Kiwanis to honor military members - Orland Press Register
People driving down Wood Street may soon know who from Willows are defending the country.
The Kiwanis Club has launched an effort to place banners on poles along the roadway to fly the names and faces of the local men and women in the military.
"We really don't know how many servicemen and women are on active duty," said Kiwanis President Wade Danley. "There is no centralized list."
Danley said the club got the idea from Susanville, a town that flies warfighter banners to honor the sacrifices of service members and their families.
Danley, accompanied at Tuesday's City Council meeting by Kiwanis and VFW members, asked the city's help in implementing a banner program, although the ultimate decision will rest with the California Department of Transportation.
Wood Street is a state roadway, city officials said.
The Kiwanis started the project long before Danley's own 19-year-old son joined the military.
Tim Danley is serving with the U.S. Air Force in Kuwait.
"This is a chance to recognize and celebrate our home town heroes," said Councilman Gary Hansen, who supports the club's efforts.
The banners, if approved, will have all the names of active duty military from Willows, Elk Creek and Princeton, and the club hopes another organization will take up the same cause in the Orland area for their hometown heroes.
City officials said they pleased the Kiwanis want to put a local face on those who are serving the country — often in harms way — and who are away from their homes and families for long periods of time.
"These are our service members away from home protecting us," said Councilman Jeff Cobb, who remembered his time in the military. "This would give them a little bit of satisfaction — a little bit of pride — knowing the people at home are supporting them."
At the same time, the banner project would honor the local families who are also making a sacrifice by not having their loved ones at home, Danley said.
Some at home missed Christmas and New Year's with their sons and daughters for the very first time.
Fathers and brothers are missing their first Super Bowl with their sons next Sunday.
City officials aren't sure how the project will fly with Caltrans, but they are supporting the effort.
City Manager Steve Holsinger said the city had an agreement with Caltrans for right-of-way to place banners on poles along wood in the past.
"The agreement would need to be updated," he said, thinking there would not be much of a problem.
The Kiwanis also asked the city to put up, and then take down banners when the service members in no longer on active duty with the military.
Danley said once the program is implemented, the Kiwanis Club will need local families to notify the club if their loved one is serving.
"It's going to have to be by word of mouth," he said.
The Kiwanis Club plans review the project, adding and removing banners, about every six months.
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