Village of Orland Announces New Hometown Heroes Banner Program

ORLAND PARK, IL — The Village of Orland Park announced the start of a new program called Orland Park Hometown Heroes Banner. This first-time promotion is designed to honor current and former residents of Orland Park who have served or are currently serving in any branch of the military, according to the village.

“We are happy to be able to honor Orland Park’s veterans by offering the Orland Park Hometown Heroes Banner Program for the first time,” Mayor Keith Pekau said. “Those who venture down Ravinia Avenue will be able to see first-hand, all of the many Orland Park heroes who bravely served our great nation and safeguarded our freedoms.”

According to the village, the cost to sponsor a banner is $150 and includes production and placement by the village for a one-season display period in 2021— between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The fee is reduced to $100 for those whose names are engraved on the village’s memorial wall, and all proceeds directly benefit area veterans, the village said.

Applications are currently being accepted until March 1, 2021. All banners will be displayed from approximately Memorial Day through Veterans Day in a single year. The banners will be hung on Ravinia Avenue from 143rd to 159th Street.

If requested, banners that are removed at the end of the one-year period, will be provided to the applicant. Each banner will be 24” W x 48” H, according to the village.

To order an Orland Park Hometown Heroes Banner, one has to fill out an application available at the Frederick T. Owens Village Hall, located at 14700 S. Ravinia Ave. You can also visit the village website and download the registration form.

Completed forms can be dropped-off or mailed to Village Veterans Commission, 14700 S. Ravinia Ave. no later than March 1. Display locations are limited and applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the village.

Hometown hero honorees must be current or past Orland Park residents. Applicants must have served in the following U.S. branches of service: Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and/or Coast Guard, according to the village.

Submitted photos must be clear and in good condition. Digital photos will also be accepted.

The village said it is preferred that the applicant is in uniform in the photo, but it is not required. The original photo will be returned.

For more information about the program or for assistance, contact the Orland Park Veterans Commission Coordinator, Darryl Wertheim at 708-403-6115.