Sgt. Alan Kozak, who served in the U.S. Army during the Cold War, is one of dozens of local veterans who have been honored by Hellertown’s Hometown Hero banner initiative. (FILE PHOTO)
If you would like to see a loved one from Hellertown or Lower Saucon Township recognized for their military service as part of the Saucon Valley Hometown Heroes Banner Program, there is currently another opportunity to do that.
Officials recently announced that they are currently accepting applications for the second installment of the program, which will run from Spring 2022 to Spring 2024.
The program first launched two years ago, and has become familiar to both local residents and visitors thanks to the patriotic banners affixed to utility poles along major roads in Hellertown borough, including Easton Road, Water Street and Walnut Street.
The purpose of the Saucon Valley Hometown Hero Banner Program is to “honor and recognize Hellertown and Lower Saucon servicemen and women who are currently or have honorably served or given their lives to our country in the United States Armed Forces,” according to the mission statement for it.
In order to be eligible for recognition on a banner, a nominee must meet the following requirements:
- He or she must have lived in the Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township (Saucon Valley) area at some point in their lifetime.
- He or she must have served in one of the following branches of the U.S. Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guard or Coast Guard.
- The nominee must be currently serving in the Armed Forces, must be an honorably discharged veteran or must be someone who died in the line of duty.
The banners themselves are made of a vinyl-type material, measure 30 by 60 inches in size and are double-sided. Each one displays the service member’s name, rank, branch of service, era of service and photograph.
A $190 donation is requested for each banner application that is submitted to the borough, which is to cover the cost of the banner’s production, installation and removal.
For individuals or families for whom the cost of a banner may represent a financial hardship, there is a box on the application to check off to request special consideration.
For businesses or individuals who are interested in supporting the program, sponsorship opportunities are available. Sponsors are recognized on the borough’s website. For more information, see the Saucon Valley Hometown Hero Banner Program sponsorship form.
The next batch of banners will be produced over the winter months and hung from utility poles in Hellertown borough in the spring.
Other facts about the program:
- Banners are available for pickup by purchasers at the borough office once they are retired, which is after their display period of two years has ended. Unclaimed banners become the property of the Borough of Hellertown.
- Any damage to an installed banner is addressed at the discretion of the Borough of Hellertown.
- The purchase of banners as surprises to living individuals is not permitted.
Since there are a limited number of locations available for the second installment of the banner program, any applications that are not processed for the 2022-2024 program period will be put on a waiting list for the 2024 Banner Program, officials said.
To review the Saucon Valley Hometown Hero Banner Program guidelines, click here.
For questions or for more information about the Saucon Valley Hometown Heroes Banner Program, please call the Hellertown borough office at 610-838-7041 or email c.hartranft@hellertownborough.
