Linda Bailey Shiflett returned to her hometown of Superior in March, two and a half years after the passing of her husband. The couple had been retired and living in Mexico before his death. Upon her return, Shiflett reconnected with longtime friend Janet "Jan" Brockway Ellen, who had also lost her husband and moved back to Superior.

Wanting to give back to the community they both loved, Ellen suggested they take on a local improvement project: Repainting the town’s aging bridge, which is dedicated to military veterans but needed some sprucing-up.

“We started working (on the project) in April,” Shiflett said. “I submitted the Encroachment Permit on May 5. We met with the County Commissioners and started working closely with Shawn Smalley. We were told we had to complete several steps, and we did everyone.”

Their original goal was to begin painting on the first Sunday in June, when morning traffic would be light. However, final approval didn’t come through until just a couple of weeks ago. The team used brushes instead of spray paint to avoid any overspray drifting into the nearby water which was a concern raised by multiple agencies.

“Last week, (July 27) we had over 30 volunteers, including several from the Superior Volunteer Fire Department,” Shiflett said. “They were there in case of a medical emergency, but they jumped right in by mixing paint and making supply runs to ACE Hardware.”

Due to temperature constraints, painting stopped once it hit 76°F, as higher temperatures affect how the paint responds to the surface. The volunteers started early, around 6:30 a.m. and began cleaning up a few hours later when lunch was served to everyone that had helped.  

Thanks to community support, funding was secured by the Town of Superior that contributed $750. The County Commissioners added $850, and other donations helped cover nearly all remaining costs.

Volunteers from Shyrock Motorcoach and RV Resort on East Mullan Road joined in, including one "eighty-something" woman who participated both days. On July 27, 32 community volunteers helped with painting, followed by 27 more on Aug. 3 when the painting began at 6:35 a.m. and completed earlier than anticipated.

The Superior Volunteer Fire Department once again joined on the second day. Though they had to respond to a call before the job was finished, they assisted with mixing paint and epoxy. In total, the project required 16 gallons of ‘Part A and Part B’ epoxy, plus a bit of paint thinner.

Just before 9 a.m., volunteers put away their brushes, rags, and drop cloths. With hugs and smiles, they wrapped up a project that wasn’t just about beautifying a bridge, but it was about honoring veterans and coming together as a community.