(Nov. 8, 2023) -- Sikeston’s Veterans Park is now lined with historic period lights posts and banners honoring Veterans from the community. Sponsored by the Sikeston Convention & Visitors Bureau, Sikeston Parks & Recreation and the Veterans Park Committee, the Sikeston Honors Veteran’s Banner Project kicked off in early October with a call for veterans’ applications.

The committee drew 16 names from the submitted applications in a lottery drawing. Those 16 banners are now placed on the new light posts at Veterans Park. They will be on display for approximately one year.

Once the banners are retired, they will be returned to the applicant, and a new group of veterans will be chosen from the lottery pool to be honored.

The banners honor veterans from all branches of the military. The photos featured are a combination of family photos, action shots, or official military photos. QR Codes are posted on the light posts at the park that direct smart phone users to the project’s website https://www.sikeston.net/veterans-banners/ where each veterans military history is displayed.

This project began over a year ago when the Sikeston Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) partnered with the city’s Parks & Recreation Department and the Veterans Park Committee to plan the project. The CVB applied for and received a Missouri Humanities Council Grant to partially fund the project and the Sikeston Honors Veterans Committee raised the additional sponsorships needed to purchase the light posts. Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities partnered with the group to cover the installation as an in-kind donation.

To celebrate this newest addition to the park, the Sikeston Honors Veterans Committee will host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with the honored veterans and their families on Friday, November 10 at 10:15 in Veterans Park. The public is invited to attend the Ribbon Cutting and to check out the new honor banners.

Additional details and application for the Sikeston Honors Veterans Program are available on the Sikeston Regional Chamber website. For additional information contact: Kathy Medley Executive Vice President Sikeston Regional Chamber & Convention & Visitors Bureau Kathy.medley@sikeston.net 573-471-2498 or (cell) 573-258-9270.