An Iraq War Traveling Memorial - "Eyes of Freedom" arrives in Strongsville, OH - Thursday, May 1st

CLEVELAND - April 17, 2014 - PRLog -- MEDIA ALERT – PHOTO/VIDEO OPPORTUNITY

To request Media Access to Memorial Exhibit:

An Iraq War Traveling Memorial

Event Host

Contact: Crystal Jardine  440-570-3054 or 440-238-7701

Owner of Jardine Funeral Home, Strongsville, OH 44136

The Eyes of Freedom: Lima Company Memorial

Contact: Mike Strahle (419) 551-0335


3777 Ashton Woods Place, 
Columbus, OH 43230

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WHAT: An Iraq War Traveling Memorial

The Eyes of Freedom: Lima Company Memorial

This traveling memorial, delivered to you by R+L Carriers, depicts the fallen of Lima Company 3/25, one of the hardest hit units in Operation Iraqi Freedom. These 23 life-size portraits have become a powerful traveling military tribute honoring all those who answered the call to service, in every branch of our armed forces. These Eyes reflect the hundreds of thousands of men and women that have sacrificed defending our Freedoms. Visit www.EyesofFreedom.org

Link to BACKGROUND VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT-7nlSNWac



The Marine Corps deployed Lima Company 3/25, a reservist unit based in Columbus, in March 2005. At the time, reserve soldiers made up about 35 percent of America’s fighting forces in Iraq. This unit dates back to World War II.  After several uneventful weeks, the unit acquired the name, “Lucky Lima.”  In May 2005, Lima Company faced its first wave of causalities.  A few weeks later, eight more Marines from Lima Company were killed as a part of seizing Al Qaeda weapons and explosives.  On August 3, 2005, the largest IED blast ever recorded happened and that was the one that made the headlines. Mike Strahle, Survivor and Director of Eyes of Freedom, was involved in this and lost 10 of his “brothers.”

Mike travels with this Memorial as a way of his own personal healing and to honor his fallen, fellow Marines.  The project has grown past Lima Company.  They travel the United States to honor all.

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WHERE: Strongsville Recreation Center

sponsored by Jardine Funeral Home

         18100 Royalton Road, Strongsville, OH 44136

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WHEN:   May 1-3, 2014


Opening Ceremony at Noon – The Memorial will be escorted to The Strongsville Recreation Center by Strongsville police, fire, military, and Patriot Guard Riders. The escort will also have the Cleveland Clinic Critical Care Helicopter flying above and landing on the grounds. The escort will form at 10:30am at the Strongsville VFW Post 3345 and arrive at the Strongsville Recreation Center at 11:30.

What a site to see!

Public Exhibit Hours:

         Thursday, May 1 (Noon-7pm)

         Friday, May 2 (10am-6pm)

         Saturday, May 3 (10am-6pm)

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QUOTES FOR PRESS:

“We are very excited to bring a wonderful experience to the community and allow everyone in attendance to honor the men and women that serve in our great military,” added Mike Strahle, Director of The Eyes of Freedom and a member of the Lima Company (he served along with the men honored in the life-size paintings). “We are honored to be led into town by a large motorcycle escort, many of whom are veterans, and we invite everyone to visit us during display hours to honor all branches of service, past present and future. You do not want to miss it!”

Artist and creator of the exhibit Anita Miller added, “The main reason for creating The Eyes of Freedom was to heal family members and loved ones after suffering such loss in 2005, and now it travels as part of a much larger mission.” Miller worked with family and Lima Co. Marines to paint this tribute, a project that took her two and a half years to complete.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

The Eyes of Freedom: Lima Company Memorial was created as a result of an Ohio artist’s vision, in which she saw the finished memorial and felt she was being asked to create it. With the help of the families of the fallen and the returned Marines of L3/25, the work was created and unveiled in the Ohio State House Rotunda in 2008, as the vision foretold.

Although the paintings in this Memorial specifically depict the 23 fallen Marines from Lima 3/25, it has become much more; The Eyes of Freedom honors all who have answered the call to service. Behind each portrait we feel the honor and sacrifice of the thousands of men and women who have served our country, in every branch of the armed forces.

Mike Strahle retired from Lima Co. 3/25 and upon seeing The Eyes of Freedom unveiled at the Statehouse in 2008 knew he had witnessed something truly special. Three years later he would contact Anita Miller, the artist and creator, requesting to host the memorial at a Veteran’s Support fundraiser he co-founded. It was this reunion that sparked the passing of the baton from its creator to the hands of a brother in arms. For Mike this mission is personal. He too was badly injured in the explosion that took six of his squad members; two more fell to enemy fire just days prior.

The Eyes of Freedom Memorial’s exclusive transportation provider is R+L Carriers, Inc. based in Wilmington, OH. R+L is a leading less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation company, providing guaranteed, day-definite regional and transcontinental service through a network of more than 100 service centers in the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

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Jardine’s and the staff at Jardine Funeral Home are honored to be bringing back Lima Company “Eyes of Freedom” – An Iraq War Traveling Memorial.  The Memorial was in Strongsville last June and since then Crystal has been coordinating tours with the Memorial around the country to the 125 Veterans Funeral Care (http://www.veteransfuneralcare.com) locations. She works as the Promotions Director for this company headquartered out of Tampa Bay, FL. Crystal is passionate about this Memorial and believes that everyone should see it and experience the “Eyes of Freedom” and its message.

This is the “Eyes of Freedom’s” 4^th stop on the Veterans Funeral Care Midwest Tour.  The stop in Strongsville is their 101^st event.  This Memorial has a huge impact on Ohio, especially our area.