|
|
| Idea for veterans banners taking shape |
|
|
3/22/2019
By Tom Marshall
Senior Advocate writer
There is an effort under way to recognize the community’s veterans with banners displayed downtown for Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The effort is being led by local resident Sharon Hegyi, Mt. Sterling Mayor Al Botts and Darrell Mandrell, owner of Gateway Printing and Signs.
Hegyi told the Advocate that she got the idea after seeing something similar during visits to Ohio.
The retiree said she thought the idea was great considering she had a grandfather, several uncles, brothers and friends who all served in the military.
Hegyi said it’s important to recognize veterans for protecting the freedoms we so cherish.
“We need to remind people this is what our men and women fought for,” Hegyi said.
Botts, a Marine veteran, said he immediately bought into the idea.
“We are a patriotic community,” Botts told the Advocate. “Generations of men and women from Montgomery County have always answered the call of military service. This project is a great opportunity for our community to recognize the men and women who have honorably served our great nation in the Armed Forces. We are a free nation today because of the service and sacrifice of those veterans. Displaying these banners in downtown Mt. Sterling will be a nice tribute to those veterans and their service.”
Mandrell said he was happy to get involved when he learned of the project from Botts.
“I think obviously as a citizen who appreciates those who have been willing to serve their country and offer so much on my behalf, any kind of effort to honor veterans is important to me,” he said.
Here’s how the program will work:
• Any veteran may be recognized. In the spring the city will display the banners of those veterans who have passed. In the fall, living veterans will be recognized. Those banners will be displayed on flagpoles downtown.
• There are 28 poles downtown with brackets that can hold these banners.
• The banner sizes will be approximately 35 inches long and 24 inches wide.
• A banner will be printed on both sides and display the name, picture, rank, branch of service and era of service.
• Applications may be picked up at American Legion Post 22 on Winchester Road, the foyer at city hall or at Gateway Printing and Signs, 7 Willow St. Hegyi will also have applications available at the monthly veterans breakfast held the first Saturday of the month at the legion post.
• Gateway Printing and Signs will accept all applications, photos and payment for the banners. The cost of the first banners will be $100 (which covers the cost of making the banner), but starting in 2020, to keep the banners in the rotation a donation is requested to American Legion Post 22 or to the Veterans Pavilion at Botts Park.
• After the banner is displayed the veteran or family may keep the banner or they may choose to have the banner kept in the rotation for display in future years.
• The deadline to have your application into Gateway Printing is April 15 for a banner to be displayed for Memorial Day. Those banners displayed for Memorial Day will be reserved for those veterans who have passed or for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and died while serving in uniform while on duty.
• The deadline to have your application in to Gateway Printing is Sept. 15 for a banner to be displayed for Veterans Day. Those banners displayed for Veterans Day will be reserved for living veterans.
• The banners will be displayed for approximately three weeks.
• Hegyi and Botts are available to help a veteran or family member complete an application.
Hegyi said the community can use the banners to educate others about the sacrifice these veterans made.
Ultimately, she said she wants people to recognize that Mt. Sterling “is a veteran friendly community.”
Hegyi said she is willing to speak with any businesses or civil organization wanting to learn more about the banner project. She said her hope is that some will sign up to sponsor a veteran.
Hegyi said her other hope is that the community will eventually go “all out” to celebrate the military holidays.
You can reach Hegyi at 606-336-3122 or Botts at 404-1053. All checks are to be made out to Gateway Printing and Signs.
|
|
|
|
|