November 12, 2003
SURVIVING FIRST WORLD WAR VETERAN TO BE HONORED AT CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM EVENT
105-year-old Howard Ramsey to be among celebrated guests at Veteran recognition event this Saturday afternoon

(Wilsonville, Oregon) - Sojourn Productions today announced that Howard Ramsey, Veteran of World War I, will be honored at its November 15 event, "Freedom Is Not Free: A Celebration Of Liberty."

Ramsey was born on April 2, 1898. A graduate of Washington High School in Portland in 1916, he enlisted in the Army shortly after high school and served in France in WWI. He was one of the few men at that time who could drive a motor vehicle, so he drove cars, trucks and motorcycles during the war. Ramsey drove trucks to the lines where soldiers had been killed to help transport their bodies back to the United States. He chauffeured officers, drove ambulances and taught other soldiers how to drive.

He was awarded the 14th National Convention 1932 American Legion US Portland, Oregon medal; the World War Service medal from the State of Oregon; the 75th Anniversary of WWI medal; two Republic Francaise medals (awarded to US citizens by France).

Ramsey's aunt lived to be 103 and his mother 93. He says healthy living, family ties and good friends keep him going.

The November 15 event, "Freedom Is Not Free" was created to celebrate freedom and recognize those who have sacrificed for our freedom. The event will feature, rock, orchestral, and choral music. Interspersed through the music and speeches are video interviews of Veterans, current military personnel, and immigrants to the U.S., sharing their personal stories about life without freedom, and what freedom means to them.

Ramsey will join several war heroes at the event, including:

The event will be held on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. at George Fox University, Bauman Auditorium, Newberg, Oregon. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Participants include Sojourn Rock Orchestra, a community choir, the Wilsonville High School choir, and the Oregon Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. For more information visit the event's web site at www.sojournproductions.com or call 503-685-9066. Admission is Free.

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"Freedom Is Not Free" is a tribute to those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is not organized by Veterans groups, but by ordinary citizens who wish to express gratitude for our freedom. Sponsors include Sojourn Productions, Kings Highway Video, Food Services of America, and The Oregon Restaurant Association.

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November 4, 2003
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR TO SPEAK AT VETERAN RECOGNITION EVENT
Alter Wiener, Survivor of Several Nazi Camps in Poland and Germany, Will Offer Profound Thanks to Those Who Helped Procure His Freedom.

(Wilsonville, Oregon) - Sojourn Productions today announced that Holocaust survivor Alter Wiener will be speaking at the November 15 Veteran recognition event, "Freedom Is Not Free: A Celebration Of Liberty."

A survivor of Nazi camps in Poland and Germany, Alter Wiener lost 123 family members in the Holocaust. He was age 13 when the German armies invaded and conquered his native Poland. His father was one of 38 Jews taken from their hometown near the German border and was killed by the Nazis. Two years later, Mr. Wiener was deported and subjected to slave labor camps in five different locations until the war ended in 1945. He was liberated by the Russian Army with weaponry supplied by the Americans.

Wiener came to the U.S. in 1960 and today is married and has two sons. "I shall forever be grateful to the U.S. for enabling me to live and prosper in this land of freedom and opportunity," he writes. "The liberty granted to me in this country is the antidote of everything I was deprived of in my teens."

Warner Pacific College recently awarded Wiener an Honorary Bachelor's Degree, in recognition of his articulate message about the importance of freedom and education, derived from his Holocaust experience. "I had never dreamed that a day would come when I, whose formal education consisted only of five classes in elementary school, would be honored by an audience of PHDs in a Christian College. Same now, I am honored for the opportunity to thank U.S. Veterans, in person, for liberating us in 1945," writes Wiener.

The November 15 event, "Freedom Is Not Free" was created to celebrate freedom and recognize those who have sacrificed for our freedom. War heroes will also speak, including Tech. Sgt. Don Malarkey of "Easy Company," 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne, whose story was highlighted in last year's acclaimed Band of Brothers HBO series.

