Freedom Rock coming to Guttenberg
By Pat McTaggart
Freelance Journalist
Several months ago, an application was submitted and accepted, and Clayton County was approved as a site for a Freedom Rock. A small committee has been established and is in the early stages of planning. The Freedom Rock will be located in Guttenberg; however, it will be a Clayton County landmark.
The first Freedom Rock (established in 1999 in Greenfield, Iowa) is a large boulder located in rural Iowa that is repainted every year with a different THANK YOU for our veterans to honor their service to our country.
The artist, Ray "Bubba" Sorenson II, was inspired by the movie "Saving Private Ryan," as well as wanting to give veterans a unique recognition on Memorial Day.
While painting murals across the country, Sorenson had the idea of spreading the message of The Freedom Rock to other small communities across Iowa. The idea in part came from the 99 county tours that both Sen. Grassley and journalist Kyle Munson took part in, and so the Freedom Rock tour was born.
The Guttenberg project will develop over the next year, with more news releases, public meetings and fundraising events. In addition to monetary donations, volunteers will be needed to donate time and energy to the project.
For more information about the Freedom Rock and artist "Bubba" Ray Sorenson visit www.thefreedomrock.com. For more information on the local Clayton County Freedom Rock, contact Stan Blair at claytoncofreedomrock@alpinecom.net.