EVANS CITY — Mayor Dean Zinkhann has organized an event to honor the late Sgt. Nicholas Tomko, U.S. Army, who was killed in 2003 in Iraq.

It will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Evans City VFW Post 499.

Zinkhann said state Rep. Jim Marshall, R-14, and County Commissioner Jim Eckstein each will talk.

Members of the American Legion Riders from three Legion posts in Butler and Clarion counties will attend.

Tomko, 24, of McKees Rocks, formerly of Butler, died when his Humvee was hit by mortar fire and missiles south of Baghdad. He was a member of the Army Reserves 307th Military Police Company from New Kensington.

The tribute also will kick off the military banner project taken on in the fall by Zinkhann.

In that project, the photographs of veterans, living or deceased from any era, can be submitted to Zinkhann for placement on one side of a two-foot by three-foot, heavy duty banner.

The banners will be attached to First Energy utility poles on Main Street so they can be viewed by the thousands of motorists who pass through the borough each day.

The two-sided banners each will display two veterans throughout the summer until Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

Zinkhann said he has 20 requests for banner placements so far. He will place them as far up and down Main Street as necessary.

Stating why he is doing this, Zinkhann said, “They’ve given us all our freedoms. It’s the least we can do.”

More information on the military banner program is available at www.troopbanners.com/evanscity.