Veteran banners honor, recognize service
When driving down a number of Butler County roads, you may notice banners displaying veterans on street lamps.
Those banners, which are cared for by dedicated volunteers and loving families, each honor a veteran and recognize their service.
A member of American Legion Post 117 started the initiative in 2016 by making applications for a banner available to families with loved ones who served. People could submit a picture of their veteran in uniform, when and where they served, and whether they were killed or missing in action.
Jim Dittmer, a Vietnam veteran who’s volunteered to maintain the flags since the beginning, says he doesn’t remember having to advertise the opportunity.
“We didn’t have to reach out,” he said. “We thought we’d do 50, maybe a hundred.”
As it stands, 435 banners fly the entire length of Butler City’s Main Street.
“We got to a point where maintenance would be too much,” he said. “We were maxed out. There’s no more room.”
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