Community Joins Together for Glen Cove Salutes Banner Cleaning & Pickup

GLEN COVE, NY — The Glen Cove Salutes Military Tribute Banner season concluded with a well-attended cleaning and pickup event at the James E. Donahue VFW Post 347, drawing families from across Glen Cove. The gathering served as both a community cleanup and an opportunity for families to collect banners honoring their loved ones.

Each year, close to 100 banners are proudly displayed throughout Morgan Memorial Park as part of Glen Cove Salutes, a Military Tribute Banner Program co-sponsored by VFW Post 347 and the Tribute and Honor Foundation, honoring the city’s veterans and active-duty service members.
Volunteers and supporters worked side by side during the cleaning and organizing process, joined by members of the post and the Tribute and Honor Foundation. Lydia Wen Rodgers, a member of the Foundation’s board who launched and leads the initiative with Tony Jimenez, the City of Glen Cove’s Director of Veterans Affairs, underscored the importance of teamwork and shared purpose.
“Honoring our veterans is at the heart of this program, and it is meaningful to see Glen Cove show its support,” Rodgers said. “We are deeply grateful to Ralph Comitino and the entire Glen Cove Department of Public Works. Their care in installing and removing the banners each year ensures that each tribute is handled with the respect it deserves. Also, I have such great respect for Tony Jimenez. It is always a pleasure working with him.”

“We never take for granted how meaningful this program is to our community,” said Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck. “Seeing families pick up their banners and knowing how deeply they cherish these tributes reminds us why Glen Cove is so committed to honoring those who have served.”

Seeing my dad and his twin brother represented together in this program was very moving,” said Ron Pascucci, who arrived to help clean the banners before collecting the two honoring his father and his father’s twin brother. “I was happy to pitch in and support an effort that honors not just my family, but so many others from Glen Cove.”

The banners Ron collected honored his father, Ernie Pascucci, and his uncle, John Pascucci, his father’s twin brother, both of whom served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Beyond his military service, Ernie Pascucci later devoted decades to public service in Glen Cove, serving as a longtime Commissioner of Public Works. Their inclusion side by side reflects not only a family legacy of service but also a familiar sight throughout Morgan Memorial Park, where banners often honor multiple family members.

Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, President of the Tribute and Honor Foundation, reflected on the importance of the partnership with the VFW. “As a Foundation, we are deeply proud to stand alongside VFW Post 347 and the families who participate in supporting a program that honors our veterans with such dignity. This initiative reflects the very best of who we are as a community—people coming together to recognize service, preserve stories, and show our gratitude in a meaningful and visible way.”

To learn more about Glen Cove Salutes, visit glencovesalutes.com