Sweet Home’s city Community Health Committee is offering street banners to honor those who are serving or have served in the military and police officers and firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.
The banners will hang on power poles along Main Street and, as needed, along Long Street from Memorial Day to Veteran’s Day, the same way Christmas decorations are displayed each year. The project is a partnership with the Elks Lodge and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Lisa Gourley, city councilor and chairwoman of the committee, and Jim Gourley, member of the committee heading up the banner project, purchased the first banner to kick off the program, displaying it at the second annual Zombie Zoup Run, held Oct. 28.
The first banner honors Dean LeBret, a Public Works employee who served in the U.S. Air Force.
Sweet Home has 230 poles, Jim Gourley said, and he’d like to see Main Street filled with banners for those on active duty, Gold Star families and veterans – as well as fallen fire and law enforcement officials. The program also will accommodate those who served in the Merchant Marine during World War II.
It is limited to those who have lived or served within the boundaries of the Sweet Home School District.
Longtime firefighter Dave Trask said he is not aware of a firefighter who has died in the line of duty in Sweet Home.
A single Sweet Home law enforcement officer, Mounts Story, has died in the line of duty.
Story became mayor in 1907, according to local historian Mona Waibel. He was also marshal in 1919 – the equivalent of police chief. Besides law enforcement, his duties included running dogs out of saloons, taking care of the dirt streets and all the stumps in the streets by blowing them up.
Story died in 1920 when two intoxicated men attacked him with his own cane, Waibel said.
“He died with his boots and badge still on.”
Each banner will be marked with a color-coded star and additional information about veterans. A white star will signal a veteran. A gold star will denote a veteran killed in action. A blue star will show a person serving on active duty. Additional markings will show those who were prisoners of war, missing in action and more information.
His goal was to keep the cost as low as possible, Gourley said. Banners cost $75 each and are completed by Northwest Graphics in Lebanon at a discount. Donation cans will be available throughout the community to help pay for brackets and hardware to mount the banners.
Applications are available at City Hall and the Chamber of Commerce. Local businesses will also have applications available as the program continues.
Banners and poles are available on a first-come, first-served basis, Lisa Gourley said. The goal is to honor those who serve and served and to bring awareness to veterans issues.
She’s looking for public participation.
“We hope that businesses and organizations will purchase banners for their sites,” she said.