Local veterans saluted during Stand By Your Veteran's Banner Day on Saturday

Marion took time to participate in Stand By Your Veteran’s Banner Day on Saturday.

Citizens brought lawn chairs and picnics, and along with their families and friends saluted their loved ones who had served in the military.

Randy Drazba, member of the VFW Post 7201, said eligible veterans for the banner program are those who were residents of Marion County upon entering active duty military service or veterans who currently reside in Marion.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were around 16.2 million veterans in the United States in 2022.

Local supporter Terry Cline said the families of veterans in Marion County are honored with the broad community support for the event.

Cline is hopeful the tradition will continue. The first Stand By Your Veteran’s Banner Day was held in 2022 when more than 500 banners hung on utility poles.

A video that Cline wrote, directed, and produced in support of the Marion County Military Banner Campaign won a gold Remi Award in the charitable/non-profit category at the 56th annual Houston International Film Festival . WorldFest-Houston, as the prestigious film festival is commonly known, is dedicated to championing the work of independent filmmakers. The 2023 festival was held at Cinemark Memorial City theater in Houston, Texas.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Local veterans saluted during Stand By Your Veteran's Banner Day on Saturday