Downtown Hazard displays banners honoring Perry County veterans this Veterans Day

A months long civic project to honor Perry County veterans now lines Main Street in downtown Hazard, bringing photographs and names of local service members into daily view ahead of Veterans Day. The Hazard Civic Fellows created the banner display as their annual civic improvement project after City Commissioner Luke Glaser proposed building a database of Perry County veterans, gathering photographs, and producing banners for downtown display.

The banners hang along Main Street, honoring men and women who served in the military and offering a public moment of remembrance that is visible to residents and visitors. “Now, you get to look up at those banners and see people who have fought for this country, served this country, and in some cases have died for this country,” Glaser said. “They now get to look down forever. I hope forever. On this town that is flourishing because of the sacrifices they made,” he added.

Hazard High School student and Civic Fellow Kailey Pennington helped gather stories and images, bringing a personal urgency to the project. “My papa served in the Vietnam War. And his cause of death was Agent Orange. And so veterans are always something that’s special to me,” Pennington said. One veteran in particular stood out during the work. “Paul Baker. He’s at the VA, but he served in like three wars,” Pennington said.

Beyond commemoration, the project has practical implications for community health and services. The database of veterans assembled for the banners could serve as a foundation for outreach on healthcare access, benefits enrollment, and follow up on service connected conditions such as Agent Orange exposure. Rural veterans in Appalachia often contend with limited transportation options, fewer local healthcare providers, and barriers to mental health care. Local efforts to identify and honor veterans can be extended to connect individuals with VA services, county public health programs, and nonprofit supports.

The Civic Fellows said the banners will remain on display through Veterans Day, and a new batch will be created for Memorial Day. Keeping these images visible throughout the year creates ongoing opportunities for the community to reflect on sacrifice and to consider structural supports for veterans and their families. For Perry County, where economic and health inequities can compound the needs of older veterans and those with service related conditions, the banners are a reminder of obligations beyond symbolism.

Organizers hope the blend of civic engagement and public recognition will prompt deeper conversations about healthcare access, benefits outreach, and long term support for veterans in Hazard and surrounding communities. The display is a local tribute, and a starting point for policy and community action to ensure that those who served are not only remembered, but connected to the care they earned.