Freedom is embodied in a very tangible form on the
riverfront itself at one of Evansville’s most
recognizable landmarks, the Four
Freedoms Monument.
What are these four freedoms? Franklin D. Roosevelt defined them in an eloquent
1941 speech as Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion and Freedom from want and
fear.
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Freedom Fest: Celebrating Those Who Made it Possible
When I hear kids whining about how they hate history and
it’s so boring, I really get peeved. Our entire existence is history! Think of
how truly boring our lives would be had our ancestors not lived out the
journeys to some of history’s most provocative discoveries such as:
electricity, flight, the wheel and that entire late 80s/early 90s fashion
revolution. [It was a real landmark in society as a whole.] Anyway, history is not
only makes our present exciting, but also free! The freedoms we enjoy came at a
pretty hefty price, and many countries around the world don’t enjoy the same
freedoms. That pretty hefty price is the lives sacrificed by those men and
women who have fought for our freedom. News
4U has been marked the bars, booze and babes ‘zine, but we also like to
give credit where credit is due. On June 26-29, we’ll all head down to the
Riverfront to feast on carnival food and enjoy some outdoor entertainment, but
have you ever stopped to think what the Freedom Festival celebrates?
It is no
small feat to enter into boot camp and toughen up in a matter of months, then
leave your home, family, friends and even country to live every day with the
expectation that it very well could be your last. Vets from WWII, to Vietnam and Korea, to Desert Storm and even the
Iraqi war have all experienced the toll seeing tragedy after tragedy takes on
your mind, body and soul. This is the price they have paid for us, the civilian
population, to run to the grocery store for frozen pizza, to take a walk in the
neighborhood without the fear of being shot and to vote for our political
representatives. Imagine how much different our lives might be had our armed
forces not fought for our freedoms.
So, not to
be on a soap box… but it’s time we gave our Vets a big ‘thanks’ whether your
support the wars they were involved in or not and the Freedom Festival is the
perfect opportunity to start.
Each year,
Randy Gerlach – a Vietnam Vet – and his band of volunteers man together and
pull off the Veterans’ tent. In previous years, the Festival would supply
sodas, ice and water to the Veterans’ area, but last year only a tent, tables
and chairs were provided. Gerlach and Brian Bradley, a Motor Sergeant of 8 ½
years, went out and bought hot dogs, hamburgers and other provisions and fed
500 people in only five hours and plan on accomplishing that feat again this
year. According to Bradley, “We are just two Veteran's trying to make a family
friendly spot for Veterans.”
If you are
a Veteran, firefighter or law enforcement, please feel free to stop by the
Veterans’ area, located at the Four
Freedoms Monument.
All local businesses and individuals are welcome do donate burgers, dogs,
chips, sodas, and items for give-aways such as certificates and items to the
drawings and raffles that go on as a small way to say thank you. If you are
just heading down to the festival, be sure to stop by and shake the hand of a
veteran and say thank you for the freedom.
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