museum and archives of Trinity School within the recently
renovated former band room.
- end -
Started in 1981 and reorganized in 2007, the Athens-Limestone Community
Association’s mission is to create a connection between the history and the
future of Athens and Limestone County through quality programs and stimulating
activities. The ALCA Board President is Edward Gilbert.
For media interviews, tours and photos:
Kristina Hendrix, APR
ALCA Community and Public Relations
kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com
256-777-9414

68. Subject: MEDIA ADVISORY: ALCA and Athens Rotary Club to host Community Landscaping Day
From: Kristina L. Hendrix, APR (kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com)
To: kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com;
Bcc:
briana.harris@decaturdaily.com; jean@athensnews-courier.com; newsroom@athensnews-courier.com;
hsvnews@al.com; kkazek@al.com; hsvcalendar@al.com; rebecca@athensnews-courier.com;
sourceoflimestonecounty@gmail.com; teresa@athensplus.com; connie.marshall@aamu.edu;
elizabeth.ragland@aamu.edu; toni.terrell@cumulus.com; jeffrey.lyons@cumulus.com; lashayb@gmail.com;
r.lee@radiohuntsville.com; e.gaines@radiohuntsville.com; newsroom@waaytv.com; rkeith@waaytv.com;
news@waff.com; dion.hose@whnt.com; news@whnt.com; news@rocketcitynow.com;
community@rocketcitynow.com; gloria@jamiecopper.com; weuptalk@aol.com; hhollman@athensal.us;
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2015 6:30 AM
November 5, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ALCA and Athens Rotary Club to host Community Landscaping Day
ATHENS, ALABAMA - The Athens-Limestone Community Association (ALCA) and the Athens Rotary
Club are partnering for a Community Landscaping Day on Saturday, November 21 at 9 a.m. The event will
be held at one of Athens’ oldest historical landmarks, the former all-black high school before integration,
Trinity School, which is now called the Pincham-Lincoln Center. It is located on The Trinity-Fort Henderson
Complex at 606 Trinity Circle in Athens, Ala.
ALCA and Rotary are asking the community to join them for the completion of the community center’s
exterior. Volunteers can be from church groups, school groups, youth, and other organizations. Athens
Mayor Ronnie Marks’ Youth Commission will be one of the volunteer groups helping with the project. All
volunteers should bring with them or wear work gloves, boots and water when they arrive at the community
center.
Earlier this year, the Athens Rotary Club donated $15,000 for the landscaping around the center. Grayson
Bailey Landscaping will manage the project for the Rotary.
The landscaping is the final step before the grand opening of the Pincham-Lincoln Center. The ribbon cutting
ceremony will be held on Thursday, December 17 at 10 a.m. The community center will serve youth and
adults with job training skills and other educational training opportunities.
-end-
Started in the 1981 and reorganized in 2007, the Athens-Limestone Community Association’s mission is to
create a connection between the history and the future of Athens and Limestone County through quality
programs and stimulating activities. Edward Gilbert is the president.
For more information contact:
Kristina Hendrix, APR

69. Athens-Limestone Community Association
Public and Community Relations Lead
kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com
256-777-9414
Attachments
Volunteers Needed Landscaping Day.jpg (120.63KB)

70. Subject:
FEATURE STORY: Athens-Limestone Community Association Announces Upcoming Events and Ribbon
Cutting
From: Kristina L. Hendrix, APR (kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com)
To: kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com;
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 8:25 AM
Good Morning,
The story of the abandoned schools is one that many people often want to learn more about. Across North
Alabama, the status of black schools before integration is sometimes one of destruction, disrepair or
renovation. For the past eight years, the Athens-Limestone Community Association, in partnership with the
City of Athens and the Limestone County Commission, has worked tirelessly to renovate Athens and
Limestone County’s only all-black high school before integration, Trinity High School. The new Pincham-
Lincoln Center on the Trinity - Fort Henderson Complex will be used as a community center located near
downtown Athens.
Leading up the December grand opening of the Pincham-Lincoln Center, ALCA will host numerous events to
celebrate this momentous occasion. To prepare for the opening, ALCA would like to join you on air
during a morning or noon show to share with your viewers our story of renovation and revitalization.
We also will send you a feature story written by acclaimed author and ALCA board member Charlotte
Fulton and a list of our upcoming events for you to place on your website and share with your viewers.
There is more time to develop this story as you can join the Athens Rotary Club and us for the Community
Landscaping Day on Saturday, November 21 and send a reporter to cover it. We can also arrange for you to
interview ALCA board members and take pictures of the new Pincham-Lincoln Center. We will send you
more information about the ribbon cutting on December 17th as we approach the date.
You can contact me with your questions at the email and phone number listed below. I will follow up with
you in the coming days.
Here is a timeline of the Trinity – Fort Henderson Story:
1863- Fort Henderson was erected and was used as a Union fort but ultimately captured by General
Nathan Bedford Forest
1865- American Civil War ended
1865- Trinity School opened on the corner of Market and Clinton Streets
Late 1800’s/Early 1900’s - Market Street and Clinton Street location burns
1907-Trinity School rebuilt and moved to the Fort Henderson site
1970- Trinity School closed due to integration
1981- Athens-Limestone Community Association founded
2007- ALCA reorganized with a mission to renovate the former Trinity – Fort Henderson site
2013-ALCA awarded an Alabama Community Development Block Grant to renovate the Trinity – Fort
Henderson site
January 2015- Construction began
December 2015- ALCA opens Pincham-Lincoln Center at the Trinity – Fort Henderson Complex
Links to past ALCA progress stories:

