An Iowa artist who created a memorial print after 9-11 says everything he makes selling it goes to support programs for members and families of the military. Ed Lawrence lives in McGregor and says he felt moved after the terrorist attacks to create a piece of art that honors this country’s dedication and its armed forces. The print is an eagle’s head, and Lawrence says after he’d started it following the attacks of 9-11 and spent several days on it, he asked a friend who’s into computer art to help add a battle-worn flag to the background of the picture. Then one night he came up with the idea to dedicate profits from the print to soldiers and families of troops serving overseas. He hoped to raise maybe 400-dollars to send packages overseas. So far it’s been three years, 67-thousand-500 dollars has been raised, and he says they’ve sent about 18-thousand packages overseas, and helped several families of the military in Iowa and other states. Lawrence says he’s worked with local support groups and created a numbered limited-edition set of the prints for special awards. He’s donated a limited-edition print to each Iowa family that lost a soldier, and just took some last week to the commander at Camp Dodge to be distributed. He says there are also copies of that limited-edition print in Washington, at the White House, Pentagon, the national headquartes of the Red Cross, VFW and American Legion, and adds there’s one hanging at the state capitol in Des Moines. Tonight (Thursday) he’ll sign copies of the art print at a Burlington “Fun Fest” event at the city auditorium for a military support group. For more information and to see the print, surf to www.determination-usa-troops.com
