Wellington launches 'Hometown Heroes' banner project to honor late service members

WELLINGTON — Banners soon will fly over downtown streets, honoring the village's veterans. Similar to the tribute lining Detroit Road in Avon, Mayor Hans Schneider is planning to print and hang the likenesses of those who served their nation in uniform. The goal is to have "Hometown Heroes" banners aloft in downtown Wellington and along East Herrick Avenue by Memorial Day in 2023. "We've seen communities where this is done, and they're always just very inspiring. There's always a sense of pride," Schneider said Tuesday. "I think we have a very rich history, and this will be another added way for us to show that." After conferring with village Electric Superintendent David Bealer and Council President Gene Hartman, Schneider announced the patriotic project Monday on social media. It calls for 30-by-80-inch banners in the historic downtown commercial district, which families can purchase at a cost of roughly $240; or 24-by-45-inch banners along East Herrick, which families can purchase for $175. There is room for 50 to 65 pieces to fly, Schneider estimated. Using a submitted photo of a beloved service member to be honored, Display Sales of Bloomington, Minnesota, will print the cloth flags. The village will store them in the off months and hang them for patriotic holidays. "I think the key takeaway is that we keep our focus on the things that matter most in our society," Village Manager Jonathan Greever said. While Americans are divided on many issues, they can all agree that those who gave everything for the preservation of the country's ideals should be honored, he said. His fear is that without visual reminders, Americans are only a generation or two away from forgetting about military service members' sacrifices. "These were not just historical events. They were real people," Greever said. "They are us. They are our relatives, our forefathers. They gave us everything." Schneider said the banner idea has been percolating in his mind for a couple of years. The removal of decorative locust trees from the downtown shopping area this spring spurred it on, he said. "We've had a lot of people comment, 'Wow, I didn't realize there were all these signs downtown because the trees covered up a lot,'" he said. "And when they were taken down, everything looked so crisp and clean." Business owners have been happy with tree removal because it has made their storefronts more visible, he said. The original intention was to replace larger, grown locust trees with new saplings. Now Schneider said he is leaning toward reducing the number of trees or replacing them with smaller greenery, so that signage and the Hometown Heroes banners are more easily seen. As of Tuesday, one company and one Wellington resident had offered to cover the cost of a banner for families that couldn't afford one themselves, Scheider said. He said his hope is to create a fund so that donations will cover the cost of replacing banners once they are worn by weather and time. Schneider said he is still developing all the rules about the project, and he is undecided about who will be eligible to be honored as a "Hometown Hero." He's contacted Mayor Bryan Jensen to learn how Avon set its rules for its Route 254 banner project. Avon allows family members of service members who were honorably discharged or killed in action to be honored. Reporter Jason Hawk can be reached at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.