About the Memorial | Adopt-A-Brick
The people of Gurnee, IL have set aside a 1.6-acre site located where the former Village of Gurnee police station stood at 4580 Old Grand Avenue as the site for a future Heroes of Freedom Memorial. A special public ceremony took place on Sunday, April 3rd, that officially dedicated the site for the Heroes of Freedom Memorial. The ceremony featured Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn as the keynote speaker. The ceremony began with a Marine color guard presenting the Colors. An echo version of taps was played at the conclusion.
"The Heroes of Freedom Memorial" is dedicated to all men and women that have honorably served or lost their lives while serving, in the armed forces of these United States during the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns in the War on Terror. The two acre site was dedicated in April, 2005, construction started September 2005.
The idea for the Heroes of Freedom Monument came from Kirk Morris, who wanted to eulogize the memories of his son and the many others who have sacrificed their lives during service to their country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kirk felt that the statue should honor all of the young men and women and chose to personify the casualty officers who take personal care of the families when the loss of a loved one occurs. To this effect, there are two marines and one army officer depicted.
When the time came to choose an artist, Kirk remembered a person he had met years ago through the printing business. Kirk contacted Cindy Seng of Libertyville to discuss the project. Through a series of meetings, sketches and proposed themes, it was decided to have a soldier kneeling before a field memorial of sandbags, boots, helmet, rifle and dogtags. A comrade would be standing close to honor their fallen friend. The female marine is standing in dress blues, saluting the field memorial behind the soldiers.
The Army and Marine consultants were very selective on the equipment and clothing of the personnel, wanting to keep current with the gear actually used in modern combat.
A small statue of twelve inches, or maquette, was planned to finalize the eventual life and a half size monument.
Cindy Seng enlisted fellow artist Behrle Hubbuch III for assistance in creating the maquette and monumental size bronze that would be placed in the Heroes of Freedom Memorial. Behrle and Cindy created a small replica, or maquette, which has been placed on display at the Gurnee Village Hall. Behrle, an experienced custom jeweler and professional sculptor of miniature pewter/bronze castings, also created a two inch model of the monument in pewter. The responsibilities of producing the 12” bronze maquettes and the 2” pewter models have been entrusted to Behrle based on his past foundry and mass production experience. Both the maquette and the miniature are being sold to raise funds for the monument.
Cindy Seng (nee Hawkins) is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area.. She grew up in Skokie, Illinois and currently resides on a farm in Libertyville, Illinois where she enjoys her horses and her artwork in oils and bronze sculpture. Besides the project at hand, Cindy has done extensive work for Illinois racing programs and has works on display at the Collector’s Gallery in Lexington. Cindy’s recent projects include a bronze made for the Chicago Mounted Police Unit. Three of her children have graduated Warren Township High School, and knew of the young men who so bravely went into war and lost their lives.
”This bronze monument means a lot to me, as my Dad was an Army Air pilot and I have numerous other family members who have nobly served our country. It is a humbling experience to have been chosen to help with the Heroes of Freedom project, and when it is all said and done, I hope that I may look back and realize that I have contributed in some small way to honor our brave, our fallen and our wounded. It is my desire that this monument will be a reflection on freedom for all who choose to sit and gaze upon it, and that this bronze will be a commanding and everlasting reminder to all Americans of the grit, the spirit, the courage and the determination of the American people to bring peace to all of the world and in doing so end the suffering of so many.”
Behrle W. Hubbuch III resides in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Born in Louisville KY, he spent most of his youth moving from one Air Force base to the next, due to his father being a career Air Force Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon. As a child he could almost always be found drawing something. His interest in detail and sculpture began with building as many plastic scale model kits as his lawn mowing money would allow. In High School, he discovered sculpture and jewelry smithing which continue to be his passions as well as his livelihood. Primarily a realistic artist, precision, attention to detail and a keen eye to facial expression and body language enable him to create emotionally evocative sculptures. The scope of his work includes numerous highly detailed miniature sculptures for many gaming companies, equestrian sculptures, bronze plaques and portraiture as well as custom jewelry design.
“ I was thrilled when Cindy asked me to help with the details of the Heroes of Freedom maquette and to work on the full sized monument. This is, as Cindy said, a tremendous opportunity to “honor our brave, our fallen and our wounded” who have chosen to put their lives on the line to serve in the US military, including my only brother SFC John Austin Hubbuch US Army who has honorably served in Bosnia and Iraq. I know this sculpture and the surrounding park will be a fitting tribute to the sacrifices all our “Heroes of Freedom” have made.”
Substantial completion with in two years, but will not be completed until these campaigns are concluded. Cindy Seng has been commissioned by the Committee to produce three bronzes, symbolic of the three fallen sons from Gurnee but representative of all the fallen heroes defending Americas Freedoms and Liberty. "
View the Heroes of Freedom Memorial PDF Here.
You are invited to buy a permanently-installed memorial brick. Bricks are installed at Heroes of Freedom Memorial in the pathway leading to the Bronze Monuments. Make a lasting memory of your generous donation and participation in the Heroes of Freedom Memorial through our Adopt-A-Brick program.
You adopt a brick for a basic donation of $100.00. In return you will receive a framed picture of the brick and a short biography of the Fallen Hero whose name you helped place in the Memorial.. keeping the promise that You Will Never Forget! These 4"x8" pavers are high quality bricks guaranteed to last a lifetime. Each engraved brick is filled with black epoxy to protect the pavers from the elements. The cost is $100.00 per brick and includes three lines of type: Rank and Name; Branch of Service and Country of Service; Date of Birth and Date of Death.
This program allows visitors and residents
the opportunity to take part in the beautification process and become a
permanent part of the historic fabric of this
testament to the Cost of Freedom, to those that honorably served and those that
bore the price.
View the Adopt-A-Brick PDF Here.
An example is below of the bricks you can adopt!
Heroes Of Freedom Memorial
4580 Old Grand Avenue
Gurnee, IL 60031
IRS 501(c)3 Information
