Naperville Salutes Project To Honor Local Veterans On Street Banners

NAPERVILLE, IL — In an effort to recognize the sacrifices made by local residents who served their country in the United States armed forces, Naperville officials have announced a new project that will feature local veterans in a very public way.

The city on Friday announced a street banner project that will feature the names and images of Naperville veterans. The project, Naperville Salutes, allows local families to nominate their friends and loved ones who served in the military and whose likenesses will be displayed on the banners around the city.

The city is running the project through a joint effort with the Naperville VFW, Naperville Public Arts Task Force3, Naperville Park District, the Naperville Heritage Society, Freedom Heroes of Naperville and Naperville Responds For Veterans. The program will honor both past and present members of the military.

The banners will be displayed on city light posts in various locations around Naperville, officials said Friday. The banners will be displayed prominently on Jefferson Street between Mill Street and the river, Mill Street from the Metra tracks to Jackson Street, along the Naperville Riverwalk near Centennial Beach as well as in Central Park.

The banners will be hung twice a year for 60 to 90 days, including in advance of Memorial Day and through July before the banners will be displayed again between August and November in advance of Veterans Day, city officials said. The city is planning to display around 150 banners during these times during the two periods for the remainder of the year.

Those interested in nominating a veteran should the project nomination form, which can be found here. The program requires the submission of a high-resolution digital image of the nominated veteran in official uniform.

By nominating a family member, residents are giving the city permission to include the information on the banner and website. To be eligible, a veteran, living or deceased, must have resided in Naperville at some point in his or her life.

Due to the limited number of banner sites available, applicants will be selected at random. Chosen applicants will be notified by city staff members once an installation date has been determined, officials said.

Nominees who are not chosen for the 2022 calendar year will be placed on a waiting list for future installations. Completing a nomination form does not guarantee reservation or banner approval.