You see them throughout the boroughs, townships, and cities across the Lehigh Valley; colorful banner flags designating the main streets of the municipalities we live in. Many of them for a portion of the year take the opportunity to use this real estate to recognize and honor the military heroes, both past and present, that have walked these streets and called them home.

Lower Macungie Township is one of the most recent townships to introduce this program to their municipality. “We are excited to participate with the Chamber to memorialize and honor those Lower Macungie Residents that served, sacrificed, and may have made the ultimate sacrifice to allow us all to enjoy the freedoms that we have in this country” stated Bruce Beitel, Lower Macungie Township Manager when asked about this new program. “The banners allow us to share their service with our residents and visitors who will be able to see these tributes and be reminded of their fellow Lower Macungie citizens.”

“We here at the Chamber like to say we are not just a Chamber of Commerce, but we are also a Chamber of Communities; we love working with our municipalities to implement programs and events for the communities we serve” stated Jessica O’Donnell-Gower, EVP of the Affiliated Chambers, Northern Tier and Easton/Phillipsburg Initiatives of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. “The Hometown Heroes Banner program is something we have done in Emmaus for many years as it has brought so many families pride and joy seeing their loved ones commemorated in this way. To hear the stories of their lives through their loved ones keeps these heroes’ legacies alive and gives much deserved recognition to those who have served our country throughout the years. We are excited to be partnering up with Lower Macungie Township with this initiative too.”

For residents of Lower Macungie interested in purchasing a banner for a Veteran in their life, please visit https://www.lehighvalleychamber.org/lowermacveteranbanner.html to download the application. There is an opportunity for 25 Veteran’s to be showcased through this first round of banners. The price for each banner covers the facilitation of the program for 2024 and 2025. After the banners come down in the Fall of 2025, participating families will have the option to collect their banner or renew it to be hung for another two years.

This first round of banners is first come first serve and applications will be accepted throughout the month of May with the banners scheduled to be hung as early as June. Please contact Hayden Rinde (haydenr@lehighvalleychamber.org or by phone at 484-828-9777) with any questions you may have about submitting an application. 

About the Chamber: The mission of The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is to improve the economy and quality of life in the Lehigh Valley Metropolitan Area.  We accomplish this through business-to-business networking events and marketing products, affinity programs and exclusive, money saving member benefits, training programs, government affairs initiatives and public policy advocacy, and community development enterprises.  With nearly 5,000 members who employ more than 200,000, the Chamber is the largest in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in the top ten nationwide.

Information provided to TVL by:
Hayden Rinde