Community Spirit in Action: Volunteers Build Moonshine-Themed Display for HAA Christmas Float

Vote through December 11 at 4 p.m. for the HAA Christmas float to win the People’s Choice Award!

A simple request on a community Facebook post prompted Ronald Pipkin and Randal Willis to reach out to the Hardeman Adoptable Animals (HAA), which was seeking assistance in building its float for the City of Bolivar Christmas Parade. Cindy Hamrick of the HAA had a vision for the float, which required skill and creativity to bring to fruition. The design for the float was less for show and more for bringing awareness to the efforts of the HAA in the county and the importance of responsible pet ownership.

“This is HAA’s 20th anniversary, so our theme this year was The Roaring Twenties,” said Ms. Hamrick. “Our float theme was No More Bootleg Litters – Spay & Neuter!”

Ms. Hamrick’s design request was intricate in detail and not for the unskilled. Carved letters spelling “moonshine” and a still were to be the featured pieces of the float and time was of the essence to complete the project by the Saturday, December 6, 2025, parade. Despite limited time, neither Mr. Pipkin nor Mr. Willis hesitated to offer their skills donating their time and effort to making a “Christmas wish” come true.

“I agreed to do the still because I know all of the ladies that volunteer out at the animal shelter work very hard and are very dedicated to the shelter. They asked me to do that to help bring awareness for the animal shelter,” said Mr. Willis, who volunteers his time and does odds and ends maintenance jobs at the shelter on a regular basis.

“They do a lot of good for our community, and I wanted to support that in any way I could. Building something with my hands is what I love to do, and if a small project from me can help shine a little more light on the animals they’re trying to help, then it’s worth every minute,” said Mr. Pipkin, who designed the shelf.

Both tasked with individual projects, the two men worked independently on their pieces. Mr. Willis, who is a professional handyman in home repairs, used his experience to design and plan his approach to creating the still. His decided to use upcycled materials, which meant he had to ensure the materials he had available would result in looking like a still.

“It took me about 10 hours to build the still but about 30 hours of thinking and planning how to build it,” said Mr. Willis.

Although woodworking is a hobby for Mr. Pipkin, his work is that of a professional. He prides himself on “taking his work seriously.”

“I’ve been working with wood for a few years. It began as a small hobby in my spare time, and the more I learned, the more I fell in love with it,” said Mr. Pipkin, who builds for his own home and friends. “I love creating things, learning new techniques, and helping out when I can, like with this project supporting local causes.”

The shelf took Mr. Pipkin about five hours to make from start to finish. He designed the letters to fit the backboard, carved everything using a Computer Numerical Control (CNC), assembled it, and did the finishing.

Both men are pet owners. Mr. Pipkin with his blue and white American Bully named Memphis, who he noted is “spoiled like family.” Mr. Willis with Gizmo, an eight-year-old mixed breed, who he describes as a “laid-back very nice dog that loves attention.” Although the love of their animals was another motivator for volunteering, it was the bigger picture of helping more than just their dogs.

Seeing pictures of the process and attention to detail in creating the shelf and still, magnified the effort both put into their projects. Although the final products were for HAA, Mr. Pipkin and Mr. Willis felt a great sense of community in volunteering their time.

“I think people should volunteer at places like the animal shelter but also anywhere else that they feel they fit in and can lend a helping hand because it is a big help to the community. It gives each person a feeling of self-worth when you can give back to the community,” said Mr. Willis. “I think people should extend themselves to others because community only works when we look out for each other.”

“It felt natural to step in and support a cause that means a lot to anyone who cares about animals. It doesn’t always take something big—sometimes just showing up, lending a hand, or using whatever skills you have can make a real difference,” said Mr. Pipkin.

And with that, Ms. Hamrick had the making of the float she dreamed about. The finished project as a whole was everything she wanted. Her desire was to share a message and highlight the HAA. Ms. Hamrick believes both goals were accomplished.

“If this project helped HHA in any way or brought a little light to someone’s day, then that’s more than enough for me. That’s what community is—ordinary people helping each other through life,” said Mr. Pipkin.

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