The event will feature, rock, orchestral, and choral music. Interspersed through the music and speeches are video interviews of Veterans, current military personnel, and immigrants to the U.S., sharing their personal stories about life without freedom, and what freedom means to them. Participants include Sojourn Rock Orchestra, a community choir, the Wilsonville High School choir, and the Oregon Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra.

The event will be held on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. at George Fox University, Bauman Auditorium, Newberg Oregon. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. For more information visit the event's web site at www.sojournproductions.com or call 503-685-9066. Admission is Free.

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"Freedom Is Not Free" is not organized by Veterans groups, but by ordinary citizens who wish to express gratitude for our freedom. Sponsors include Sojourn Productions, Kings Highway Video, Food Services of America, and The Creative Center.

Photos are available, or the media may attend rehearsal with the choir and orchestra on Tuesday, Nov 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the OrePac Auditorium in Wilsonville. Please call Rick Peters at 503-685-9066.

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October 21, 2003
GROUP UNITES WAR HEROES, SURVIVORS, IMMIGRANTS TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM
Local Citizens Create Event to Honor Veterans and Recognize the Value and Cost of Our Freedom

(Wilsonville, Oregon) - A group of local citizens have brought together more than 140 performers to offer an extravagant thanks to those those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The event, titled "Freedom Is Not Free: A Celebration Of Liberty" was created to celebrate freedom and recognize those who have sacrificed for our freedom.

"We have attended many Veterans events, but its very unusual to see something offered by ordinary citizens that just want to thank these men and women," says Rick Peters, the event's producer. "The response we have seen from Veterans tells us this type of grassroots effort is long overdue."

The event combines rock, orchestral, and choral music with strong video images that reflect and contrast freedom with its opposite. War heroes will speak on the costs and responsibilities that come with freedom. Interspersed through the music and speeches are video interviews of Veterans, current military personnel, and immigrants to the U.S., sharing their personal stories about life without freedom, and what freedom means to them.

"When you have freedom, you have freedom to love, freedom to care, freedom to teach, freedom to do everything for the benefit of mankind," said Bunyan Son, who escaped from Cambodia and came to the U.S., only to later help hundreds of other immigrants get on their feet and become citizens. "So thank you, Veterans. Thank you, Army. Thank you, Navy. Thank you, servicemen," he said.

Featured War heroes:

In addition to war heroes, participants include Sojourn Rock Orchestra, a 100+ voice community choir, the Wilsonville High School choir with director Sue Schreiner's "Dirty Dozen" vocal ensemble, the Oregon Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, and even a Holocaust survivor, Alter Wiener.

Honored guests include:

• Jake DeShazer, who flew with Col. Jimmy Doolittle's group to Bomb Tokyo after Pearl Harbor was attacked. After the war, Mr. DeShazer returned to Japan as a chaplain for 30 years, helping to restore the Japanese people's hope and trust, earning the reputation of a man of extreme benevolence among Japanese citizens.
• Ken Reusser, who flew with the famed "Black Sheep" squadron, and is the most decorated Marine Aviator in history--59 medals including two Navy Crosses. Col. Reusser is the only aviator who has survived being shot down in W.W.II, Korea, and Vietnam!

"Freedom Is Not Free" will be held on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. at George Fox University, Bauman Auditorium, Newberg Oregon. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. For more information visit the event's web site at www.sojournproductions.com or call 503-685-9066. Admission is Free. Sponsors include Sojourn Productions, Kings Highway Video, Food Services of America, and The Creative Center.

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Advance Visual: The full choir, "Dirty Dozen," and Sojourn Rock Orchestra, will be practicing Monday, November 3, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the OrePac Auditorium in Wilsonville. Please contact Rick Peters at 503-685-9066.

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September 10, 2003
CHOIR SINGERS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN VETERAN RECOGNITION EVENT
Community Choir Being Formed To Celebrate Freedom, Recognize Its Costs