OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Elks Lodge #2645 Hometown Heroes Military Banner Program kicked off its 2015 season with a celebration of family and friends on the Boardwalk last month.
Ocean City Elks Lodge #2645 held a ceremony last Friday at the Firefighters Memorial on the Boardwalk at North Division Street celebrating the 2015 Ocean City Hometown Heroes Military Banner Program where local active duty military service personnel from Worcester County are honored by having their pictures featured on 20 patriotic banners along the Ocean City Boardwalk.
These banners are on display from late April though early October from the amusement pier, along the beach, north to 4th Street. At the end of the season, the banners will be presented to the honored Hometown Hero, or their family members, at a Banner Presentation Ceremony at the Ocean City Elks Lodge on Oct. 24 from 2-4 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
The Ocean City Hometown Heroes Military Banner Program is based on a successful program in Temecula, Calif. The banners along the Boardwalk are created by Dave Stallone and Sign-a-Rama of Rockville.
“We are here to honor our local heroes,” Pat Riordan of the Ocean City Elks Veterans Committee said on Friday morning, kicking off the ceremony.
Riordan listed off the Hometown Heroes and where they can be found. PFC John Adkins of the US Army on the
Pier; Azan Tyler Bollinger of the US Navy on 1st Street; BM 1 Hunter Bounds of the USCG on 2nd Street; Staff Sergeant Ashley Brodie of the USAF on 3rd Street; BM 2 Kevin Buchanan of the USCG on N. Division Street; PFC Khaalid Collick of the US Army on N. Division St.; Corporal Christopher David of the USMC on Talbot Street; Lance Corporal Nicholas Fleming of the USMC on 4th Street; Major Brian “Blue” Gray of the USMC on 4th Street; Staff Sergeant Amber S. Howard of the USAF on Dorchester Street; Corporal Christopher Layton of the USMC on 1st Street; Corporal Dominick Mann of the USMC on 3rd Street; Sergeant Christopher Montgomery of the USMC on Talbot Street; PFC Michael T. Parker of the US Army on N. Division Street; Lance Corporal Bradley Parrish of the USMC on 2nd Street; Staff Sergeant Donald Pitts of the US Army on N. Division Street; Corporal Sean D. Purnell, Jr. of the USMC on Somerset Street; Machine Teck 2nd Class Jeff Taylor of the USCG on the Pier; Corporal Joshua Vaughn of the USMC on Somerset Street; and PO 3rd Timothy Wilson of the US Navy on Dorchester St.
Many family and friends of the Hometown Heroes were in attendance and came up to share their pride.
Patricia Purnell of Berlin is the mother of US Army Staff Sergeant Donald Pitts, 50. According to Purnell, Staff Sergeant Pitts has served in many capacities from helping tear down the Berlin Wall to serving in Desert Storm.
“I am so grateful to be among everyone who have been active in serving our country, and doing such wonderful things. I just wish he could be here to today to see this. Please keep him and all of our military in your prayers,” Purnell said.
USMC Sergeant Christopher Montgomery from Bishopville was able to attend the ceremony.
“I have been in for over eight years, stationed in Camp Lejeune, N.C., Iraq and Okinawa, Japan. I am currently stationed in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota,” he said. “I want to say thank you for supporting us. We couldn’t do it without the support of our family and friends.”
During the ceremony, USAF Staff Sergeant Ashley Brodie surprised her family.
“I wasn’t supposed to be here today, and my leadership didn’t even make me take leave when they found out that I had this amazing opportunity. I feel blessed to have so much support from you all. I thank you all because we made the call to serve but you do not have to support us. This means everything,” she said.
Exalted Ruler of the Ocean City Elks Lodge Chris Graf felt privileged to have great military men and woman looking over Ocean City’s beach.
“I few minutes ago I spoke to the gentleman that made these flags, and we both started to choke up. This is quite an event. I am very proud,” Graf said.
Riordan took the opportunity to thank the sponsors of the Hometown Heroes Military Banner Program.
“They get nothing for sponsoring this other than feeling good. They do it because they want to do it. It is strictly to support the troops,” he said.
In its second year, the program was created for the community of Ocean City to honor and recognize active duty military personnel that reside in the county. Banners display the official military photo of the service person, as well as his or her name, rank and branch of the Unites States Armed Forces.
To qualify for the Military Banner Program, the honoree has to be an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces and a resident of Worcester County with priority given to active duty military members currently residing in Ocean City.
Local businesses, fraternal organizations and citizens sponsor the banners honoring Hometown Heroes. The cost to sponsor an Ocean City Hometown Hero is $295. For more information, call Riordan at 443-623-6162 or email at [email protected].