DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Whitmore Park has a neat little spot near Lake Decatur. Some would say it is a 'hidden gem'.
To Lillian Renfro, it's the 'photowall', or murals of art. Its a selfie spot for young people. What makes the wall so unique is how every piece of art is community made.
"I've had over 50 volunteers come out and put in over 300 hours of work into this project," Renfro said.
This project could boost the 15-year-old to earning the highest rank in the scouts program. Renfro's current rank is "Life Scout", just one slot below Eagle. Becoming an Eagle Scout is not easy. In 2019, eight percent of all scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank. For Renfro, her challenge is getting past the people who keep vandalizing the wall.
"This wall was known as the 'graffiti wall' for the longest people would come down here to vandalize it," Renfro said.
Frankly, the vandalism is frustrating to the young scout. Her efforts to make something nice are met with "colorful" messages. Renfro said it is disheartening because she's trying to create something rather than destroy.
"There are always people who are going to hate on what we're trying to do," Renfro said. "There are always people who are going to try and destroy the beauty that we're trying to bring in to the world. But the best we can do is keep going."
Even if it means constantly painting over obscenities. Renfro described her project as her "baby". Central Illinoisans can show their support by taking pictures of the mural with the hashtag #ThePhotoWall. If one knows anything about the constant vandalism, they should contact the police.
