NEW MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - In a yearlong effort to support veterans, families are now able to see the see banners of their loved ones.

Over a hundred banners are hung up in Springfield Township Fire Station. Each banner hung up is honoring a veteran.

“In some of the towns, they have to be deceased before they can be put up. And it can be any veteran that has been honorably discharged or has an immediate family member that lives in the township or the village,” said Carol Landis, Chairperson for the Springfield Township and the Village of New Middletown honoring Veteran Banners.

Families and veterans gathered at the fire station for an open house. Charles Butler, Air Force veteran, said he was honored to see his banner hanging up at the event.

Butler was part of the Air Force for over 35 years.

“I first went in, in 1968, I was in the army. [I] Started out in the army, and I did a tour in 69 and 70 in Vietnam. I went to Iraq,” said Butler.

Butler’s story is just one of over a hundred stories these banners tell. Some at the event looked back at their time serving our country.

“The guys that were on the aircraft carrier worked long and hard. We would fly aircraft for 12 hours a day, and then load ammunition at night, and then we do that for 50 or 60 days in a row,” said Steve Withers, Navy ROTC veteran. 

Other banners were put up by families who remember their loved ones' service.

One of those families is the Huebner family. His Fiance, daughter and son recalled the hard work and dedication veteran Walter Huebner put in as a veteran.

“That was the proudest moment I ever had with my dad, just knowing that he served his fellow veterans,” said Dianna Olekshuk, daughter. “I feel very proud to be his daughter. I am proud to be his daughter. I know my brother feels the same way.”

“He joined in the 1950s in a little story. He was sitting around a bar on the East side with his buddy, and his buddy said, there's a draft going on, so we might as well join before we get drafted. He joined the army, but they sent him over to Germany,” said son John Huebner, son.

The community has collected 147 banners since the program started in January. It's expected that 200 will be collected before the banners are hung up in May.

“We are doing them strictly through donation and fundraising. We are not charging the families for them. We sent out applications, and they put the send back with the photos. And then it just spread,” said Landis.

The over $20,000 will help keep the banner project going. The banners will be hung up in New Middletown, New Springfield and Petersburg in 2026 for Memorial Day.

The open house also provided light refreshments and resources for veterans and their families.