Proposed Program Offers A Way To Honor Local Veterans In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — A plan to honor military veterans that's been in the making for a few years is finally coming to fruition in Ocean City.

Aide to Mayor Jay Gillian, Michael Allegretto, shared some details at a recent City Council meeting regarding a plan to hang banners that salute veterans. The city has been working with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion to find the best way to implement the program.

Not a lot of information was shared as Allegretto said they want to "do it right." Gillian also has an idea he wants to present, Allegretto said.

At one point, the idea was "hometown heroes," but Allegretto said that there would likely be people who wanted banners who didn't claim Ocean City as their hometown, and there were debates on how to define hero.

"We kind of settled on honor banner or something, or honorable banner. Something like that," Allegretto said. "Because that's something that's more open to everybody who has a stake in or interest in Ocean City."

The location of the banners and how long to display them are also factors being discussed.

The city has experimented with some banners along the Boardwalk, which have been taken down as they have faded from the sun and officials didn't think it was right to the veterans to have banners not in pristine condition, Allegretto said.

Officials also want to do something again in August to celebrate Veterans Month like they did last summer.

"I do take it very seriously," Allegretto said. "It's important to honor our veterans."