Banners salute hometown heroes in two Delco towns
Just in time for Independence Day, township officials have begun erecting “Hometown Heroes” banners along the township streets.
The program aims to honor local military veterans by hanging the banners, with photos of veterans from light poles along the township’s major highways.
“I’m excited about it. We’ve already had a number of inquires about them,” said township Manager Larry Gentile. “Paramedic Director Jim McCans came to me with the suggestion and I had seen it in a town upstate and liked them. We talked with commissioners and began with 15 banners the township ordered.”
Any resident, past resident, friend, or the family of a township resident is eligible to sponsor a 24inch by 48-inch banner. The cost to sponsor the banners is $125. It will fly for a year then be turned over to the sponsor.
So far, banners have been hung by township staff at Brookline Boulevard and Darby Road. They will be added to more streets as order come in.
McCans said the township will pay for any veteran who was a prisoner of war, killed in action, missing in action or is a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. He said finding documentation of some former residents military history was challenging due to the use of postal zones which do not specify a veterans hometown.
Military awards such as the Purple Heart will be included on the banner along with the veteran’s name, branch of service and years served.
“I hope that in a year or two, they are all over the township,” Gentile said. “Anything we can do to honor those who served our country we should.”
Upland Borough started a hometown hero banner program in the spring. Since Memorial Day the borough has 75 banners lining Sixth street, Upland Avenue and Main Street with a photograph of the veteran, along with his/her military branch and dates of service.
“It’s a really a nice idea pay to the respect they due,” said Upland Borough Manager, Mike Ciach. “It was brought up by borough Council President Christine Peterson.”
The cost to order the double-sided banners in Upland was $50, with the borough covering remaining costs. Ciach said they may add a second group of banners and are in discussions on how long to leave the banners up, possibly until Veterans Day or the holiday season.
Two Upland veterans killed in action are honored wit banners: Gerald McClintock, who died in Vietnam, and Sgt. Jeffery C.S. Sherer, who died in Afghanistan in 2011. A veteran Upland police officer, Sgt. Morris Albany, who died in the line of duty in 1976, is also honored.
To inquire about Upland’s program go to http://uplandboro.org/ hometown-hero-banners.
To inquire about Haverford’s go to https:// www.haverfordtownship. org/department/division. php?structureid=226.