Clear Lake will be home to Cerro Gordo County Freedom Rock

The corner of 8th Street and Main Avenue, Clear Lake, is being readied to become home to a Freedom Rock®.

Iowa native Ray Michael Sorensen II, better known as ‘Bubba,’ will travel to Clear Lake in August to paint a rock, unique to Cerro Gordo County, on the site.  The work will become one of the more than 70 rocks which are being planned in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.  As of mid-May 2017, Freedom Rocks have been completed, or booked, in all but four Iowa counties.

Sorensen tells the story that as a young child he began drawing, and later painted his first mural on the large, approximately 12-foot tall, 60-90 ton rock that age has made his artwork known throughout the world— The Freedom Rock.  While attending college, 19-year-old Bubba was inspired by the movie, “Saving Private Ryan” and painted a sincere thank you to veterans on the rock.  The work was so appreciated that local veterans encouraged him to continue painting the rock every year for Memorial Day.  He has painted the rock with different tributes to our nation’s veterans every year since 1999.    Each May he starts out by painting over the previous year’s work and repaints a completely different tribute which he finished by Memorial Day.

Sorensen’s original Freedom Rock is located along Iowa Highway 25 near Menlo in western Iowa, approximately one mile south of exit 86 on Interstate 80.

Today, Bubba and his wife, Maria, and family live in Greenfield, Iowa where they own and operate a mural painting business named Sorensen Studios.  Although he paints the original Freedom Rock for free, he  is commissioned to paint the small Freedom Rocks in every other county.

He is currently concentrating on completing The Freedom Rock Tour throughout Iowa and is embarking on a 50 State Freedom Rock Tour.

Clear Lake resident Ron Andrews has visited 15 Freedom Rocks while traveling the state both personally and while employed as an officer with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  Almost four years ago he became enthused about the idea of locating a Freedom Rock for Cerro Gordo County in Clear Lake.  He shared the idea with Gene Madson, who has been active in raising funds and promoting various projects, often dealing with veterans, within the community for many years.

“I was busy with another project at the time Ron mentioned it to me.  Then, two weeks later he mentioned it again— and a month later,” laughed Madson.  “Finally we got together and it all came together.”

“I was getting nervous some

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember][wlm_ismember]

one else would want to locate the rock in their community and I thought it would be such a great thing for Clear Lake that I knew we had to get moving,” said Andrews.  “Thankfully, it all came together very nicely.  I think it will be a great addition to Clear Lake and give people one more reason to visit.”

The men invited Mike Finnegan, former owner/publisher of the Mirror-Reporter, to join them in pursuing Sorensen’s services.

Without even taking the idea to the general public, Madson reports about $32,000 of the $40,000 needed for the project has been raised.

Work began May 26 to ready the site at 8th Street and Main.  The Freedom Rock will be situated just west of the annual flower garden which Madson and his wife, Bobbi, have tended at the corner for many years.

A design prepared by Country Landscapes, of Clear Lake, situates the rock within a walkway of brick pavers which have been placed in a knot design, symbolic of an early military symbol signifying strength and unity.  Long stretches of Feather Reed Grass and Violet Riot Salvia will extend from the rock outward like rays of the sun.

The 16-ton rock, which will be used locally, was donated by Dennis and Jody Lewerke, of Clear Lake.  It measures approximately 11-feet long and is seven-feet wide and high.

Dean Snyder Construction, of Clear Lake, has offered to grade and excavate the site, as well as set the rock and three flag poles, all at no charge.

Sorensen asks each group commissioning a Freedom Rock to provide not only ideas for its design, but include a notable soldier from the county.  The Veterans on each rock are usually, in some way, tied to that county.  That way, Sorensen says the rocks provide an interesting “Easter egg hunt” of history lessons throughout the state.

The Cerro Gordo rock will pay tribute to Captain Henry Irving Smith, who is the only soldier from Cerro Gordo County to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.  The Civil War hero was awarded the high honor in 1865.

Each Freedom Rock also features Sorensen’s trademark touch, the American flag.  He notes that the flag represents not only all veterans, but all Americans.

Sorensen is scheduled to begin painting the Freedom Rock here Aug. 24.  The process is expected to take seven to 10 days.  The public will be able to watch as the rock is transformed into a unique piece of artwork.  A dedication ceremony is expected to follow its completion.

[/wlm_ismember]