From November to January, the faces and names of 30 veterans who served in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and other conflicts were displayed on 15 light poles in the city of Greenwood, S.C. This Hometown Heroes project was led by the Star Fort (S.C.) Chapter, which unveiled the banners Nov. 11. They will be displayed annually to honor local veterans.

“Everyone has pictures or medals in their homes that no one can see,” said Lt. Col. Terry Greenfield, ARNG (Ret), chapter president. “There is so much history. We wanted the public to be able to see it.”

He said the idea came from Former Capt. Linda Caldwall, USA, president of the South Carolina Council of Chapters, who brought the Hometown Heroes Banner Program to her city of Aiken a few years ago.

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“I thought it would be a good project for our chapter and our town,” said Greenfield.

So did city officials. When Greenfield proposed the idea to the city manager, her reaction was, “What took you so long?”

With guidance from Caldwall, including a connection to a printer to produce the banners, and support from the city of Greenwood, Greenfield and a committee of chapter members got to work. Families of past and present veterans could complete the banner application, upload their loved one’s photo, and submit payment through the city’s website.

They were also invited to the official unveiling ceremony at The Arts Center of Greenwood on Nov. 11. That event included a welcome by Greenfield, comments from mayor and Caldwall, and the opportunity for families to ask questions about the project. The Star Fort Chapter provided refreshments, said Greenfield.

“We then gave everyone a map with the locations of the banners, and families went to find their loved one’s banner,” he said.

The chapter’s goal is to honor more veterans next year and work with the city to find additional opportunities to display the banners, such as around Memorial Day.

For other MOAA chapters interested in bringing the Hometown Heroes Banner Program to their towns, Greenfield offers this advice: “Do it. The first step is to approach your town and tell them the idea. I guarantee they’d love to have it,” he said.

The project also benefits the chapter. “Our chapter name and MOAA logo is on every banner. We also got our chapter’s name out in about half the state thanks to the city of Greenwood connecting me with three television stations who wanted to promote the initiative,” Greenfield said. “Plus, it’s another way to get members involved. We had a lot of fun doing this project.”