Heroes banners to fly along Foothill

La Crescenta Town Council representatives on Sept. 6 signed contracts for the production of the first set of banners to honor local hometown heroes serving in the military.

The banners – similar to those flying along streets in other local communities, such as Glendora and Burbank – are being paid for by local merchants, organizations and individuals. The banners will bear the name and photo of La Crescenta and Montrose service men and women, as well as those who attended Crescenta Valley High School. The two-foot-by-five-foot banners also will display the name of the sponsoring party.

The first 16 banners will be hanged on alternating light poles, beginning on the north side of Foothill Boulevard at Pennsylvania Avenue, and going east along the boulevard. Leaving every other light pole vacant will allow the banners to remain up, even when flags are placed on the other light poles for significant holidays, such as Veteran’s Day, said Frank Beyt, a Crescenta Valley Town Council member who spearheaded the effort to hang hometown hero banners in La Crescenta.

The banners are expected to remain in their place of honor for as long as weather and Mother Nature allow. “We won’t leave them up there to get tattered and torn, but for as long as they are aesthetically pleasing and can honor our troops,” Beyt added.

After the first banners are in place, additional banners will be ordered and hanged in groups of ten, as long as community members provide the funding and until the designated poles along the boulevard are filled and all local military personnel deployed around the world are honored, Beyt said.

The banners are expected to be flying along the boulevard in about two weeks, said Crescenta Valley Town Council member Danette Erickson. “It should be an excellent way to honor our young men and women serving our country,” she added. “They deserve some recognition and we’re hoping the cities of La Cañada and Glendale will follow suit with their young people.”

Glendale’s City Council asked its city staff last month to bring a proposed plan for implementing a banners program in Glendale.

The first men and women to be honored are: Matthew Cameron, U.S. Air Force; Joshua Gomez, U.S Army; Allen Harris, U.S. Marine; Fred Koegler, U.S. Air Force; Michael Larsen, U.S. Marine; Robert Larsen, U.S. Marine; Lisa Janacua, U.S. Army; Robert Lippman, U.S. Marine; Michael Eric Schmutzer, U.S. Marine; Patrick L. Profeta, U.S. Air Force; Matt Vartan, U.S. Army; Jeff Primus, U.S. Air Force; Michael Fechter, U. S. Marine; Amber Caplette, U.S. Army; Richard M. Clark, U.S. Army; Krikor Naubantian, U.S. Air Force; Travis Mason, U. S. Air Force; and, Kyle Ranous, U.S. Army.

The number of light poles are limited to about 50, and there is a growing list of servicemen slated to be honored, Beyt said. However, families can contact the Crescenta Valley Town Council to add their son, daughter, sibling or other family member to the honorees, if they aren’t already on the list. To add a name or sponsor a banner, call (818) 248-9387.