Clinton County’s history of military involvement is steep with young men and women who have answered the call to defend our country in time of war and peace.

Monuments to those who have been killed in action are situated in at least two public areas in Albany – the Clinton County High School and the Clinton County Courthouse lawn.

Clinton County’s military history was bolstered even more this week with the news that the late Garlin Murl Conner would be, after a two decade long battle, awarded, posthumously, the nation’s highest military honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

A new program that is being initiated by the Clinton County Tourism Commission will serve a two-fold purpose – giving families and individuals the opportunity to uniquely honor local hometown military heroes and biblically putting on display the deep military history of our county and its veteran service members.

The Clinton County Hometown Heroes Banner Program is an effort of the Tourism Commission to have up to 34 large banners made featuring the likeness of local veterans, along with the name of the veteran, the era of his or her service, the branch of service and the banner sponsor.

Each banner sponsorship would be at a cost of $150 and it is hoped the banners will be in place for at least three seasons before having to be replaced.

According to information from the Tourism Commission in announcing the program, the season that the banners will be displayed will be from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Patrick Padron, chairman of the Tourism Commission, stressed during the last meeting of the commission, that the program is absolutely not a fundraising effort in any way, noting that the $150 cost for each banner is what the Commission is projecting to be the cost of having the banners made, along with maintenance and storage cost for the three year long program.

The banners will be 18 inches wide and 36 inches tall, and will be placed on the street light utility poles located on U.S. 127, KY 1590, Cross Street and Washington Street.

The banners will be located in the places where the “Welcome to Albany” banners are placed, as well as the “Foothills Festival” and Christmas holiday banners during those corresponding seasons.

Applications are available at the Welcome Center just north of Albany on U.S. 127, and at the Clinton County Judge/Executive’s office. Individual/family sponsorship forms, as well as business/organization sponsor forms are available.

Applications will be accepted through April 27, 2018 and will only be processed with a fully completed form, photo and a money order made payable to the Clinton County Tourism Commission.

Photos may be emailed to April.speck@clinton.kyschools.us

The banners will be available to the sponsor of the Hero banner at the end of the display periods, which again is hoped to be at least three annual season periods.

The banners will be randomly placed and specific requests for particular placement location cannot be honored.

Additional information about the Hometown Heroes program can be learned by contacting April Speck, 606-87-2051, or Penny Jo Stearns, 606-387-5234.