Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

June 8, 2011 ? Page 13

Contact Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Highground announces tribute design

The Highground announced its Bootprint Design for its Persian Gulf Tribute during a Saturday, June 4, open house.

The Bootprint Design is The Highground?s next tribute.  The tribute will honor those who served in Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi freedom and the Global War on Terrorism.  The Bootprint Design evokes the many impressions left in the sand of the desert, similar to the conditions of the Middle East conflicts, said David Barth, Persian Gulf Tribute Committee chairman.

The committee is seeking bids for the project.  The Bootprint Design concept chosen for the Persian Gulf Tribute was one that related to the design parameters and mission statement on many different levels.

The proposal was selected from over 10 designs artist submitted.  Steve Jamroz and Steve Romatz of the Blue Design Group ? a small architectural firm located in Hortonville ? felt honored to complete this tribute.

The tribute design is dedicated to the military service of friends, family and those who sacrificed much to provide everyone with the freedom on which the county is founded, said Romatz.

The Bootprint Design symbolically recalled the impression the young men and women involved in the conflict have had in our world, Jamroz stated.  The Bootprint is an appropriate metaphor to the mission statement?s goals of marching forward in the Global War on Terrorism. 

The Bootprint Design allows for perennial flowerbeds to be located in the deepest impressions left by the boot.  Representatively, these deepest impressions allows for the seeds of hope, the seeds of life and the seeds of healing.

Dividing the Bootprint into two pieces relates to the sorrow felt by the loss of those involved in the conflicts. Additionally, the two pieces of the tribute will straddle existing and proposed trails at The Highground and act as a gateway or ?anchor? for a section of the trail system or future tributes.

The proposed completed design placement allows for the Bootprint to be viewed from the highest elevation at The Highground (Point of the walk of honor).  This was an important part of the design, because it allows Highground visitors to view the tribute much like one would view a boot print in the sands of the Middle East, said Barth.

Working with the Persian Gulf committee, the design team of Blue Design Group incorporated items used in the Persian Gulf conflicts, including Jersey and Texas Barricades.  These items were used to create the treads of the Bootprint.

The honor stones, star statue bases and reflection benches will be made of san-colored granite material.  Three statues depicting the military personnel serving and a battle field cross will be made of bronze.

The Persian Gulf Tribute Committee mission statement reads:

 "To build with honor a tribute for all branches of America?s Military who served around the globe with Desert Storm, through multiple Middle East conflicts, while marching forward in the Global War on Terrorism.  May we establish a place of hope so that we do not walk past you but with you.  Let this site be an anchor for education and solace while securing in memory sacrifices made. With hope and prayer the Persian Gulf Tribute will provide a safe haven for all to reflect and to heal.? 

 Steve Jamroz (left) and Steve Romatz of the Blue Design Group of Hortonville pose with a Bootprint Design they created for The Highground?s Persian Gulf Tribute. The Highground held an open house Saturday, June 4, to announce the design.  (Contributed photo)