71. Athens Working to Preserve Trinity Site, WHNT-19 News, 2012
Holding The Fort Book Sales, Al.com, 2014
100–Year Old Woman Wants To Save Trinity Site, Quadcitiesdaily.com, 2014
Contract Awarded for Trinity School Renovation, Athens News Courier, 2014
Trinity School Project Gets $75,000, Athens News Courier, 2014
Rotary Gives ALCA $15,000 for Landscaping, Athens Rotary Club, 2015
Kristina Hendrix, APR
ALCA Community and Public Relations
kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com
256-777-9414
Attachments
Feature Story for P-L Ctr Opening.Final Draft.docx (19.01KB)
Front Entrance of Trinity HS - Photo Credit Greg Cosby.jpg (143.93KB)
Malone and Gill outside of Trinity- Photo Credit Greg Cosby.jpg (94.64KB)
Malone inside Trinity - Photo Credit Greg Cosby.jpg (97.00KB)
Big 3 Events for ALCA Nov. Dec. 2015.pdf (3.27MB)
Community Landscaping Day Flyer.pdf (3.15MB)
Exterior Trinity High School.jpg (511.39KB)
Trinity1.pdf (1.35MB)
October 14 building 1.jpg (2.86MB)
October 14 building 2.jpg (2.92MB)

72. 1
David Malone stands gazing over the campus of Trinity School where he graduated in 1966, seeing only
in his mind’s eye the faces of the students who became his extended family and the teachers who
molded his intellect and his character. The school that had been the heart of African-American life and
culture in Athens closed its doors in 1970, but Malone remembers it in minute detail. He knew the
school environs intimately well before he arrived at school age, standing in his grandmother’s yard
across Brownsferry Street and watching his older cousins come and go: to ball practice, to classes, to
dances and films and graduation programs.
Here is where the earthworks of the old fort field encircled the school, Malone recalls; here, where
Coach H.B. Provience ran athletes up and down the red clay embankments, toughening them for the
coming football season. Here is the koi pond, a source of awe among students who paused there to
admire its beauty; on this spot, the monument to Mary Emma Perkins, the white teacher who lived
among Trinity’s black families from 1889 until her death in 1943, when by her own request she was
cremated and her ashes scattered on the grounds of her beloved Trinity. Over there is the bridge
designed in 1930 by senior Will Alyce Mason as a gift from her class. And here once stood the stately
home where the principal and out-of-state teachers lived in a cooperative arrangement, taking turns at
chores in the kitchen.
These steps and this landing were part of the auditorium built in 1929, an addition to the majestic
two-story brick structure built in 1914 to replace a similar building that burned the previous year, and
replaced, in turn, in 1959 by a more modest one-story structure after Trinity School passed from the
nurturing hands of the American Missionary Association into the public school system. That building
remained in use until schools desegregated in 1970 and Trinity students were scattered in a diaspora
among the formerly all-white schools of Athens and Limestone County.
There is silence today at that spot on Coleman Hill, but not for long. A century and a half after Mary
Fletcher Wells took on the task of educating Athens’ freedmen, and 45 years after Trinity’s last
graduates marched across the stage to receive their diplomas, the campus will come to life again when
the Pincham-Lincoln Center opens later this year. The renovation – a partnership between the City of
Athens, Limestone County, and Athens-Limestone Community Association – has transformed a portion
of the 1959 school building that once housed the library, principal’s office, and a classroom, into a
3,600-square-foot space with meeting room, office area, restrooms, and a kitchen. The space will be
used primarily for educational programs such as after-school mentoring. Plans also call for the meeting
room and grounds to be available on a rental basis for public and private events.
Located on the north side of Brownsferry Street at 606 Trinity Circle in the Trinity-Fort Henderson
Complex, the Pincham-Lincoln Center sits on one of the most historically significant sites in the state.
Relocated to Coleman Hill after a 1907 fire that destroyed the school in its downtown location, Trinity
School stood within the embankments of a Union fort built in 1863 in part by former slaves-turned-
soldiers, some of whose descendants would later become scholars on the very ground where they once
fought for freedom. A portion of the embankment is still visible on the east side of the campus.
For more than a century Limestone County’s only high school for African Americans, Trinity came into
existence in May of 1865, just weeks after the end of the Civil War, when Mary Fletcher Wells, a white
schoolteacher from Ann Arbor, Michigan, assembled her first classes in the white Baptist church, where
she initially taught under military guard. Trinity soon moved to an old house where it would remain until
1882, despite the building’s state of extreme disrepair.
In the intervening years, Wells would organize Trinity Congregational Church (in 1871); chaperone the
Fisk Jubilee Singers on their first state-side tour (also in 1871); oversee the construction of a church
building (in 1876) and a brick school building (in 1882); and nurture the minds and souls of such talented
students as Patti Malone and Alice Vassar, both of them Fisk Jubilee Singers; George Ruffin Bridgeforth,
who later taught at Tuskegee Institute under the direction of Booker T. Washington and alongside
George Washington Carver; Alexander Collier and Noah Franklin Turner, physicians near the turn of the
Feature Story Leading up to the Pincham-Lincoln Center Grand Opening

