HARRISVILLE — Veterans banners will soon grace borough poles.

Resident Etta Miller, on behalf of the Harrisville American Legion Auxiliary 852, requested the borough's permission to install veterans banners.

“I think it's a reminder and a 'thank you' to anybody (who's) lived or came from our area for what they've done for us,” Miller said during Monday's council meeting.

Council voted unanimously to approve placing information about the banners in the newsletter and putting them up.

“We've had a number of residents ask about the military banners before, so I'm hopeful that it will be an uplifting, positive message to the community,” said April Anschutz, council president.

Etta Miller said the auxiliary is still creating the submission forms, but it has arranged for a man in Florida to create the banners at a cost of $80 each. She said the fee would cover the cost of the banner, plus an exact replica or two smaller replicas for the requester.

Miller said the auxiliary is covering the cost of the banner frames, and will arrange for the bulk submission to the designer. It will find a business or organization to put the banners on the poles.

“We're just in the process of getting things ready,” Miller said.

Once the form is available, residents will fill it out and return it by mail with a photograph to be scanned.

“We have a form they will fill out with the name, service, person's rank, any conflict they were involved in, and that's all included on the flag,” she said. “Ours will be open to living and deceased, for anybody (who) wants to put a banner up.”

Miller said part of the inspiration in bringing banners to Harrisville is the organization's relationship with area veterans.

“This is the 100th birthday for our American Legion,” she said. “It was created in 1919.”

Miller said Butler County Commissioner Kevin Boozel, who lives in Mercer Township and is a Harrisville firefighter, was helpful in bringing the idea to the borough and supporting the project.

“This was a product of a group I got together called Mayors of Meetings,” Boozel said.

The program gets mayors from the rural boroughs together to discuss accomplishments, ongoing projects and wish lists, among other things.

He said Harrisville Mayor Gary Hughes spoke with Evans City Mayor Dean Zinkahnn about how the latter accomplished bringing veterans banners to his community. The idea blossomed from there.

Those interested in receiving a form to request a banner should contact Anne Westbrook, president of Harrisville American Legion Auxiliary 852, at annewestbrook@tprsold.com.