By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
By the time Memorial Day rolls around in 2024, 30 banners honoring local veterans will be attached to light poles in Decatur.
Decatur City Council gave its approval to the project at its Tuesday meeting.
The idea was brought before council at its previous meeting by Carol Riley, vice president, Antoine Rivarre DAR chapter, daughters of the American Revolution, and Louann Bultemeyer of the local chapter.
They were on hand for the latest meeting, but the city’s community coordinator, Jamie Gephart, who is assisting the project, spoke for the organization.
At the first meeting, Riley was told to take the proposal before Decatur Main Street’s design committee, standard procedure in such matters.
Gephart said the design committee approved of the design of the banners (see photo) and recommended that 12 banners go up on First St. and 18 more on Monroe St. They will be placed on the black, decorative light poles in the downtown area.
City officials said they are leaving Second St. open to the events that happen each year, and special banners that have already been purchased for those areas.
It was noted that the city is looking at adding brackets to the wooden light poles in the future, which would extend the banners down Monroe St. For the present, however, First and Monroe streets’ black light poles will be used.
The banners will go up the day before Memorial Day and remain up through Veterans Day on November 11.
Families will purchase the banners for $100 and take possession of them after the banners are removed.
The banners will have the vet’s name, photo, branch, rank and more.
Riley said applications for the banners will be passed out at the library in Decatur from 5:15 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 25. Then they will need to be returned to the same location on Nov. 15.
She underscored that no credit cards will be accepted.
Who gets the 30 positions will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Rivarre chapter will handle all aspects of the banner project with no cost to the city – other than employees mounting and removing the banners – nor paperwork nor liability.
Riley said the chapter will handle marketing, but since it is a 501c organization (tax exempt), it is prohibited from doing social media sales or advertising.
Following is the criteria for having a vet on a banner:
* Vet must have some connection to Adams County.
* Must have been honorably discharged.
* Vet must be in uniform for photo (fatigues okay).
* Photos must be clear, on photo paper, with contrast of the veteran and background.
* No digital photos or photos in frames will be accepted.
* Deadline for applications and photos is not yet determined.
* Applications will not be processed until photo is accepted, payment is received, and consent/waiver form is signed.
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