As we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of our nation, we are reminded that the freedoms we cherish have been secured through the courage, sacrifice and dedication of the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. While we should honor our veterans and active-duty service members not only during milestone anniversaries but throughout the year, this historic occasion offers us a special opportunity to highlight their service in a visible and meaningful way. With that said, I am proud to introduce our new Hometown Heroes Banner Program.
This commemorative initiative will recognize fifty local veterans and enlisted men and women with personalized banners displayed on our city’s streetlights from Memorial Day through Veterans Day. These banners will serve as daily reminders of the bravery and commitment of those from our Darien Community who answered the call to serve our country.
We officially “kicked off” the program on February 26 with an information sheet and application in our Thursday Direct Connect. In the coming weeks, we will continue to publish this data in our Thursday installments to ensure everyone who has an interest can participate. Please note, that we will accept applications for the first fifty submissions only due the limited number of streetlights available. I strongly encourage families to submit their applications as soon as possible to ensure inclusion in this special tribute.
The Hometown Heroes Program is just one of many activities planned throughout the year as we commemorate our nation’s 250th Anniversary. Darien will be hosting a number of events and celebrations, as we look forward to partnering with many of our outstanding service, social and religious organizations to make this a truly memorable year for our community.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Andrew and Chris Brunsen of Modell Funeral Home for generously underwriting the total cost of this program. Their commitment to honoring our veterans and enlisted personnel reflects the very spirit of community that makes Darien so special.
For additional information, please refer to our Thursday Direct Connect or visit the City's website. Let us come together in gratitude and pride as we honor our Hometown Heroes and celebrate 250 years of American independence.