A way to honor veterans with banners, essays and art

Generations of the nation’s veterans have planted roots in Glen Cove and helped the city thrive. From building Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 347 after World War I to supporting local organizations, these heroes have continued to serve their hometown.

In recognition, the Glen Cove Public Library and the Veterans Services Department are continuing to offer community members an opportunity to sponsor military tribute banners that will be displayed on lampposts in Morgan Park from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.

There are 92 banners available for sale, and Librarian Lydia Wen has already sold more than half of them. The cost is $99 before March 1, and $109 afterward. Potential buyers can contact Wen directly so she can guide them through the process, to ensure the quality of the submitted images and to help families craft their stories to honor the veterans.

When Wen began the program in 2021, she learned quickly that veterans are humble, and are hesitant to have their photos on display. The community, she said, must act on their behalf.

“They are really relying on friends and families to purchase a banner,” Wen explained. “That’s why it’s really important to get the word out.”

Last year marked the introduction of two essay contests, for local middle school and high school students. The first contest, called Liberty’s Torch, was available to sixth- through eighth-graders, who were tasked with writing about lessons they had learned from a veteran. Mia DiFrancisco, a seventh-grader at the Finley Middle School, took first place. In the second contest, Echoes of Freedom, Glen Cove High School students wrote about what it means to serve their country, and freshman Michael Renga won first place.

This year, the tradition continues. The subject for Liberty’s Torch is, once again, lessons students have learned from a veteran, while Echoes of Freedom asks why the Pledge of Allegiance is important. Submissions for both contests are due by April 30, and the first-place prize is $250. The winning essays will be presented on May 26, when the banners are unveiled at Morgan Memorial Park.

With the hope of promoting creativity among younger generations and the public, Wen is also gearing up for a unique recycled art mural project. She is collaborating with Amanda Fisk, the library’s artist in residence, to create a mosaic using recycled bottle caps to spell the word “hope.”

Wen emphasized the interactive nature of the project, so community members can take pride in contributing to specific sections of the mosaic. The library wants to make the project as inclusive as possible, to encourage people to be part of a collective effort to create something visually stunning. Wen said she hoped to have the mosaic completed by Earth Day, April 22, and wanted it to become a symbol of unity, creativity and environmental awareness, and to leave an indelible mark on the community.

Fisk said she was looking forward to the opportunity to help beautify Glen Cove. “I am always excited by the opportunity to work on a community project,” she wrote in an email. “As a designer, you have to throw caution to the wind because you don’t know exactly what supplies are going to be collected for the project. So you make a plan and then you get to react and respond to what arrives, it’s exciting.”

Fisk has completed a preliminary design, but emphasized that without seeing the bottle caps to gauge their exact sizes, shapes and colors, the exact images are hard to determine. The installation will consist of four panels, each measuring 4 feet by 6 feet. The panels will be separated or latched together to help make the exhibit portable.

The piece will be built by Glen Cove resident Mike Danchalski, a veteran of Desert Storm and the founder of Traditional Window Restoration Inc.

Jill Nossa, executive director of the downtown Business Improvement District, has asked local businesses to help collect bottle caps. Those who are interested in contributing to the project can drop their donations off at Sorenson Lumber, at 64 Glen Cove Ave.; Starbucks, at 5 School St.; Downtown Café, at 4 School St.; Chef Morris Café, at 8 School St.; Trubee Hill, at 100 Village Square; the Glen Cove Senior Center, at 130 Glen St.; and Glen Floors, at 30 Glen St.

For further information on purchasing military banners or submitting essays to the contests, or to learn more about the art project, contact the Glen Cove Public Library, at (516) 676-2130.