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Local committee outlines Freedom Rock site, fundraising goals and April 2026 ribbon-cutting
Summary
A Freedom Rock committee member told the council the rock painting will cost about $16,900 but the full commemorative site is estimated near $50,000; fundraising is ongoing and a ribbon-cutting is planned for April 2026.
Presque Valley — A representative of the Freedom Rock committee updated the council during call to the public on fundraising, site plans and a projected ribbon-cutting date for a veterans memorial known as the Freedom Rock.
The speaker said the land for the rock was donated by the Town of Peavey and that the painting itself has an estimated cost of about $16,900, which covers painting, fees, travel, hotel and supplies for the artist Bubba Sorensen. "That almost $17,000 is only for the painting of the rock ... That number is closer to $50,000," the committee member said, describing the full site work needed to create a respectful memorial.
Planned site features include pony walls that double as benches, an ADA-compliant approach, a pergola to shield the rock from sun, stanchions and chains, and a walkway lined with commemorative bricks honoring veterans and sponsors. The speaker said bricks will remain on sale through the projected ribbon-cutting on April 2026, which the committee identified as the nation's 250th birthday.
The committee member also said that the artist "includes veterans' ashes in his paint when he does the rocks," a practice the speaker described as adding reverence for some families. The event committee provided a contact email (freedomrockpb@gmail.com) and said volunteers are available at the library on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon to answer questions.
No formal town action was requested at the meeting; the remarks were submitted as public comment.
