Patriotism on display in Morenci through Hometown Heroes Banner program

MORENCI — The streets of downtown Morenci are beaming with patriotism and pride.

Customized light pole banners that honor local veterans and active-duty military service members can be seen while traveling along the main roadways of Morenci.

The banners, now in their second year of being shown in and near downtown Morenci, are displayed all summer starting with Memorial Day through September and during November for Veterans Day.

“This is the second year of our Hometown Heroes Banner program, and I believe Morenci is the only community in Lenawee County to facilitate such a program,” Heather Sarnac, community and economic development director for the city of Morenci, said.

The community has embraced the project, she said, which involves a collaboration between the city of Morenci, American Legion Post 368, the Downtown Development Authority, the Department of Public Works and the Morenci Garden Club.

“We are excited and honored to recognize our veterans and active military service members and partner with everybody on making this happen again,” Sarnac said.

Forty banners are on display. There are 30 on Main and North streets with an additional 10 on Orchard and Baker streets. Each banner, available on a first-come, first-served basis, shows a high-quality portrait of a veteran or current military member with familial ties to Morenci. Also included on the banners are the names of the individuals as well as their years of service and the military branch in which they served.

One of the first banners to be created last year was for Stephen Rutkowski, a master chief in the United States Navy from 1982-2012. His banner can be seen near the intersection of West Main and North streets.

Rutkowski’s wife, Chris, worked with Sarnac last year to help get the Hometown Heroes Banner project off the ground — literally. She is assisting on the project again this year and said she anticipates being part of the Hometown Heroes program for as long as it continues.

Stephen Rutkowski died Dec. 5, 2021, at the age of 59 from brain cancer.

Chris Rutkowski, who is a member of the Morenci American Legion Auxiliary, stressed the importance of providing veterans with recognition.

“They deserve it. They need a voice,” she said. “Too many people have forgotten about our veterans. I am a firm believer that our veterans do not get the recognition or the help they deserve.”

As the widow of a veteran, Chris said she made sure she helped the city answer any of its questions when it came to initiating the banners project last year. It is her hope, she said, that the program grows larger each year and that more people get involved with their local military organizations and service clubs.

“I’ve realized my calling, and that is to be a voice for the voiceless in any way that I can,” she said. “…If I can do one kind thing each day that makes a difference, I can go to bed with a smile on my face.”

Stephen Rutkowski’s 30-year career in the Navy took him on many trips around the world, Chris said. He enlisted in the Navy as a seaman and had been stationed in the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean, Japan and Taiwan to name some of the locations. When he was on shore duty, he still traveled a lot and made several trips overseas, she said.

After he retired from the Navy, Stephen continued to work for companies that did contract work for the Navy.

“I always said, he had one foot on land and one foot in the water,” Chris said.

Initially, when the banners program was launched in 2023, Morenci had 15 locations to hang them, but because of a donation made by Chris including the purchase of additional banner brackets, the program’s reach expanded.

“It is through contributions and collaborations like these that meaningful initiatives thrive and make a difference in the community,” Sarnac said. “The Hometown Heroes Banner project stands as a testament to the collective effort and community spirit present in Morenci. It serves as a visual representation of the gratitude and respect we all have for our veterans and current military service members.”

One banner in this year’s display is of Frederick B. Sheffield from the Civil War, a private in the 3rd Ohio Voluntary Cavalry from 1861-84, making him one of the oldest — if not the oldest — veteran among the 40 banners.

How to be involved in the program

Families, friends, veterans or active-duty military service members may apply for a banner when the next registration period opens in 2025. There is no limit on the number of banners per family or household.

Banners are $150 each and a portion of the proceeds benefit Morenci American Legion Post 368 so that it can do its part in meeting the needs of local veterans and their families.

Participants from the 2023 program had the option to renew their banners for a fee of $30, provided they remain in good condition, Sarnac said. This year, there are 22 new banners and 18 renewals.

“We are thankful for each family who participates in representing their loved ones and allowing our community to show support,” Sarnac added.

Registration for the 2024 program opened on Feb. 5, and the city had 25 registrants on the first day. On the second day of registration, the final five of those first 30 main locations signed up. The last 10 banner registrants trickled in between Feb. 7 and March 18, Sarnac said.

“We had a great turnout of people this year who wanted to honor their loved ones,” she said. “Sometimes people will register for a banner as a surprise. But when that banner is hung, it's really special.”

The Morenci Department of Public Works hangs the brackets, the banners and the flowering baskets from the Morenci Garden Club. The American flags are placed onto the newly painted light poles by the American Legion.

When the banners come down for the season in November, they are washed, dried, rolled up and returned to the families as a keepsake.

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Motorists and those walking through downtown have been known to slow down and check out the banners, Sarnac said.

“This is something that sets Morenci apart,” she said. “This is something that we do here in Morenci, and it makes us proud.”

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Morenci's Hometown Heroes Banner program honors military