“Portrait of a Soldier,” the touching exhibit of drawings of fallen Illinois soldiers, will go on display at Bishop Hill State Historic Site just in time for a community fundraiser for the “honor flight” program.
“Portrait of a Soldier” is a traveling exhibit of hand-drawn portraits of Illinois military personnel who have been killed since September 11, 2001, in the Global War on Terror.
Bishop Hill hosts the free exhibit June 6-June 30, a period that includes Father’s Day and the historic site’s Midsommar Celebration. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On June 8, the town of Bishop Hill will raise money for the Quad Cities Chapter of the Honor Flight Network, which helps veterans visit military memorials in Washington, D.C. The fundraiser in the village park runs 3-7 p.m. and includes a rib dinner, auction, music and entertainment.
“Portrait of a Soldier” began when artist Cameron Schilling of Mattoon drew a portrait in August 2004 of Army SPC Charles Neeley, a Mattoon native who was killed in Iraq. Schilling gave the sketch to SPC Neeley’s parents to convey his sympathy. In October 2005, Schilling decided to draw a portrait of every Illinoisan who has fallen in the war against terror.
“Portrait of a Soldier” appears thanks to the cooperation of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.
For more on the portraits, please visit http://tinyurl.com/PortraitOfASoldier
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