Freedom Shrine will be dedicated Monday at Shelby High School
Wednesday, November 7, 2007 4:32 PM MST
Linda Bruch
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| Members of the Exchange Club of Great Falls Jim Ledakis, Don Johnson and Jim Pascal install some of the 30 panels of the Freedom Shrine Saturday, Oct. 27, at the multi-purpose room in Shelby High School.
photo by Rox Schackman
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There are many things that make us proud to be Americans. Seeing the American flag gently waving in a breeze, a soldier in uniform, hearing excerpts from the Declaration of Independence are a few things that remind us how wonderful it is to be living in America.
Documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America are what defined this country and its people in the early days. They are what keep us on track, even today. They are also what fills us with pride and can even move us to tears.
The Freedom Shrine is all about providing those important historical documents for all to see. Many of the documents that make up the Freedom Shrine go back a couple hundred years. Things like the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Robert E. Lee's Letter, Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King's speech are just a few of the pieces the Freedom Shrine contains.
"We don't have the original in the Shrine, nor do we have the full document," said Don Johnson, President of the Great Falls Exchange Club that was responsible for the Freedom Shrine coming to and remaining in the Shelby High School recently. "A portion of the document is reproduced and put into plaques for the collection. It is these documents that really make up America."
Freedom Shrines can be found throughout the United States in a number of cities and towns. They are usually placed in schools, public libraries, airports, city halls or state capitols. When Shelby was selected to receive a Freedom Shrine, the High School seemed like the perfect place.
"It's a great way for kids to get a taste of what the documents contain, but adults can learn from them as well," said Johnson.
On Monday, Nov. 12, the Great Falls Exchange Club, along with school officials, will officially dedicate the Freedom Shrine to the Shelby High School at 10 a.m.
Freedom Shrines were started about 50 years ago, according to Johnson. They contain a collection of close to 30 of the most important and historic American documents. The mission of the Freedom Shrine is to "show our nation's youth the strength and courage of their forefathers by allowing them to read, with their own eyes, the immortal words of inspired Americans who so decisively changed the course of history."
The Great Falls Exchange Club has also been in existence for almost 50 years. Their chapter has 30 members and it was one of those members who requested the club to consider paying for a Freedom Shrine to be placed in Shelby.
"It was a new member from Shelby who asked if we could provide a Freedom Shrine to the Shelby High School. The cost to us is about $1,000," said Johnson. "And it stays there forever."
If even one student spends a few minutes reading a document or two, it will be worth every penny, according to Johnson.
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