Military

Community celebrates new Hometown Hero banners in downtown Lincoln

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[March 20, 2019]  On Saturday morning, a crowd gathered on a crisp sunny morning to acknowledge and celebrate a new project aimed at honoring our local veterans. The Hometown Heroes project was implemented by the Lincoln Rotary with support from the city of Lincoln and also the Logan County Board.

The project was brought to the Rotary by a military mom Carrie Pethy. Names and photos of local veterans and current members of the military were collected to produce banners of honor to be hung around the Logan County Courthouse Square as well as in Latham and Scully Parks.

Saturday, everyone gathered in Latham Park to celebrate the completion of the first round of banners. Altogether, there are 38 banners that are now hanging. According to Rotary President Kirby Rodgers, these banners will hang throughout this year for sure. They will be taken down at Christmas time, then hung back up after that holiday.

Meanwhile the Rotary will be accepting applications for the next round of banners. When the Rotary determines that it is time, new banners will be created and switched out with the current banners. The banners that are hanging now will then be given to the person or people who purchased the banner.



Saturday morning, Rodgers opened the ceremony announcing that there were applications on hand. He said that anyone who wished to apply for the next round could do so right away.

Rodgers then kicked off the official ceremony by announcing the presentation of colors by the American Legion Color Guard. Lincoln Alderman Ron Keller then led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Keller then spoke briefly on behalf of Lincoln Mayor Seth Goodman who was unable to attend. Keller said that the day was all about celebrating community and our veterans. He asked for all veterans and military service people to please raise their hands to be recognized.

He expressed appreciation to the Rotary as well as all the families who had participated in the project by purchasing the banner for their loved ones. Keller noted, I think this is a source of pride. One the best thinks I can think about a community is knowing that the citizens who are a part of this community, helped this community, and helped our country. And that is what this is all about.”

Keller then introduced the members of the committee who worked on the banner project with the Rotary. Those members are Carrie Pethy, James Harnacki, Ron Keller, Kirby Rodger, Bill Gossett and Don Jordon.

Pethy was the next person to speak. As a military mom she noted that she was so delighted, and explained that she had become a part of a military mom support group on social media. There she had learned of the banner program from a few others whose communities were doing it. She said that she thought it was a wonderful idea and set about trying to find people to get on board with it. She noted that her first few attempts had failed as she approached people who were unable to get on board with her. Then she said she kept looking until she came to the Rotary and they were happy to help. She said there was a great deal of appreciation for them. She said that Mayor Goodman had been very supportive and that she had also sought help from her local alderman, Ron Fleshman, and he too was very supportive.

Rodgers spoke next saying that it is easy to lead a project when one has good, willing workers, and he was appreciative of all the committee members and others who picked up the ball and ran with it. He then invited Pastor and Veteran Glenn Shelton to the front.

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Shelton was to offer a few words and close the day with a benediction.

Shelton remembered to the crowd that he was an airman who enlisted 61 years ago. He talked about how he came to be in the military. He noted that his dad had told him at high school graduation that he was going to get a job and work for a living. At 18, Shelton thought that wasn’t what he wanted from life at the time. He went to the post office to see all four major branches of the service. “All of them wanted me! I felt needed for the first time in my life!” Shelton said he joined the Air Force imagining that he would find himself as a pilot, flying all over the world. However, the Air Force had a different plan, and Shelton became a communication operator.

Gesturing toward the Color Guard Shelton said “The thing I picked out of the service was that flag. I came to honor and respect that flag above everything else. It hurts me when people desecrate the flag. Makes me want to cry because that flag represents peace, safety, security, and I would do anything to make sure that it always stands tall and flies with the breeze. I am a man of peace, but I can be one who would resort to something other than peace if our peace is threatened.”



We came today to honor those still among us and also to pay tribute to those who have gone on, who gave their lives to secure our peace. I for one served four years of active duty, two years reserve, and I still will not forget the main the reason I was in the service is to protect this country, our freedom and what that flag means to me. It is evident that it means the same thing to all of you also.

Turning to Pethy he said, “I really appreciate you having this placed on your heart, not only as a mother, this is God’s intervention.   And Kirby, thank you for stepping up and stepping in to put this together.

"My brothers and sisters, love you all, thank you all, let’s never ever forget our veterans and what they do to give us the kind of peace that we now enjoy.”


Bill Gossett


Jim Harnacki

After a few more words, singling out Bill Gossett and Don Jordon, and sharing words of appreciation for them, Shelton then led the group in a closing prayer.

Rodgers announced that each of the committee members had a list of banners and information about where the specific banners were located. He said that everyone there was welcome to grab hold of a committee member and find out where the banner they were interested in seeing was at. He also noted that when the banners are returned to the posts after Christmas they will probably not be in the same place they are now.

With that the colors were retired and the day came to a conclusion. Around the parks and around town afterward, many who attend the ceremony were seen afterward seeking out their banner of interest for photos and time to admire the overall impact the banners are now having around the square.

[Nila Smith]

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