73. 2
century; and dozens of teachers and preachers who staffed Limestone County’s rural African-American
schools and filled its pulpits.
That history of distinction continued throughout Trinity’s 105-year history, with Trinity graduates
excelling in many fields of endeavor: education, music, law, theology, the military, art, medicine… The
Pincham-Lincoln Center bears the name of two such Trinity students and benefactors, both of them
graduates of the early 1940s. Charles Eric Lincoln was an author, scholar and theologian who wrote 22
books, taught or lectured in prominent universities at home and abroad, and retired from the faculty of
Duke University. Robert Eugene Pincham was a justice on the appellate court of Illinois.
One of the primary goals in the Trinity renovation project is the preservation of the history of the
school and its people – a history which parallels that of other black schools established all across the
South by philanthropic and religious groups in the years following the Civil War. Like Trinity, those
schools played a key role in the education of the African-American population, but their stories are
quickly being obscured with the deterioration, demolition, or diversion of the building for other
purposes.
In Huntsville, Councill High School continues to deteriorate while an alumni group struggles to raise
funds to restore the school named for William Hooper Councill, first president of Alabama A&M. Councill
Training School, Councill High’s counterpart in the Madison County School System, is now in use by
Alabama A&M. Like many of the state’s historically all-black schools, their history is tied to that of
Trinity. Mary Fletcher Wells and W.H. Councill were contemporaries, and he often led teachers’
institutes for her faculty.
West of Athens in Florence, a brick marker memorializes Burrell Normal School, relocated to Florence
by the American Missionary Association in 1903, after its school of the same name burned in Selma.
Among Burrell’s early teachers were Trinity graduate Inez Higgins, and Lucile LaCour, the daughter of
former Trinity student and Fisk Jubilee Singer Alice Vassar LaCour. Burrell Normal was transferred to
Florence City Schools in 1937 and renamed Burrell High School. In 1951 it moved and combined with
Slater Elementary School, becoming Burrell-Slater, one of Trinity’s top rivals in sports. Burrell-Slater
burned in 1958, was rebuilt in 1960, and closed when Alabama’s public schools were desegregated.
In neighboring Sheffield, a street renamed Sterling Boulevard evokes the memory of Sheffield Colored
School, established in 1889 and renamed in 1942 for Benjamin Sterling, a former slave who was
professor there from 1896 to 1936, many of those years as principal. That school was razed in 1978.
South of Athens in Decatur, Leon Sheffield Magnet School bears the name of the Trinity graduate who
was principal for 19 years as the school morphed from Decatur Negro High School to Lakeside High
School to Lakeview Elementary to Leon Sheffield Magnet School.
The effort to preserve the site of Trinity School and Fort Henderson dates back to 1981, when an
alumni group formed Athens-Limestone Community Association and purchased the school, which had
begun to deteriorate through disuse. The building enjoyed a short period of rejuvenation as a
community center and the site of a few businesses. The effort eventually stalled when the cost of
operations and maintenance became prohibitive. The project was approached with renewed vigor in
2007 with ALCA’s reorganization. Construction, funded primarily by a grant from the Alabama
Department of Economic and Community Affairs, began in January of this year. Funding has also come
from city, county and state government, local civic groups, and Trinity alumni. The grounds are currently
being landscaped with a $15,000 gift from Athens Rotary Club.
In addition to the renovation, ALCA has published Holding the Fort, a book of Trinity’s history written
by Charlotte Fulton, and has sponsored events for Black History Month and a wildly popular production
of the black gospel Crowns. Upcoming events include a Honoring Trinity School Day on Nov. 1st
at Sweet
Home Missionary Baptist Church at the 11 a.m. worship service with a reception to follow; a Community
Landscaping Day on Nov. 21st
, when ALCA and Athens Rotary Club invite volunteers of all ages to help
plant trees and complete the landscaping; a grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the Pincham-Lincoln

