Solon Area Community Foundation hoping rock can be painted next year

By Francie Williamson, The Gazette

November 27, 2014 | 6:39 pm

SOLON Johnson County will be home to a Freedom Rock sometime soon.

Artist Ray Bubba Sorensen of Greenfield each year paints a large boulder known as the Freedom Rock in his southwest Iowa town. The patriotic designs honor veterans in various ways.

A few years ago, Sorensen decided he wanted to paint Freedom Rocks in each of Iowas 99 counties. Sorensens wife, Maria, said in an email that they are estimating it will take seven to 10 years to complete all 99 rocks. This year was the second year of the tour.

Currently Bubba is booking into early 2020, painting only 10 rocks from April to October, Maria Sorensen said. This year he did complete two extra rocks so that will move things up a bit and he will try to do so each year as the weather allows.

Most of the rocks completed so far are in western Iowa, but Sorensen this year finished Scott Countys rock, which is located in LeClaire.

Solon recently signed up to represent Johnson County on the tour. Denny Gruber of the Solon Area Community Foundation said the idea to bring a Freedom Rock to Solon met a very enthusiastic reception.

Weve been in contact with the city of Solon and the American Legion, Gruber said. We thought the Legion would help design it with Bubba. Preliminarily we would like to include all the armed forces in some way.

Read the rest here:

Freedom Rock Tour coming to Johnson County