Freedom Eagle Monument in progress
The Independent
The Southern Utah Veterans Home is pleased to announce a community dedication ceremony for the Freedom Eagle Monument on Friday, May 29, at 2 p.m. The monument is a bronze statue created by local artist Edward E. Hlavka, who is well known throughout southern Utah and has been commissioned on such high profile pieces as “Ivin’s Now and Then” for Ivins City; “Of Earth & Sky” for Richard & Cynthia Hughes; “Five Running Stallions” for Split Rock Company (located at the Ivins round-a-bout on Snow Canyon); “Mother Cougar and Cubs” also for Split Rock Company and many other nationally commissioned pieces.
In attendance at the dedication ceremony will be Ivins City Mayor Chris Hart, Artist Edward Hlavka, and Major General Jefferson Burton. Mayor Hart played a pivotal role in the Freedom Eagle Monument.
“I had the opportunity to tour a veteran’s facility in Ogden during the early stages of development for the Southern Utah Veterans Home,” Hart said. “The facility I toured had a Clock Tower monument on site that was phenomenal. The staff explained that the monument was a symbol of freedom for their veterans to enjoy. That really resonated with me, and I wanted to bring the same type of inspiration to Ivins.”
During the development process, Hart presented the concept to the design team, and the Freedom Eagle Monument idea quickly went from idea to project. Hart reached out to Hlavka, the same artist who created the magnificent “Five Running Stallions” piece seen on the Snow Canyon Parkway roundabout entering Ivins. A creative genius known for capturing the essence of each piece, Hlavka accepted the project and “truly took it to heart,” according to Hart.
The Freedom Eagle Monument is a ten-foot bronze statue of an eagle soaring gracefully in flight above a sandstone pillar rising almost twenty feet. The Southern Utah Veterans Home—nestled against the iconic Red Mountain—will be the perfect nesting place for the inspirational eagle. Once dedicated, the monument will be a symbol of the freedom that all Americans enjoy and a beacon of pride for the residents of Southern Utah Veterans Home who have fought and sacrificed greatly to protect it. Southern Utah Veterans Home administrator Jerry Olson said he hoped the statue would serve as a reminder of the public’s gratitude to veterans.
“It is impossible to show the sheer magnitude of respect and appreciation we have for our veteran residents,” Olson said, “but we do hope the Freedom Eagle Monument will become a constant reminder of how grateful we are for the service and dedication of our veterans.”
More than two years in the making, the nearly $100,000 project was a fundraising labor of love for all involved.
Said Mayor Hart, “As the building was constructed, commemorative bricks were sold that will surround the base beneath the sculpture. Some of those bricks are in recognition of the fallen; others honor those who’ve stood in support of a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine.”
Commemorative bricks made up just half of the donations required to fund the monument, the remaining $50,000 was made by two friends who are both local Ivins residents. “It is exciting and heartwarming to be a part of the Freedom Eagle Monument, I am thankful to everyone who participated in bringing this project to life, and to the Southern Utah Veterans Home.”
Please join Mayor Hart, the staff and residents of Southern Utah Veterans Home, Artist Edward Hlavka, and Major General Jefferson Burton at the Freedom Eagle Monument Dedication Ceremony. Southern Utah Veterans Home is located at 160 North 200 East in Ivins. The event is free to the public.
