Freedom Isn't Free

Freedom Isn't Free The truck 2001 Dodge Ram, actual production date 9-11-2001
named Freedom Isn't Free
and carrying mem A daily effort, that no vet goes forgotten.

The truck as it is designed forces someone looking at it to see the sacrifices our military make for us. It is very difficult for anyone to not think of our servicemen and women when around the truck. It has photos and those that seen the photos and then seen the truck in person, all say the pictures do not do it justice. What I have managed with help of a large group of people is to make viewing

this truck in person a very emotional experience. On the cover dedications from recorded artists in Nashville, all of which have played for the vets, and then memorials of military that did not make it home, added by Gold Stars. I have witnessed many shed tears walking around the truck. As time goes on, slowly thinking of maybe starting a small product line for the pickup. Looking into t-shirts, sweat shirts and patches, which would help my costs on keeping the pickup maintained for events. It does travel and has been in many different locations. Currently I have had my truck in events, rides and parades in the following Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and the Upper Peninsula Michigan

04/21/2015

I think I got it. I do have an suv that would look awesome decked out, or look into a full size van. When it comes to the names of the vets, this time I am thinking panels. Black panels wrote in white for those that did not come home, yellow wrote in black for our vets. Stored in the vehicle for events. Start building my own Memorial Wall

04/21/2015

Things change. Ran into someone that this truck was part of their event. They helping me get things back on track. Also looking for this pickup. Got me thinking, once things get back in line, I AM BUILDING ANOTHER. Might work on getting a couple vehicles, the next one will be parked until used, so it stays in perfect shape for the job

01/26/2015

Here is a thought I have. It will take a few to help out. I see ads all the time for free dogs, pups and dogs at shelters. ALL GAVE SOME, and many return with issues. What about setting up a dog shelter/training site, train them and give them to our vets

01/16/2015

I know I created this page as a timeline for the pickup. After viewing other Freedom pages, I have changed my mind on what this page represents. The truck was so no one is forgot. This page is so we all remember the sacrifice. I will be honored to provide your story of service. Your sacrifice and loss. This page is now dedicated to military. Past, present, future. We can not and will not forget

12/21/2014

OFFICIALLY...this page is closed. On a very rare occasion I might put something here. The page was set up as a history of the truck I customized. My son asked for the truck to continue doing what we were. He sold it and the new owner destroyed it.

09/04/2014

REVIVAL....That's right, you see what it says. It has been close to a year since "Freedom Isn't Free" has been active, made a post or been involved with anything with the veterans. It was close to a year ago when my world came crashing down on me. Employment, finances and so on were major concerns. I wanted to keep this truck alive, had financial issues and could not at the time afford to do so. My son informed me at that time that he would continue the traditions started by me with this truck. Handed me a few hundred bucks to take over ownership, that money was used to bring me to Alabama, where I was driving semi, only to be informed I was fired. Things looked real bad, still not looking real good but there is a light at the end of this new tunnel. For some unknown and not seen reason, I ended up here, ended up looking for a day to day job (have a couple lined up now), ended up looking at a more day to day life not the over the road trucking, and in a location where I don't really know anyone. I realized while doing my job searches, doing the door knocking and so on, that once the veteran drive was removed (partially due to the pickup), was when my world just collapsed. Seems everyone has some purpose, something that deep down they were just meant to be doing. I though mine was trucking, now fired guess I was wrong about that. What has occurred is now I have located another vehicle to continue the veteran drive. Well not a vehicle, a couple vehicles, now I have found not only the es**rt for the motorcycle runs and patriot guard, but also a motorcycle. So seems there will soon be a new chapter to the "Freedom Isn't Free" drive. Once the vehicle(s) are completed (customized) for the purpose new photos will be added to the page. A new chapter will begin and a new on fire drive lit inside me. The truck had been to many events, homeless veterans, disabled veterans, memorial drives, welcome home drives. I am kicking off the new chapter much the same way the pickup started. The first event drive that I participated with the truck was for the homeless veterans. The event collected close to $250,000 over a 2 week donation period. So along those lines, the new chapter for "Freedom Isn't Free" will be a homeless veteran drive. This drive will be unlike most, this drive will be a 50/50 drawing, 3 donor names draw for half what is collected for homeless veterans, 50% to homeless veterans, then the other 50%, 1st name pulled 50%, 2nd 30% and 3rd 20%. I am hoping that the new chapter of "Freedom Isn't Free" comes off even stronger then the original version. Donations will be ran through a pay pal so that I receive notice of each donation. Each donation will have a standard 3x5 card with the donors name, placed in a tub at a local church and then drawn on 9-11. I hope to see many people enter and wish you the best of luck in the drawing on 9-11. I will not be participating (donating) as I am hosting the event and there be a possibility of my name being drawn, making the event look fixed. The email address to the pay pal account is [email protected]
I have purchased a prepaid card for the event that the donation will be applied to, depending on the amount of donations received, I might have to issue bank drawn cashier checks, or set up an account to wire transfer winners their share of the 50/50. Once drawn I will post the winners name here, just a first name and state location for them. ie if it were me Ken from Alabama, no worries though I am not going to enter, I do not want my new chapter to this page started with a conspiracy that I cheated a drawing and kept anything.
Thank you

10/10/2013

Things change, the truck is going up for auction. Before posting it, I will take serious bids and offers though here first

09/26/2013

Getting into the winter time of year, so for the most part, freedom rides are done until spring. I have a personal run down to Memphis this weekend. Then who knows. Think maybe take a few weeks and see what all I can get done on the truck for this spring and next years ride season. Couple things on the agenda, a new air compressor, as the old one finally wore out, and it is needed to power 6 train horns mounted in the bed of the truck. Seems people just don't get out of the way when you hit a car horn, and when I am running an es**rt for 100+ motorcycles, sometimes you need to get a drivers attention, and well they always notice when 6 train horns go off next to them. Other agenda items, looking at installing 2 or 3 more batteries, all in the bed of the truck, a couple power invertors on remotes for the compressor and other additional items, looking at setting up speakers on a PA system (which would help for announcements during rides) running through the PA system on my cb, maybe a set of speakers in the truck bed and a sound system for events and parades, and then thought maybe a little something for the kids, maybe an underbody light kit and a smoke/smog generator. Then the trailer, which I am hoping to find a contractor to donate some time on, and material since it shouldn't take much, but see about a 3 foot tall stand in the center, with some type of strap hold downs or locks, so the trailer could be used for military funerals, pulled by my truck. Have the National Legion looking into the band and the tarp that are used for services in Arlington, that insure the Flag stays in place during transport and the Flag stays dry during rain. And just because I don't feel comfortable living up north, began looking at moving back to the south. So maybe a couple weeks getting things in order. Getting things packed, finding a location and relocating, plus down south the ride season never really ends, so I could continue my goal of no vet goes forgotten. Possibly get people to write thank you letters for our vets, that I can add to the album I travel with. And just maybe start a bike club when I get there under the trucks title "Freedom Isn't Free"

Larry Benson.
09/22/2013

Larry Benson.

Closeups of signatures on the truck cover.
09/22/2013

Closeups of signatures on the truck cover.

Address

221 N Lott Boulevard
Gibson City, IL
60936

Telephone

+19013025902

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