MARION — There is an effort underway to publicly honor veterans in Marion County.

Chapter 1117 of the Vietnam Veterans of America has begun a military banner campaign in Marion to salute all veterans of Marion County. They are seeking family or friends to sponsor a banner, 2 feet by 3 feet, with the image of the veteran to be placed on it.

Chairman Randy Drazba said the goal is to imitate a very successful banner program in Kenton. The banners will be printed on both sides and will have an estimated life span of three to four years.

“We are looking for families and friends who know veterans and would like to see them recognized for their service to The United States of America,” he said.

“This is a service project and a multi-year project. We like the quality of their banner and that’s why we followed their lead.”

Eligible veterans include all active duty and honorably discharged retirees and veterans of all branches of military service. Eligible veterans are those who were veterans of Marion County upon entering active service duty or those veterans currently residing in Marion County.

The City of Marion will begin placing the banners on utility poles at Prospect and Church Street going south to Veterans Memorial Park and east on Church Street to the Harding Museum. This is the primary route south of Columbia Street and will end at Vernon Heights Boulevard.

Two other routes are planned. One is from Orchard Street behind City Hall over to Greenwood past the new Harding Home Presidential Site. The other will be along Mount Vernon Avenue east toward that location.

“Those are the three main routes for this year,” Drazba said.

The banners will go up by Memorial Day and be removed shortly after Veterans Day.

Deadline for applications is March 1 to ensure placement by Memorial Day. There is a cost of $135 that includes the banner and bracket.

“There are over 4,500 utility poles in Marion. If we could we would put a banner on each one of them, great,” Drazba said. “It’s not a moneymaker. We are covering our costs.”

Call 419-560-1124 to reserve a banner or go to their Facebook page, Marion Military Banner.

You may also go online at https://troopbanners.com/MarionCountyOhio/. All banners will be displayed on this website.

The program started in Castle Shannon, Pa., and has expanded to 41 municipalities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia as a way to honor veterans.