Downtown Elburn will be adorned with banners honoring local veterans by Memorial Day, thanks to efforts from the Elburn Lions Club, American Legion Post 630 and the village of Elburn.

About 50 banners will be placed along Main Street. The banners will honor military veterans, active duty and reserve service members and National Guard members.

The cost to sponsor a banner is $225. Proceeds will be split between the Lions Club charities and American Legion Post 630.

Elburn Lions Club President Carrie Walter said she has chosen to focus some of the club’s charitable donations to veterans’ issues, including sponsoring a shelter dog for a local veteran with PTSD through a $15,000 donation to K9s for Veterans, NFP.

Village Administrator John Nevenhoven said the money the American Legion Post 630 receives will go to several organizations the post supports, such as the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans and the Thomas A. Bonine Rainbow of Hope, a suicide prevention fund promoting awareness and education about depression and suicide.

The Legion also maintains a supply of medical equipment, such as walkers, motorized scooters, shower chairs and mechanical beds to provide to local veterans on a temporary basis at no cost to them. The money will go to ensure the equipment is in good working condition for when the need arises.

Each full-color banner, which will be 7 feet by 2 1/2 feet, will feature a photo of the honoree, his or her name, branch of service, years served and military recognition awarded. Most of the 50 banners that have been bought have been sponsored by individuals honoring a family member. Four local businesses in Elburn have sponsored banners to honor an individual.

Walter said she got the idea when she and her husband, Village President Jeff Walter, saw similar banners as they drove through Angola, Indiana, on their way home from a recent trip.

She said the banners will be installed on light poles along Main Street between Hughes Road on the south and Route 38 on the north. They are double-sided so they will be visible when driving through town from either the north or the south. The sponsoring family or business name will be visible, as well.

Nevenhoven said the banners will be installed in time for Memorial Day and displayed through the Fourth of July. After Elburn Days, they will be displayed through Veterans Day.

“They should be good for two seasons [2023 and 2024],” he said.

Nevenhoven said the village is donating the brackets and the labor to install and remove the banners.

Carrie Walter said there is capacity along the route for up to 84 banners.

Individuals and business owners interested in honoring a veteran or military personnel may order the banner from the Military Tribute Banners website, militarytributebanners.org.

For information or questions about identifying a veteran or military personnel to honor through a corporate sponsorship, contact Carrie Walter at elburnvetbanners@gmail.com.