Warsaw Salutes You invites sponsors to sponsor a banner for Veterans Day and the next year of honorees.

By Madison Hart
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Warsaw Salutes You invites service members and their families to sponsor a banner for the upcoming year of honorees to be displayed on East Market Street.

This banner recognition program is now launching its seventh cycle. Applicants can sponsor a banner on East Market Street with the name and photograph of a Warsaw service member. Honorees can be living or deceased, retired, veterans or active-duty members, but they must have lived in the Warsaw area at some point. Banners will be displayed for a year, starting the week of Veterans Day. At the end of the one-year cycle, the banners will be returned to the sponsors.

The Warsaw Salutes You banner recognition program initiative was launched by Elizabeth Stone in 2020 as part of her participation in the Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy program. Although KYLA was canceled that year due to COVID-19, Elizabeth had already completed her project, allowing Warsaw Salutes You to officially begin in November 2020. During the first cycle of the program, Elizabeth worked with mentor Miechi Petro, the mayor’s office and the street department to get use of the brackets along East Market Street. Elizabeth started the project to honor her brother and to build community spirit, support military families and foster patriotism. The project was so successful that after Elizabeth left for college, her mother, Megan Stone, and co-chair Petro continued the effort.

Homer Murphy’s banner. Provided by Megan Stone.

Since its inception, the program has honored 125 men and women from every branch of the military and various wars and conflicts, including those who served in the Civil War, World Wars, Korean War, Gulf War and the War on Terror. Among them, four women have been recognized, as well as several active-duty members. The program has also honored service members who received a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and those who were killed in action. There are currently 25 banners displayed.

The program has received multiple letters of gratitude from honorees, sponsors and their families, who appreciate the recognition of their loved ones. One notable story is that of Homer Murphy, whose banner is currently displayed. His granddaughter, Laura Murphy, shared that Homer fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II and is honored at the memorial downtown at the courthouse. The American Legion in Leesburg was named after him, although it later burned down. Homer’s son, Ken Murphy, a lifelong Warsaw resident who is now 83 years old, was just three when his father was killed in action. He now often visits his father’s banner on East Market Street.

“We thought that was so touching,” said Megan. “That an 83-year-old man, who lost his father when he was only three years old, now has a way to honor his father by going to salute his banner.”

Sponsors can request an application by emailing [email protected]. The deadline to request an application is Oct. 1, with a first-come, first-served policy. The cost is $65.

Warsaw Salutes You thanks Graycraft Signs and the Warsaw Street Department for their support.