Town announces veteran banner program to recognize military service
EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. » The Town of East Greenbush will be starting a Veteran Banner Program to recognize residents who have protected and served our nation with the military, Town Supervisor Jack Conway and Councilman Ed Nestler announced recently.
The effort will be called East Greenbush HERO — Hometown Earned Recognition Operation.
The East Greenbush HERO veteran banner program was proposed by Nestler, who is a combat veteran who served with the Army. Supervisor Conway and other town officials have joined to support the East Greenbush HERO program in East Greenbush.
“East Greenbush has many residents who, throughout our nation’s history, have answered the call to duty and defended America. We look forward to working to ensure these veterans are recognized and remembered,” Conway said in a recent news release posted on the town’s Facebook page.
“The East Greenbush HERO program will show to all that East Greenbush never forgets the service of our veterans and their families. The freedom we enjoy today is thanks to the service of our veterans, and East Greenbush will be expressing our gratitude for that service at many locations in the coming months,” Nestler noted.
Under the program, veterans who called East Greenbush or their family members can sponsor a banner that includes a picture of the veteran along with the veteran’s name and branch of service. Veterans or their families have the ability to choose the roads where the banner will be displayed, based on availability of locations.
Applications for East Greenbush HERO will be coordinated through the town, with placement of the banners handled by the towns along with volunteers
supporting the project.
“We have already received significant interest in the program and we believe the Veteran Banner Program will be a success and reason for pride in our community. The amount of encouragement and support from East Greenbush for the Veteran Banner Program already is inspiring,” Nestler added.
Town officials also said fundraising events will be organized to help cover the cost of banners for veterans who have passed away or are unable to pay for a banner for a variety of reasons.