City, veterans coalition begin new project for residents to honor veteran loved ones
City officials and members of the West Tennessee Veterans Coalition (WTVC) met last week to present a new project honoring local veterans of the “past, present and future.”
The project, titled “Our Faces of Freedom,” is a partnership between the City and WTVC that allows local residents to purchase banners to display their veteran or active-duty loved ones on, to be displayed in eight city parks.
“Our Faces of Freedom project recognizes and honors local veterans, and those who gave their lives in the service of the United States Armed Forces,” Jackson Mayor Scott Conger said. “It also honors currently serving forces.
“The project will provide the opportunity for the community to express their collective gratefulness to those who have served and are serving today, here at home and around the world, and those gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”
Members of the WTVC, including Chair Jackie Utley, stood with Conger as they presented the first banner, showing Utley’s father, Tech 5 Jacob Prentyce Utley Jr, who served in World War Two.
“We are very excited to partner with the city of Jackson for this project,” she said, gesturing to the banner. “We’re really looking forward to community support. We are encouraging family members, corporations and businesses to support this and sponsor a banner.”
The banners, which are 18 inches by 48 inches, will be placed on utility poles in North Park, Campbell Memorial Park, Shirlene Mercer Park, Muse Park, Conger Park, Malesus Park and Forest Hill Park.
“People will be able to access them wherever they love to walk, and we hope people will take advantage of them and stroll through the parks and look at these wonderful images,” Utley added.
The project has been underway for months between the WTVC and the City, and Conger was excited to share the project with the community.
“The only reason we’re here today is because the veterans who fought for our freedoms,” he said. “We take it for granted every day, so it’s important to honor our veterans locally and across our country to make sure that they know that we appreciate them for the sacrifices and services they’ve made.”
Larry Newsom, a veteran with the WTVC who served in Vietnam in 1970 through 1971 as a medevac pilot in the U.S. Army, was equally as excited.
“I think it’s wonderful,” he said. “It’s a small thing we can do to memorialize the people who have made such sacrifices for our country.”
Newsome will have a banner for his father, who was a cavalryman at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, and served in World War II.
“I think if you’ve been looking for a way to pay tribute to a loved one who has served their country, I think this is the great way,” he said. “It’s a two-year event, so there will be plenty of opportunity for the people to share in this memorial opportunity.”
Members of the community interested in honoring their veteran loved one—or active duty family member—are invited to email wtnvetscoalition@gmail.com for the order form, or find a hardcopy at City Hall or any veteran’s organization across the city. A google form is also available at the WTVC Coalitions Facebook page.
If a resident needs a hardcopy of an image scanned, they are welcomed to go to the Jackson Armory on Highway 70.
Banners are $150 each, and will be displayed in the parks for two years, after which they will be gifted to the sponsors of the banner.
They will be installed by November 1, 2022, and be taken down on November 1, 2024.
Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 731-343-5212, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: City, veterans coalition begin new project for residents to honor veteran loved ones
