A decade after Russel Lade retired from the Air Force, he and his wife Dawn moved to Ellijay from Warner Robins four years ago. He’d been an American Legion member since age 18, and after his transfer to Post 82 in Ellijay, she joined the Auxiliary last year seeking volunteer opportunities.
After being elected first vice president of the American Legion Auxiliary, Dawn Lade came up with an idea.
“Walt Cushman is our (Legion) commander, and I asked him if he would let me get a mural done if I can find someone to paint it for us,” she said. “And he said, ‘As long as I get a say in what goes on the wall’ and I said absolutely! I posted on Facebook out into the community to see if there was any interest in a local artist who would be willing to do a mural for us if we would cover the cost of the paint.”
As it turned out, a muralist from South Carolina volunteered to do the work. Dawn Lade said he chooses not to use his real name; neither would he allow his photo to be taken with his work.
“Walt and I talked, and we wanted something patriotic,” she continued. “I thought this would be the best wall to make a great statement piece, and would be really good for the community and the Legion as a whole to bring back that pride (of country). When you see it, it just really resonates with a lot of people.”
Lade said money was raised in the community for art supplies and that the work “sprayed by hand” by the muralist — whose grandfather served in the military and who he wanted to honor — was completed in four days.
“(The artist) put a lot of love into it,” she said. “I believe it brings a lot to the community.”
Brian Shedd, director of the post’s American Legion Riders motorcycle enthusiasts, said Legionnaires and Auxiliary members “all had a hand in putting it together.” The owner of a tree service business, Shedd said he will prune trees on the property along Legion Road to give motorists a better view of the “screaming eagle” depiction.
Lade said several Legionnaires and Auxiliary members pitched in: Cushman, who let her do a search for an artist as well as manage the project; Jeff House, who found the muralist and assisted him; Brian and Austin Shedd and Brandon Dale, who replaced metal sheeting on the wall prior to the mural painting; Tim Duffy, pressure washing; Judd York, who primed the wall; Ellijay Tool Rental’s loan of a paint sprayer; Russel Lade and David Cadorette, who sealed windows and replaced a broken one; Sons of the American Legion, who supplied primer; and five donors who gave funds to cover the cost of the mural paint.
“Both Walt and myself gave ideas of what we were thinking for the mural, and the artist came back with the eagle and flag which both Walt and I loved,” said Dawn Lade. “My hope was to create something beautiful for the Legion that could bring us and the community together — something we all could be proud of.”