GLEN SPEY, NY — On May 22, the Town of Highland became the first in the county to honor its veterans with street-side banners. As of June 2, the Town of Lumberland has joined it, hanging banners of its own to honor its own veterans.

The Highland project, called Hometown Heroes, raised 45 banners on telephone poles in Eldred and along Route 55, as reported by the River Reporter. The banners each had a photograph of a Highland-area veteran and listed their names along with which branch of the military they were in and what conflicts they served in.

Lumberland’s Hometown Heroes project was not a pre-planned collaboration with Highland, according to town clerk Laurie Terry. Instead, Lumberland residents learned of the Highland project and asked Lumberland officials if the town could do something similar.

Once the idea was raised, Lumberland and Highland began working together to make it happen. Former Highland Town Clerk Doreen Hanson had been the guiding force behind the Highland project and helped Lumberland get theirs off the ground.

“We like that united front,” said Terry, speaking of the collaboration between the towns. “We work well together.”

That collaboration brought the project together in record pace. Lumberland managed to hang 26 banners in a month, whereas Highland had spent a year in planning to hang their 45.

But their commitment to honoring veterans brought the whole town board behind the project, enabling a quick turnaround. “[We’re] very proud to display something showing our appreciation,” said Terry.