VERGAS —The Lakes area has another artistic installment, but this time with a patriotic theme that is part of a nationwide project called, Freedom Rock . A Freedom Rock tells the story of veterans with a local connection, through art. There are Freedom Rocks in several states, including one at the Veterans Memorial Park near downtown Vergas.
The idea to bring patriotic outdoor artwork to the lakes area happened while Vergas resident Lyle Krieg was on a motorcycle trip with his wife. He came across a Freedom Rock and was inspired by it. After returning home, he brought the idea to his fellow board members at Veterans Memorial Park .
“We loved the idea,” said fellow board member Doug Safar. “There was no hesitation; it was a wonderful project and beautiful art honoring the veterans.” ADVERTISEMENT Henry Ditterich, who is also a board member, visited the gravel pit on the outskirts of town and examined several boulders that could be used for the Freedom Rock project.
He found one that offered viewers different details to the story being told at each turn. “They (gravel company) brought it out and it weighed 81⁄2 tons,” Ditterich said, noting it is five-to-six feet tall. The board had enough funds remaining from ongoing fundraising efforts to continually improve and maintain the park, so they hired Freedom Rock artist Ray Sorensen.
“I stumbled into painting the original Freedom Rock,” Sorensen said. He explained a “graffiti boulder” is located near his hometown. “Sometimes people write marriage proposals on it and sometimes it’s art; essentially it’s a large message board next to a main highway.
” Memorial Day was approaching when he passed the rock several years ago. He decided to paint a message that honored veterans. “It had an overwhelming response,” Sorensen said, noting that in time, people painted over the rock, as was the custom.
“I had several veterans ask me to paint it again the next year. It became an annual tradition.” As interest in the Freedom Rock concept grew, Sorensen and his wife discussed expanding the project in a more permanent way.
They started in their home state of Iowa and in 81⁄2 years all 99 counties had a Freedom Rock. Now, the project is going nationwide. ADVERTISEMENT “The Freedom Rocks all have different designs,” Sorensen explained, adding each typically has a flag or symbol of military significance.
“But they also all have something specific to their county – a veteran’s story.” The veteran’s story may come from the organization hiring him to create the artwork, or he may find it himself, as was the case in Vergas. He walked through Veterans Memorial Park and examined the granite monuments where veterans' names are engraved.
“I saw one had a Silver Star; Walter Fick,” he said. “I looked at all the veterans' names, and he was the only one there that had a Silver Star. I thought, 'This is the guy whose story we need to tell.
’” According to the U.S. Department of Defense , the Silver Star is the third-highest military decoration for valor in combat.
The medal represents military service and achievement and is hung on a ribbon based on the colors of the American flag. According to the Hall of Valor Project , Walter R. Fick, a member of the Army, received the medal “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with the 6th Armored Division during World War II.
” Veterans Memorial Park board member Doug Safar also provided a write-up about what led to Fick receiving the Silver Star. The essay explained that on a spring morning, Fick organized a small patrol to capture German soldiers near their camp. When the Nazis were found, Fick called them to surrender, but a shot was fired in response.
Fick was gravely wounded, but kept calling to the Germans to surrender before taking two of their lives. While 11 Germans did surrender, Fick had to be evacuated for medical care. He died on the flight to the hospital.
Sorensen also learned about Charles Nord, a Vergas resident who served in the Minnesota National Guard and died in a helicopter crash in 2019. ADVERTISEMENT With the veterans in his mind, Sorensen examined the boulder until their stories began to find a place. He dipped his paintbrush and began creating.
When the stories were told, he added the words, “All gave some and some gave all.” “The words say so much in one little sentence,” he said. For about nine days, the rock was left to cure.
People are invited to begin their Freedom Rock tour in Vergas. The tour can take people to Iowa, Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Dakota and throughout Minnesota, as the state has eight with another one in progress. The Veterans Memorial Park in Vergas offers granite markers, benches, flags of each military branch and a gazebo where the Freedom Rock is kept.
The park is handicapped accessible. “We have three pillars with names now, and we are adding a fourth,” Ditterich said, adding each pillar has about 100 names when full. The committee says any veteran’s name can be engraved in the memorial park, regardless if they are from Vergas or the surrounding communities.
“Contact any board member,” Safar said, noting a name engraving is $150 and to have a bench dedication the cost is $5,000, which includes more room for additional words and design. “Our donations go through West Central Initiative, so we are a non-profit and fully tax deductible.” ADVERTISEMENT Krieg can be contacted at 701-238-1575; Safar at 218-201-2554 and Ditterich at 320-226-3727.
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