Farmers Weekly Review

By Stephanie Irvine

Manhattan American Legion Post 935, in cooperation with the Village of Manhattan, will be honoring Manhattan Banners with the Hometown Heroes banner program. Applications for the limited number of banners are being accepted through April 30.

The banner program, which is new to the village this year, will feature a photo of the veteran along with their name and branch of service.

Throughout Manhattan, the Chamber of Commerce has had banners displayed on poles to promote businesses. The new light poles on Route 52 have two sides for banners, which made it possible for the Chamber to continue to have their banners while also creating an opportunity to display the Hometown Heroes banners.

“The Mayor approached the commander, and then we sat down,” said Bob Angone with the Manhattan American Legion 935 of how the project came to be. Angone is the member of the Legion tasked with handling incoming applications, and he also currently serves as the Vice President of the Will County Veterans Assistance Commission.

“When I saw the light poles put up, it was the perfect opportunity, because there are two sides,” said Manhattan Mayor Mike Adrieansen. “That’s when I contacted (American Legion Post Commander) Bob Metzger, and he was super excited and started calling everyone.”

Adrieansen was quick to note that although he was the one to approach the Legion’s post commander to put the idea into action, it was not a brand new idea and had been talked about before. He also brought up that neighboring towns participated in the Hometown Heroes banner program.

Anyone can purchase a Hometown Heroes banner to honor a Manhattan veteran; however, the veteran to be honored needs to be either a past or present resident of the village or township, or they can be a member of the Manhattan American Legion.

The cost is $125, payable to the American Legion Post 935 and must accompany a completed application, official documentation confirming military service (such as a DD-Form 240; those discharged from service must have been done so honorably or equivalent), along with a high-resolution photograph of the veteran in uniform. Official requirements are listed on the application.

Banners will be placed on the new light poles on Route 52, as well as on Eastern Avenue at Baker Road and at Eastern and Smith roads. Eighteen banners in total will be available to be printed. Due to the limited number of poles, there will be a lottery held to fairly choose which applications are processed.

Applications can be found at the Manhattan Village Hall or downloaded from the American Legion Post 935’s website, www.americanlegion935.com. Completed applications should be submitted to the American Legion Post 935 by mail at PO Box 171, Manhattan, IL 60442. Interested parties can also submit applications by email, [email protected].

Those who submitted an application but were not chosen in this year’s lottery for placement will be given the option of having their money returned or having their banner printed at the current year’s prices and put into the queue for the following year.

The Village’s Public Works department will handle hanging the banners with the American Legion taking care of the applications and processing payments.

“I think it’s great for honoring those, especially the Vietnam veterans, who haven’t been honored. They weren’t welcomed when they came home. I think it’s great we are honoring the people who wrote the blank check,” said Angone.

“When you sign yourself on to the military, you don’t know when you’re coming home. Even in times of peace, you don’t know what will happen to you. The people who join the service, they’re writing a blank check. That’s a saying that we have.”

Though the sample design of the Hometown Heroes banner bears Angone’s photo, Angone said he and other members of the Legion would like to see other veterans honored first.

“We have World War 2 Veterans, Korean War veterans, Vietnam War veterans who served and should be honored,” said Angone.

“I think it’s great to acknowledge that we have an American Legion Post in Manhattan, and this is another way to get their name out there,” said Adrieansen. He hoped that it would spur membership for the local Manhattan American Legion Post.

After the duration of the display is complete this Veterans Day, those who purchased a banner and had it displayed would be given the banner to keep.

The Legion and Village hope to be able to have a dedication ceremony preceding the Memorial Day holiday. Details are still being finalized.

The Hometown Heroes banner program originally started in Pennsylvania in 2006 as a commemorative way to honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

The Village of Manhattan joins the neighboring communities of Elwood, New Lenox, Peotone, and Manteno, which already have the banner programs in place.

Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.