On Tuesday, July 3, just in time for the Fourth of July Parade at the Calvada Eye, the final round of banners in the Nye County Veterans Banner Program were hung along Calvada Boulevard.
A visual display of the patriotic nature of the county’s many communities, the banners feature the names and faces of 81 total current or former service men and women, those who gave of themselves to protect America’s freedom. The project was started with the aim of recognizing those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and this fact is easily seen with the three remaining banners, two of which proclaim, that Nye County honors and Pahrump “honors our heroes” while the third displays POW/MIA, in remembrance of all prisoners of war and those missing in action.
“It’s so exciting to see the last ones going up, we’re all glad that this project has been such a success,” Ron Wright, one of the main drivers behind the program, said with enthusiasm while supervising the placement of the final eight banners on Tuesday afternoon. “And these guys, they have been doing such a great job, they have just been amazing!” Wright continued, referring to the Nye County Buildings and Grounds workers undertaking the task of hanging the banners from the light poles lining the Calvada Eye.
The Nye County Veterans Banner Program got started from the simple desire to do something to pay tribute to veterans, in return for all those men and women did for the country. Nye County Commissioner Butch Borasky originally brought the idea to the American Veterans Foundation of Pahrump, where Ron and his wife Debra Wright of Homeless Veteran Solutions got involved.
Once the couple had their hands on the project, they pushed forward with determination and eventually joined forces with the Veterans Finance Committee, which is focused on pinpointing veteran-oriented projects to utilize county-provided veterans services funds. Through collaboration with the committee, the Wrights approached the Nye County Commission for the funding necessary to launch the program and the commissioners emphatically approved.
The first of the banners began to go up in March and now all 42 double-sided displays are in place for residents and visitors alike to enjoy.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com