President Ezra Taft Benson, honored for his "service to mankind and his great defense of the Constitution and espousal of its purpose," was presented the Freedom Award at America's Freedom Festival in Provo July 1.

President Benson, accompanied by his wife, Flora, was honored along with four other Freedom Award recipients at a Freedom Awards Gala banquet in the BYU Wilkinson Center Ballroom.Other recipients of the award were BYU Pres. Rex Lee, Apollo astronaut Alan Bean, former prisoner of war Kitty De Ruyter, and local hero Rob Saunooke.

As part of President Benson's acceptance of the award, a videotape of his speech entitled, "Our Divine Constitution," was shown. It was originally broadcast shortly after the nation's Bicentennial celebration.

Reminding the audience that the Lord established the Constitution, "by the hands of wise men," President Benson told what citizens must do to secure their liberty.

"We must be righteous; we must learn principles of the Constitution in the tradition of the founding fathers; we must be involved in civic affairs to see that we are properly represented; we must make our efforts felt by our vote, our letters, our teaching and our advice," declared President Benson.

Commemorating his first day as president of BYU, Rex Lee spoke of the Constitution, saying that it is the bicentennial season for the ratification of that document.

Pres. Lee, a member of the Oak Hills 3rd Ward, Provo Utah Sharon East Stake, was honored for his contributions to this country and community.

In 1981, at the invitation of then-President Ronald Reagan, Lee was named United States solicitor general. In that position he had the distinction of being one of a handful of individuals to have ever argued 50 cases before the United States Supreme Court.

Astronaut Alan Bean told of his adventures in space with fellow astronauts, his joint flight with Soviet cosmonauts and the time he spent on the moon. Speaking on the history of aviation he noted, "Your President Benson was only 4 years old when the Wright Brothers flew, and he has lived to see the re-usable space shuttle."

As a young girl, Kitty De Ruyter spent 3 1/2 years with her family, which was held by the Japanese in a prisoner of war camp in Indonesia. During that time she saw many atrocities, including the day when her mother was stripped and tied to a pole so a soldier could carve a cross in her back with a sword. Her mother then languished in a pit for two weeks.

Sister De Ruyter, now a member of the South Cottonwood 11th Ward, Salt Lake South Cottonwood Stake, said it was the Christ-like teachings of her mother that gave her strength. Even in those horrible conditions her mother told her to "love your enemies, pray for them, that you may be a child of your Father in Heaven."

Sister De Ruyter's story was one of suffering turned to hope and devotion to the cause of freedom.

Rob Saunooke, former BYU football center and a member of the BYU 59th Ward, was honored for his bravery during last year's Freedom Festival Grand Parade when some horses pulling a cart of children were spooked and started running. Trying to wave them down unsuccessfully, he did what came naturally: he tackled the horses.

"My most vivid memory is hearing those kids screaming for help," he said. "I knew I had to do something, and my 17 years of football training just kicked in."