Memorial Day Weekend

Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again. The people we meet via The Freedom Rock project really do become like our family. What an amazing turn out of support we had this weekend. It was so great to see visitors from all over the country come back from last year! But most of all, it's amazing to see the undying support for our Veterans which is what The Freedom Rock project is all about. We get so many people asking how they can help, what they can do, and how they want to help support our service men and women-perfect, this is our goal! To answer those questions...here is our biggest project we have going on right now: The Freedom Rock Tour. I'm happy to say that we feel a bit closer to that goal as we have had several contacts requesting rocks painted in their counties! We're still working out the details and hope to get that big sponsor soon.

Back to this weekend, I'd like to share a few highlights of the event. Ray added four more different Viet Nam Veterans ashes to the North side of the Rock this year, which puts the tally up to around 40. He also added a WWII Veteran's ashes to the Front of the Rock. The way the crowd fell silent and everyone watched as he mixed the ashes with paint and applied them to the Rock gave me goosebumps! It was very emotional watching the widows/friends of these Veterans ashes kiss their little medicine bottle which they brought them in and hand them off to Bubba. Wow-what a way to experience Memorial Day! Before I forget, we'd like to thank Valspar paint for donating all of the paint to The Freedom Rock this year!

Memorial Day 2012

Adding Viet Nam Vet ashes to the green helicopters. 

Another amazing moment I was able to capture was Clarence Pfundheller, a Pearl Harbor survivor, signing autographs in The 2013 Freedom Rock Calendar. Clarence is featured in the month of December. Clarence and other featured Veterans at The Rock that day were asked for autographs and thanked for their service. Again-we're so happy this is taking place and the Rock is doing its job of recognizing these Veterans and their service! These are the real celebrities of our country who should be getting asked for their autograph and honored all the time.

That's Clarence in the top right hand corner of the calendar just 18 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor-what a stud!

On a bit more of a personal note, I have to share pictures of Independence's first year at The Freedom Rock. She made a few appearances but boy was it a hot one-so she wasn't at the Rock too long! I would just like to say thank you to all of you who are a part of our lives through this project. Indie, Bubba and I feel truly blessed to have so many of you who support us and our family. We definitely feel the love and are very appreciative. Miss Indie was diggin' the attention I think! :)

Special thanks to Bubba's family, Mike, Dixie, Heidi, Mandi, Brian, Tucker, Isabelle & Taylor for all that you do every year! Also John & Joni & the rest of the Galanakis family for all of you do as well, including the amazing food you're constantly providing-even past closing time! And to everyone else-you know who you are-THANK YOU!

Daddy & Independence at The Freedom Rock, Memorial Day 2012

Dixie, Bubba, Mike & Indie at The Freedom Rock, Memorial Day 2012