Portrait of an American Soldier exhibit to be on display at Rhubarb Fest

After about three years of working on this project, making phones calls and emails Aledo Main Street is so excited to announce that Portraits of an American Soldier will be attending the 23rd Annual Rhubarb Fest- June 6 and 7. The Portrait of a Soldier exhibit is a traveling display of hand-sketched portraits of fallen service members from Illinois who have been killed since September 11, 2001 in the Global War on Terror. Artist Cameron Schilling, of Mattoon, drew the first portrait in August 2004, after Army Spec. Charles Neeley, also of Mattoon, was killed in Iraq. Schilling gave the sketch to Spec. Neeley's parents to convey his sympathy for their loss. In October 2005, while a student at Eastern Illinois University, Schilling decided to draw a portrait of every Illinois service member who has fallen during the Global War on Terror. The portraits are copies of the original, which has been given to the fallen soldiers next of kin. The exhibit travels throughout the state of Illinois. This exhibit will be on display at Aledo's Historic Depot. More details will follow, but we wanted to share this exciting news. We honored to be allowed to share this amazing display- we hope that you help share this news, come visit and take in this special way to show respect to our brave fallen Illinois American Soldiers and their brave families