Tat Erredge Memorial Mural Project

Tat Erredge was many things to many different people. To me, he was a musician, a friend, a farmer, and a brother. Tat was a gentle soul who welcomed me into this community when I moved back home in 2018. Our friendship was formed around the ideas of regenerative agriculture and our vision of how we could revitalize this community and help farmers regain self sufficiency and financial freedom to restore health to the land and subsequently the people living from it. On July 28th, 2021 we lost Tat to a tradgic accident, leaving a hole in this community. As we pass the 1 year anniversary of his death, in commemoration of the man he was and all he gave to our community, we are planning a memorial in his honor in the Zumbrota Community Garden on west 4th Street in Zumbrota. Along the crick in the southwest corner of the garden we are planning a mural in his honor to give those who miss our friend a place to sit and reminisce the memories, laughs, and tears shared with our beautiful friend.

The Zumbrota Lion's Club have donated a bench in his honor which will be placed at the site for a place to sit and reflect. A muralist, Shawn McCann from Minneapolis, MN has been commissioned to do the artwork for the mural. Our goal is to finish this mural before the end of the season, with hopes of painting to begin in late September to October 2022. We ask today for your help in the funding of this project. The cost for the mural and paint is roughly 3,000 dollars including paint and housing for our muralist while he stays in town. We graciously appreciate any help you can provide to our cause. We know how much Tat meant to this community and seek your assistance in immortalizing our dear friend in a place where he would feel at home. The Garden.

Here is a picture of where his mural will be placed.

Much like the placement of the mural, Ill leave you with a poem about our dear lost friend.

The Humble Hero Hiding In Plain Sight

A boy who sang since the crib he came, spreading his soul about.

Surrounded in love, he grew high above, all the worry and doubt.

He ran through the fields, fast on his feet, never a moment not feeling complete.

A lover of life, he never held strife while helping those who felt obsolete.

As he grew into a man, trials held him at hand, but on the other side he emerged

And in his pain, he found a gain, in connecting with those who hurt.

Humble he lived, always willing to give, with his 10,000 hands for free,

A friend, a lover, a child, a brother, there was never a role he couldn’t be.

When his father grew ill, like time standing still, he helped his family push through,

Filling a role, when the family grew a hole, soon after a red beard regrew.

A scruffy man now, standing out in the crowd, with his beat up tennis shoes,

his worry was nil, as he cherished the thrill, for any crowd he could amuse.

He traded gilded fame, to focus his aim, on serving his community with pleasure,

for he believed, the key to please, was in rising up together.

Imagine the pain, impossible to explain, as you leave this world tonight.

All along you were there humble hero, hiding in plain sight.

As you walk, my friend, in greener pastures now, sprinting barefoot in good fun, please know my friend,

as you leave this place, some pieces of you we’ve become.

Thank you for your help in this project.

Sincerely,

Gary Harbo