Banners Paying Tribute to Local War Veterans Will Adorn the Streets in Downtown Port Hope this Fall
During a special announcement at the war cenotaph in Memorial Park, the Municipality of Port Hope, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Port Hope, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 30 and the Heritage Business Improvement Area (HBIA), unveiled a new war heroes veteran banner program, an initiative that will display images of local war veterans throughout downtown Port Hope this fall.
“This is an exciting new initiative for our community and we are proud to participate in what will be a wonderful, visual reminder of the sacrifices made by our war heroes,” noted Bob Sanderson, Mayor of the Municipality of Port Hope. “Working in partnership with special interest groups in the community has made this program accessible to everyone and it’s exactly the kind of collaboration that makes Port Hope so extraordinary.”
At the official program launch event on June 19, representatives from the collaborating partners made brief remarks and a mock banner was unveiled. It was explained that this is a legacy program intended to pay tribute to local veterans, deceased veterans and active service members and that the project will launch with a total of 30 banners, with potential to grow the program in the future.
“The members of the Rotary Club of Port Hope are privileged to honour the women and men who served in military service, putting their lives on the line for our freedom and democracy,” explained Bob Wallace, President of the Rotary Club of Port Hope. “The Avenue of Heroes Banner program is a small way to recognize those who served and to publicly thank them for their service and sacrifice.”
Hosting a veteran banner program is not unique to Port Hope. In conjunction with local legion branches, many other communities across Canada participate in a similar project as a way to acknowledge and pay respect to war veterans and active service members in their communities.
“When the Rotary Club of Port Hope approached us to be part of the ‘Avenue of Heroes Banner Program’ it was a great opportunity for us to promote our mandate: Lest We Forget,” included Andre Labrosse, President of the Royal Canadian Legion Brach 30 in Port Hope. “This program directly aligns with our goal as a branch of the Royal Canadian Legion to honour our veterans and we are thrilled to be part of a project that will remind the community of all the great contributions the men and women of Port Hope made for us and of the freedoms we enjoy today.”
How to Apply and Qualify for a Veteran Banner:
• Applications are available at the Port Hope Public Library, Town Hall, the Visitor Centre, The Port Hope Community Hub and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 30.
• There is no cost to participate, and complete applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Each specific service member must have a connection to the Port Hope area to qualify – they may be active, retired or deceased.
• Application forms must be submitted with a high resolution 5”x7” portrait-style photo of the service member in uniform.
• Applications can be dropped off at the Visitor Centre (20 Queen Street) and at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 30 (29A Thomas Street) in Port Hope.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
