The Lions of Nodaway County are one step closer to completing their centennial project with the arrival of the future Freedom Rock® at Franklin Park, Seventh and Main Streets, Maryville, on December 1.
It takes effort to move a 17-ton rock. The future Freedom Rock was moved to its site in Franklin Park on December 1. Working on the arrival were Lion Jonathan Scott; rock donator Bernard Gast; Lions Harold Spire, Robert Jobst, Jerry Watkins and Ken Barnes; Nodaway County Road and Bridge Supervisor Ed Walker, road and bridge crewmen Brian Engle and Cody Runde; Rande Welch, Patrick Welch and Ron Houston, all of JL Houston, Hopkins. On top of the rock is Lion Jeanine Montgomery.
Lions Club International is celebrating the centennial of the organization in 2017 and to commemorate this milestone, clubs around the world have been working on service projects.
As their Lions Centennial Legacy Service Project, the five Nodaway County Lions Clubs, Maryville Pride and Host, Graham, Hopkins and Pickering Clubs, have combined efforts to bring a Freedom Rock® to Nodaway County.
Freedom Rock® is the creation of Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of Greenfield, IA. The rocks honor American veterans and military personnel with a patriotic theme unique to each location. Sorensen will paint the Nodaway County rock February 3-13, 2017.
The 33,600-pound rock was donated by Bernard Gast, Burlington Jct. The boulder was uncovered while terraces were being built on Gast’s farm. A bulldozer pushed the rock to Gast’s yard on North Highway 71 where it sat for a number of years.
During coffee one day at Gray’s Truck Stop, Gast listened to Lion Robert Jobst, Pickering Lions Club, talk about the Freedom Rock® project and the search for a rock. He offered to donate his.
Gast said he is excited that so many people will see the rock that started out in his field.
Ron Houston of JL Houston, Hopkins, donated the use of a crane and the time of two of his employees; Rande Welch operated the crane while Patrick Welch rigged the rock.
Nodaway County Road and Bridge Supervisor Ed Walker and crew members Cody Runde and Brian Engle transported the rock on a flat bed after the crane loaded it. Maryville Public Safety blocked the street so the truck could be safely unloaded.
Part of the Lions fundraising efforts include selling commemorative pavers. Three sizes are available: 4×8-inch with three lines of text, $50; 8×8-inch with four lines of text, $100; and 8×16-inch with four lines of text, $200.
Paver purchasing forms are available through the five Nodaway County Lions Clubs, Consumers Oil Company, First and Depot Streets, or at the Nodaway News Leader, 116 East Third Street, Maryville.
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