‘Hometown Heroes’ celebration planned in Greensburg this weekend
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The response to the Hometown Heroes program was a real eye-opener for Ashley Kertes, executive director of Greensburg Community Development Corp., which sponsored the project.
In 2020, GCDC asked community members to nominate local heroes whose photos would be displayed on banners throughout downtown Greensburg and in Southwest Greensburg.
“Doing this project, I realized how many heroes there are all around us and how much heroes are needed, especially right now,” Kertes said. “We have 66 heroes, and we could get a ton more.”
A celebration in their honor is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday in St. Clair Park in downtown Greensburg.
The program will include Girl Scout Troops 26831 and 27038 presenting the colors and leading the pledge of allegiance, Westmoreland Choral Society member Andrea Frescura singing the national anthem and closing music by a Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra string quartet.
Guest speakers include Greensburg Mayor Robert Bell; Jeff Anzovino, GCDC board president; Greensburg Councilman Gregory Mertz; state Rep. Eric Nelson; Sister Mary Norbert Long of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill; and Charles Anderson, one of the Hometown Heroes and former Westmoreland County commissioner.
“The Seton Hill (University) Pipe Band will play ‘Amazing Grace,’ and we’ll have a moment of silence for all the heroes we have lost,” Kertes said.
Coffee and refreshments will be served afterward, while supplies last.
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Kertes noted that the program booklet will contain a coupon good during the day for discounts and specials at participating Greensburg restaurants. Some local businesses also will offer discounts or specials in honor of the celebration and will have patriotic-themed window displays.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs in order to spread out and maintain social distance within the park, Kertes said.
Banners advertising businesses and organizations have been hanging around the city for more than a decade.
In announcing the heroes program, Kertes said in a statement, “It is a privilege to help honor our local veterans and first responders and shine a spotlight on the sacrifices they have made to protect our country and our community.”
She noted that, in addition to military personnel and first responders, the banners pay tribute to people from all walks of life, from historical figures to present-day residents.
In case of inclement weather, the program will be held in the Greensburg Salem High School auditorium. If necessary, the change of venue would be announced on the GCDC website and Facebook page and on a sign at the park.
Indoor attendance would be limited to honorees and those with reservations.
The Hometown Heroes banners were inspired by a similar program in Smithton, Kertes said.
“We’re not accepting any more nominations right now, but we’ll open them up again next spring,” she said.
For more information on the Saturday event or the banner program, call 724-689-0040 or visit thinkgreensburg.com.