OBSERVER Photo by Jo Ward Louise Lanski, at left in front, is joined by Add Lumber True Value employees and others, including school board member Marcus Buchanan, council members Natalie Luczkowiak and Martin Bamonto as well as Cody Britton, far right, of Southpaw Printing.

The first in a series of banners honoring local veterans in the city of Dunkirk was unveiled over the weekend at Add Lumber True Value on Smith Street.

Featuring U.S. Navy veteran Andrew Dziduch, the banner included his service in World War II and Korea. The banner will hang proudly along with others on light poles throughout the city.

The event also showcased a generous donation from the Dziduch family in the amount of $10,000 to help kick off the Hero Banner program. The effort will feature local veterans, both living and deceased as well as missing in action that call the city of Dunkirk their home.

“It’s new to Dunkirk, but it’s not new to other communities,” Cody Britton, owner of Southpaw Printing, who will be making the banners stated.

Louise Lanski, one of seven of the owners of the three Add Lumber True Value locations throughout the county and daughter of the late Andrew Dziduch spoke highly of her father. “He was very humble, proud of his service in the Navy,” Lanski noted. “We’re so honored to get this program up and running and having our dad being the first.”

Patrons can go onto the website cityofdunkirkherobannerprogram.com for more information. Applications will be accepted until March 15 at which time the banners will be printed and placed on poles in time for Memorial Day.