The Town of Westville is promoting its hometown heroes by flying banners of veterans on Main Street. Here, councillors Bernie Murphy, Mayor Roger MacKay and Lennie White stand beside the first banner that was made up for the project.
Last November, he noticed that the Town of Truro was flying banners remembering people who served in the military and thought it might be something that Westville could do a well.
He said he was planning to bring it to the next council meeting, but in the meantime, other residents had seen the same banners and were asking that it be done here.
“They said we have to do this in Westville,” he said.
The banners showcased veterans who were living and deceased, of various ranks, and a broad range of service. They will be attached with brackets to poles along Main Street in the town for a period of time before and after Remembrance Day.
“Westville has a lot of connections with military and military service and the two wars,” he said. “We are pretty happy to be able to do this.”
The banners are designed to recognize and honour Westville veterans who are serving or are veterans who have served Canada in the Canadian Armed Forces and Merchant Marine.
The banners are 18x36 heavy vinyl, printed the same on both sides and will display the service person’s photograph, their full name and branch of the military service.
To qualify, a veteran must have lived in Westville at some point in his or her life or be honoured on the Westville cenotaph. The project is open to all veterans, living or deceased. Current members of the Canadian Armed Forces are also welcome to participate in the program.
After the banners are removed, they will stored until October of the next year. A hometown heroes form must be filled out at the town hall, a high resolution photograph must be provided as well as $100 payment.
For more information, contact bev.heighton@westville.ca
