Luverne’s Main Street light pole banners featuring high school graduates will come down this summer at the end of June, and they’ll be replaced by banners honoring local veterans.
That’s according to the Design Committee of Luverne Initiatives For Tomorrow which recently announced the new banner opportunity to honor the service of past and current veterans.
“Beginning in 2020, parents and supporters have purchased banners honoring graduating seniors on Main Street in Luverne,” said Jane Lanphere of the Luverne Chamber, which is coordinating the effort.
“This year the banner sponsors have asked that the senior banners be returned to them by the end of June.”
At that point, she said, the LIFT Design Committee was tasked with providing ideas as to what kind of banners should be put up after the student banners are removed.
“The committee has decided that Luverne should replace those banners with banners of Rock County service members,” Lanphere said.
“Over the past four months, this project has been developed that allows veterans, families and friends to honor current and past service members by purchasing banners that will be placed on the light poles on Main Street from July 1 through the end of the banner season in mid- to late October.”
One side of the banner will display a photo and name and information of the veteran. The other side of the banner will say, “Thank You for Your Service.”
Banners will be returned to purchasers in the fall when they come down.
There are 82 locations for banners in Luverne, and if there are more banners purchased than there are poles to display them, a drawing will determine which banners are assigned.
The cost of the banner is $120. That fee will be refunded for applications not drawn for a banner, in the event that there are more than 82 requests.
To qualify for the Veterans Banner Program, honorees must be present or past (honorably discharged) members of the United States Armed Forces, and they must be current, former or deceased residents in Rock County (or have ties to Rock County).
Applicants must be the honorees themselves or be close living relatives or associates of the honorees.
Applications will be accepted now through May 1 at the Luverne Area Chamber Office, 507-283-4061, or online at luvernechamber.com.
Paper applications need to include a 5-by-7 image or larger. Digital applications need images with a resolution of 300 dpi or larger.
Lanphere said she hopes enough applications come in to fill all the light poles in Luverne.
“The banners act as symbols of our gratitude and pay tribute to the commitment and courage displayed by individuals who have served in the Armed Forces,” she said.
“Let’s thank the brave men and women from Rock County who have served with a banner.”