A new monument at Hull’s Hubbling Park will give generations of visitors a place to reflect on the service and sacrifice of local veterans.
Community members gathered Saturday, September 12, to dedicate the Veterans Rock, a project led by Wegman-Koele Post 380 of the American Legion with support from businesses, volunteers, and donors.
State Representative Skyler Wheeler attended the ceremony, along with State Senator Jeff Taylor of Sioux Center. In a post-event interview with Sioux County Radio, Wheeler said the gathering included the reading of names of Hull military members who lost their lives serving the country.
“It was incredible to see so many veterans there,” Wheeler said.
The dedication came the day after the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and during the nation’s 250th anniversary year.
A Community Effort
Wheeler credited the Legion with raising money and securing donations to bring the project together. Businesses contributed labor, equipment, and materials to prepare the site, transport and place the rock, and get it ready for painting.
The Hull Area Chamber of Commerce also thanked the organizers, volunteers, and sponsors who supported the project.
The rock adds to an existing memorial at Hubbling Park honoring people from Hull who served in the military. Its artwork includes a bald eagle, an American flag, the American Legion emblem, and military figures.
The artist is Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II, who also serves with Wheeler in the Iowa House. Sorensen began painting the original Freedom Rock near Menlo in 1999 and later completed a statewide tour featuring a Freedom Rock in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.
Wheeler explained that Hull’s project is called a Veterans Rock, while Sioux County’s official rock on the statewide tour is in Hawarden.
According to Wheeler, Sorensen told him Hull’s rock was among the larger ones he had painted. Residents regularly stopped to check on his progress.
“He said he loved the town. He loved the community. He loved the support,” Wheeler said.
A Message for Future Generations
For Wheeler, the monument’s significance extends beyond the dedication ceremony. He said the Legion members behind the project wanted to create a lasting expression of their service and love for their country.
He hopes the artwork will encourage younger residents to consider the people whose sacrifices helped shape their community.
“And I think for a lot of them, it’s a way to kind of symbolize, hey, this is the love we have,” Wheeler said. “And we hope the younger generation, when they drive by and see this beautiful work of art that stands out so clearly that they appreciate all of the sacrifices and services that people have done to make our state, our community, our country, as great as it is.”
