Thursday, October 1, 2026
The East Meadow Fire Department and the community-based Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow have teamed up to launch a new initiative aimed at both honoring military service members and enhancing the local landscape.
The project, called Honor a Hometown Hero, is a community beautification effort that recognizes veterans and active-duty military personnel with banners displayed prominently throughout East Meadow.
The initiative provides families with the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved ones who have served or are currently serving in any branch of the United States Armed Forces. Through the program, residents can purchase a full-color, 4-foot-tall by 2-foot-wide banner that will be hung on utility poles along key roadways in East Meadow. The banners, featuring a patriotic color scheme, will showcase the honoree’s name, branch of service, years of service, and a color or black-and-white photo of them in uniform.
These banners serve as a public expression of gratitude to those who have dedicated their lives to defending the country. Beyond personal recognition, organizers believe the project will instill a sense of unity within the community while simultaneously contributing to East Meadow’s beautification efforts.
“Beyond the uniform, our veterans are the embodiment of selfless service,” East Meadow Fire District Commissioner John Priest said. His family purchased a banner in memory of his father, who served in World War II. “Often referred to as the Greatest Generation, their dedication safeguarded our freedom and deserves to be recognized.”
The program is structured so that the banners will be installed each spring ahead of the Memorial Day parade, a long-standing tradition in East Meadow that draws veterans, families, and local officials together to honor those who have made sacrifices for their country. The banners will remain on display until around Veterans Day, when they will be removed to protect them from winter weather. The following spring, they will be reinstalled for another season of public recognition.
The first phase of the program will see banners placed along two of the busiest roads in East Meadow—East Meadow Avenue and Prospect Avenue—making them highly visible to both residents and visitors passing through the area. As interest in the initiative grows, Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow and the East Meadow Fire Department plan to expand the program by installing banners in additional locations throughout the community.
“At the heart of our military banner program lies a deep commitment to honoring our local heroes and a sincere hope that this program will also bring a sense of unity and pride to our community,” Edward Rosenthal, president of Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow, said.
The Honor a Hometown Hero initiative follows a growing trend of similar banner programs in towns and cities across the country. Many communities have adopted military banner projects to recognize their local service members while also fostering a sense of civic pride.
There is still time for families to participate in this year’s spring installation. Those interested in ordering a banner for a veteran or active-duty service member can reach out to Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow at (516) 595-3144 or via email at info@fabem.org for more details on how to apply.
