HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — A group of people from Holyoke are trying to honor the lives lost at the Soldiers’ Home during the coronavirus pandemic through banners that will hang around the city.
However, in order to make that dream a reality, they need your help.
If you’ve driven down the streets of Holyoke, you’ve probably noticed the Hometown Heroes banners.
These banners have now inspired a second program to honor the veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.
“There is a bunch of us Holyokers who would like to honor the veterans who have passed away by getting banners for them at no cost,” said Tracy Balint with Our Heroes on the Hill
The idea started with Balint, who knew firsthand what the Hometown Heroes banners meant to veterans like her father.
“He was very honored to be put up and have the city acknowledge what he had done,” Balint added.
Wanting to pay it forward, she contacted Scott Meyer, whose company G Street Vinyl makes the banners that can hang for about a year.
“We make nothing off these banners. It’s our way of getting back to the community and making it low cost for anyone who wants to buy one,” Meyer explained.
After volunteering at the Soldiers’ Home for years, he jumped at another chance to serve.
“We’ve become really attached to the veterans up here. We looked at them as more than veterans. They’re family,” Meyer added.
However, in order to make this goal of hanging 100 new banners in honor of Soldiers’ Home veterans who have died during the pandemic a reality, they need help from the community.
“If anyone knows any family members that have been impacted by this, have them get a hold of us…We are hoping to get them up by Veterans Day, but we will honor anything and we know the hardest part of our process right now is trying to get a hold of the families for their approval and get pictures of the veterans,” Balint noted.
They also need help funding the project with a goal of raising $10,000.
“Our goal is to make this absolutely 100 percent free to any family member who wants to honor their veterans,” Meyer said.
If you would like to donate, CLICK HERE.
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