Inspiration from a military banner installation in a nearby town has sparked a drive to similarly honor veterans in downtown Salina.

Barb Young has been on the case for several years. The owner of Triad Manufacturing is president of North Salina Community Development.

All it took was a conversation with Mike Durall, a local freelance writer, to nudge Young into spreading the word and gauging interest.

U.S. Army Sgt. Byron Gray’s World War II-era service and that of many other veterans, are posted for all to see at the Rice County seat of Lyons in central Kansas. He’s Durall’s late uncle.

The local writer and author of five books about Kansas people, history and culture, hatched an idea for the same method of respect to be built in Salina, where memorializing service men and women is a big deal.

“It seemed to me this was something that needed to happen,” Durall said.

Young agreed, and got to work, meeting with veterans organizations in recent weeks and pitching the plan to Salina Downtown Inc. board members.

She’s received much preliminary approval this fall, to post banners in downtown Salina, thanking those who served.

“I think it’s going to work out great,” said Leslie Bishop, SDI executive director. “We just have a few things to work out, to make sure. All in all, at the end of the day, it’s going to be a great collaboration.”

Ditto that, said Sandy Beverly, vice chair of the North Salina board, and a “proud military brat.” 

“We’ve got to iron out some wrinkles, but everybody agrees this is a good thing,” she said.

Beverly’s late stepfather, Sgt. William Frazier, moved the family in 1967 from Fort Banning, GA, to the former Schilling Air Force Base Waiting Wives camp in Salina, while he served his second tour in Vietnam. The base closed in 1965.

In 1968, Sandy’s mother, Cora Williams, moved the family of three kids back to Salina from Aurora, CO.

“Salina has strong military background and influence,” Beverly said. “There is definitely interest. Other towns have done this already.”

She intends to purchase a banner for her son, Terrill, who served eight years, four years each in the U.S. Marines and Army.

“I have two brothers who were in the Air Force,” Sandy Beverly said. “I tracked our family back to World War I. My biological father and grandfather served. We are a military family.”

City Hall seems to be in favor.

“It’s not surprising that somebody would want to do something like that here. It’s been successful in so many other communities,” said City Manager Jacob Wood.

“We have one of the largest bomb ranges in the country, a big national guard presence, and what we have in Sunset Park is pretty amazing,” he said, referring to the war memorial in west Salina.

Veteran leaders are so far all in.

“I think it is a great idea,” said Jim Deister, longtime member and past president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 809, of Salina.

“I commend Barb for taking this on as a tribute to veterans,” he said.

Given the number of vets who are successful business owners, Dave Medina, commander of VFW Post 1432, Salina, sees no huge financial barrier to the project that would cost less than $20,000 total for the 120 banners.

The initial display will be on decorative light poles along Iron Avenue downtown, Wood said, with possible expansion to lights along Fifth and Seventh streets in the city’s downtown area. The 18-by-36 inch banners would be paid for by individual veterans, their families or through sponsorships.

They would be attached to existing brackets on the light poles, the city manager said, or if more hardware is needed, they would be purchased by North Salina Community Development.

“If we get this off the ground, we could do them all. We’re too big of a military community not to,” Medina said. “I think it’s wonderful. I’ve seen the same things in other cities, and Salina’s always been a big veteran supporter.”

Downtown veteran banners have been discussed, said Paul Haase, local VFW quartermaster.

“If costs are reasonable, I think it would be a pretty good deal,” he said. “Any financial assistance would have to be approved by the (VFW) membership.”

Interest was high Oct. 14 when Young presented her idea at the VFW Vet-to-Vet Breakfast at the Post 1432 on West Crawford Street.

“We could get all my veteran cousins together and buy banners,” said Vietnam veteran Ron Stelter, 76, a Saline County resident. He logged 17 years in the U.S. Air Force and 20 years in the Army.

“Ask Barb who we make the check out to,” Stelter said.

At the Oct. 16 Vietnam Veterans coffee gathering in The Temple basement, Deister pledged $500 to the project on behalf of the VVA chapter.

Vernon Christie, commander of American Legion Post 62 in Salina, showed interest in the project and pledged to inform members. Christie spent 27 years in the Army National Guard, and trained many troops who were deployed overseas.

All of the above developments have energized Young. 

“We finally got a breakthrough. It ended on a positive note. Everyone’s real excited,” she said. “I’m gonna work my tail off. It’s really neat to see that the project is this unifying.”

There have been some naysayers who have asked “what will you do if you fall flat on your face? I tell them ‘this is not an option. This can be done,’ ” Young said. “If cost is a problem, we can help.”

The banners are made by IM Design Group of Emporia. Service members are eligible from any era, including posthumously.

Banners cost $165 each. They will be displayed during most of the year, or taken down briefly for other events, including local celebrations and holidays.

“I anticipate they will be up three years. People can decide if they want them longer,” Young said.

For information on the banner project, email [email protected], or call (785) 452-5272.

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Photo by Tim Unruh: Project proponent Barb Young displays what one of the veteran banners would look like and how it would be installed in downtown Salina.