Story 1

May 12, 2008

Patriotic Love Shining Across America

Americans like to show their patriotic love for their country in many different ways.Patriotism is a love of and loyalty to one's country. Someone who loves,supports,and is prepared to serve their country and honor their country.Across America people have found ways to show their love for the heroes of our country.

What our military people do every day, under the most hazardous conditions, deserves our unified respect and support as a country. And when they pay the ultimate cost with their precious lives, we need to remember them, but not in a sad mournful way. We must celebrate these lives, for the sake of their families and for ourselves as Americans, we need to remember and honor them.

Around the country people have found ways to honor and pay tribute to the past, and present Veterans.

One of these places is called The Freedom Rock. The rock a 12 foot high, 56 ton rock. It is located about 1 mile south of the town of Greenfield Iowa.The rock had been used by kids for their graffiti. In 1999 a young man named "Bubba" Ray Sorenson II decided to change the look of the rock. He started to repaint it around Memorial Day. That year he painted the flag-raising Iwo Jima. He has continued to paint different designs each year with tributes to Veterans. It takes him about 1-3 weeks to create each new scene.Below you will find a sampling of just some of the work that Bubba has created.

2003 is the year the pictures of the Freedom Rock started circulating through emails.

here you have what one young man has done to honor his country. Bubba Sorenson says "I love my country, and I do it out of respect for the Veterans."

Here are a few other places around the country that also pay tribute to the Veterans.

	Roadside Uncle Sam in Michigan
	The proud warriors of Baker Company wanted to do something to pay tribute to their fallen comrades. So since they are part of the only Marine Infantry Battalion left in Iraq the one way they could think of doing that is by taking a picture of Baker Company saying the way they feel. Bake Co says, "WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN" and are proud to serve our country."
	Seen along highway 87 near Big Spring Texas
	The 2002 floral flag is 740 feet wide and 390 feet high and maintains the proper flag dimensions as described in executive order #10834. This flag is 6.65 acres and is the first floral flag to be planted with 5 pointed stars, each star is 24 feet in diameter; each stripe is 30 feet wide. This flag is estimated to contain more than 400,000 Larkspur plants with 4-5 flower stems each for a total of more than 2 million flowers.
Now, all those are all nice and fancy...but how can you use what you already have to show your pride? Here is one person's thoughts:
	A Lincoln Highway barn in Iowa, now beyond the point of no return. You have to love its patriotic colors though. See the white and red stripes on the dormer?

So let's thank everyone across the USA that honor our Soldiers, both past and present, in their own brand of artwork.

They do it strictly out of love and respect for their country and for those who have given their lives.

For those who are fighting on foreign soil and have left their families behind to do so.