74. 3
Center planned for Dec. 17th; and productions of Arise and Build, a musical play based on the history of
Trinity School. Produced and directed by the multi-talented Frank Travis, Arise and Build will be
presented in early February at McCandless Hall on the campus of Athens State University. Also in
progress is a series of videotaped interviews with some of Trinity’s graduates.

75. Kristina Hendrix, APR
Athens Limestone Community Association
Public and Community Relations Lead
kristinalhendrix@yahoo.com
May 23, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ALCA Receives $75,000 for Trinity School Restoration Project
ATHENS, ALABAMA - The State of Alabama, Limestone County and the City of Athens
donated a collective $75,000, $25,000 each, to the Athens-Limestone Community
Association (ALCA) to assist in the restoration of the re-opening the old Trinity School
building as a community center.
City, county, and state officials were on hand to present the monetary donations to the
ALCA board members.
Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said, “ The city council and I support not only the historical
value of this project, but the value it will add to our community and to all of Limestone
County. It's important to retain the history of where we came from. This was a Civil War
fort and the first black school in Limestone County, operating until it closed in 1970. When
we start losing our past, and not passing it on to young people, then we lose our history, so
it's important to help preserve it. This will also be great for local tourism.”
Limestone County Commission Chairman Stanley Menefee added “This is a very
worthwhile project, and we appreciate the efforts that have been made in this project
already. Trinity has so much history that should be preserved, taken care of and
acknowledged, and we're proud to be a part of it.”
“The reason I like this thing is because of the historical interest, first of all, but also this is
something that has been an eyesore for years, and getting it cleaned up will improve the
look and the reputation of the community. It's like Lincoln-Bridgeforth Park, which is now
an asset, and this is something historical that will bring good things to the city and the
community, “ said Alabama State Representative Dan Williams.
-more-

76. The ALCA Board President Edward Gilbert accepted the donations on behalf of the
organization. “We appreciate the support that's coming from everyone, and of course we
need continued support to maintain the project, so we are open for volunteers. This
support today helps show that we have a worthwhile program.”
Additional fundraising efforts are helping to ensure the project progresses. The ALCA, in
conjunction with various other groups, have worked to demolish certain areas of the school
to prepare for the new construction. They have recently replaced the roof on the old band
room. Construction will begin soon on the new community center.
-end-
Started in the 1970’s, the Athens Limestone Community Association’s mission is to
create a historical reflection of the Browns Ferry Street site whose ties to the
antebellum times, Civil War at Fort Henderson (“The Fort”) which included many
African-American soldiers from this area serving in the U.S. Army, the American
Missionary School for freed slaves which later became known as Trinity High School –
all providing a significant impact to Athens, Alabama and abroad. The ALCA Board
President is Edward Gilbert.
Pictured from left: Seated are Alabama Rep. Dan Williams,
Limestone County Commission Chairman Stanley Menefee, and Athens Mayor
Ronnie Marks; standing, ALCA board members Ronnie Smith, Richard Martin,
Carolyn Williams, Charlotte Fulton, Rebekah Davis and Edward Gilbert. ALCA
board members also include Masheldia Green, David Malone and Jimmy Woodroof.