The United States of America was founded on freedom, and one group in Waseca wants to remind citizens of the freedoms they enjoy and how they should be protected.
The Waseca Exchange Club dedicated their Freedom Shrine at the Waseca County Courthouse on Tuesday, May 28. The shrine is a collection of photographic reproductions of original documents from American history.
Exchange Club
The shrine is a project of the Exchange Club of Waseca, with club members Mikhail Rostislavovich and Jeanne Sexton being the co-chairs of the Freedom Shrine project. Caryn Wendt of the Exchange Club also had a huge impact on the project, as she was the sponsor of it.
"Had it not been for Caryn, this shrine would not be standing today," Rostislavovich said at the dedication ceremony.
The Exchange Club is a group who work to make the country and their communities a better place to live through many community service projects like child abuse prevention.
Since Exchange Clubs started in 1949, they have dedicated thousands of Freedom Shrines all over the country.
"We hope that dedicating this Freedom Shrine will remind all citizens of the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of their forefathers," Rostislavovich said prior to the ceremony. "In addition, we want to help people learn how important it is to make certain that our precious freedom is preserved."
Ceremony and documents
The ceremony included a posting and retirement of colors by the Air Force Auxiliary Mankato Area Civil Air patrol, an invocation and benediction by Grace Lutheran Church Pastor Jillene Gallatin, and the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" by the Just Friends Gospel Group.
Four of the U.S. Armed Forces were represented at the ceremony as well, with retirees Tom Sexton of the U.S. Air Force, Dean Farley of the U.S. Army, Steve Welander of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Christy Easton of the U.S. Navy present in uniform.
The shrine consists of a total of 19 documents from various points in American history from the revolution to the end of World War II. The most notable documents are the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, Thomas Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and George Washington's copy of the U.S. Constitution.
Opening Remarks
Representatives from both the city of Waseca and Waseca County were present at the dedication ceremony to speak a few words of the importance of the shrine.
Waseca Mayor Randy Zimmerman thanked the Exchange Club for dedicating and honoring the shrine, as he expressed the importance of protecting and preserving the documents that are a part of it
"I think a lot of our nation's problems could be solved if we got back to the original intent of the constitution," Zimmerman said.
Waseca County Commissioner De Malterer thanked the Exchange Club on behalf of her, the board of commissioners, and Waseca County for putting the shrine together.
"It is indeed appropriate that we are dedicating this shrine immediately following Memorial Day, when we come together to solemnly remember those who gave their last full measure of devotion in defense and preservation of our freedoms," said Malterer.
"For those of us that are elected from the supervisor of the smallest township, to the President of the United States, in fact to every citizen, these documents should remind us to seriously consider the privileges that we enjoy living in the land of the free and the home of the brave," Malterer added.
Addresses
Jeanne Sexton and Mikhail Rostislavovich both gave addresses at the ceremony, talking about the importance of the documents in the shrine.
Sexton began her speech by paraphrasing founding father Patrick Henry.
"It was Patrick Henry who proclaimed, 'Give me liberty or give me death,'" Sexton said. "Many of us know that this statesman also said no government or the blessing of liberty can be preserved to any people without a frequent recurrence of fundamental principles."
"It is his latter statement which is so appropriate to the dedication of the freedom shrine here this evening," Sexton added.
Sexton stated that the freedom shrine is a reminder of the fundamental principles that the country was founded on.
"We are here tonight to emphasize the message of encouragement these documents hold for our community," said Sexton.
As people look at the documents that are a part of the shrine, people can gain an understanding of the sacrifices and hardships made by many people who were involved in the struggle to win and preserve freedom.
This was the purpose of having freedom shrines all over the country, as the Exchange Club believes it will serve as the living symbol of the rich heritage of freedom shared by all Americans.
"We are here this evening not so much to dedicate the Freedom Shrine itself, but to rededicate ourselves in the principles for which it stands," Sexton said in her closing remarks. "The Freedom Shrine is our country's greatest visual aid in the statement of our fundamental principle, which as Patrick Henry said is so nicely for the preservation of our free government and the blessing of liberty."
Rostislavovich talked more about the history of the country and how freedom has been at the center of it.
"I hope that what we do and say here this evening will help you better your understanding and appreciate something which all of us in the United States enjoy an abundance of, and that's really what this dedication is all about: a celebration of this wonderful gift in which we all share," Rostislavovich said about freedom at the beginning of his address.
Rostislavovich stated that while for a lot of people freedom has come freely, it has come at a price for many others throughout history and even today.
"Thousands of Americans sacrificed all that they had, their homes, property, and lives all in the pursuit of that precious freedom," said Rostislavovich. "That is why the Exchange Clubs of America decided over 75 years ago to assemble what we call this Freedom Shrine."
The Exchange Club organizes the shrine so that American citizens can see how freedom was earned at a great cost.
Rostislavovich went on to explain the history of the country, starting with the Mayflower Compact and how the start of the country was propelled on the freedom of religion. He then went on to describe the revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the Civil War, and the importance of the Constitution.
"It was our constitution that created the harmony and unity," Rostislavovich said. "If it had not been written over 200 years ago, we might not have any freedom to speak about here today."
"Our constitution is clear: we the people tell our government what to do and what it cannot do more importantly," added Rostislavovich.
He ended his address by emphasizing the importance of protecting the country's freedom, which is what the Freedom Shrine expresses.
"It hangs here in our courthouse, the seed of our government, in our county, to continually remind us of the great debt we owe, the debt that we owe to every single American that has ever bore arms and fought for this great nation," Rostislovovich said about the shrine.
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