VFW to oversee veteran banner program

Glen Cove residents will once again have the opportunity to honor their military heroes through the city’s Military Tribute Banner Program, now in its 4th year. Organized by Glen Cove Salutes and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 347 in Glen Cove, the program celebrates veterans and active military personnel by displaying banners on lampposts in Morgan Park from Memorial Day through Veterans Day. The banners serve as a visual reminder of the sacrifices made by service members and their families.
This year, 92 banners will be available, with two reserved for enlisted graduating seniors from Glen Cove High School. Each banner costs $99 if ordered before March 1, and $109 after that date. The program’s continued success is attributed to the dedication of volunteers like Lydia Wen, a city librarian. The program was founded by Wen as an employee there, but the program won’t be overseen by the library this year.
“I’m still working with the city’s Veterans Affairs Office, and Tony Jimenez,” Wen said. “It’s the same people who are running it, but it’s just under a new umbrella.”
Funding for the program has been bolstered by a $1,000 grant from the Tribute and Honor Foundation, which helped establish a website and cover operational costs.
In addition to the banners, Glen Cove Salutes is sponsoring two essay contests to further honor veterans and involve the community. The “Liberty’s Torch” contest invites middle school students to interview veterans and reflect on lessons learned, while the “Echoes of Freedom” contest challenges high school students to create audio essays on patriotic themes. Both contests offer a $250 prize, with winners recognized during the Military Banner Unveiling ceremony on May 25.

Wen emphasized the importance of making the project sustainable and engaging younger generations. “If you’re doing such a big project like that, and it’s just for Glen Cove veterans, you want to just keep their spirit alive,” she said. “The only way to do it is to involve young people to continuously give them a platform to talk to veterans and continue the conversation.”
Howard Stillwagon, Commander of the VFW, expressed pride in the program’s growth. “It’s going to be an honor to keep this program going,” he said. “We happily took the program.”
For more information or to sponsor a banner, visit glencovesalutes.com.