The City of Naperville is proud to recognize and pay tribute to Naperville’s military heroes for their sacrifice and service through a new street banner program, Naperville Salutes. This joint effort between the City of Naperville, VFW, Naperville Public Arts Task Force, Naperville Park District, Naperville Heritage Society, Freedom Heroes of Naperville and Naperville Responds for Veterans serves as a living tribute for our community to honor past and present members of the Armed Forces and their family members.

Naperville Salutes provides the opportunity for a member of the public to nominate an active duty service member or veteran to be honored with a street banner that will be hung from a City light post in various locations throughout town. The banners will be prominently displayed on Jefferson Street from Mill Street to the river, Mill Street from the BNSF train tracks to Jackson Street, on the Naperville Riverwalk near Centennial Beach and in Central Park in downtown Naperville.

The City intends to hang the banners twice a year for a 60- to 90-day period. The first installation of banners will be displayed in honor of Memorial Day in May through mid-July. A second round of banners will be hung in August through November in honor of Veterans Day. Approximately 150 banners are available for each 60- to 90-day period in 2022. All honoree information and photos, including those not displayed in the current banner cycle, will also be displayed on the Naperville Salutes banner location map at www.naperville.il.us/naperville-salutes. Upon removal it is the intention of the City to present the banner to the honoree's family.  

Those interested in nominating a veteran should visit www.naperville.il.us/naperville-salutes to fill out a nomination form. The program requires the submission of a high-resolution digital image of the honoree in official uniform. By nominating a family member, the requestor is giving the City permission to include the information on the banner and website. To be eligible, a veteran, living or deceased, must have resided in Naperville at some point in his or her life.

Due to the limited number of banner sites available, applicants will be selected at random. Chosen applicants will be notified by City staff once an installation date has been determined. Nominees who are not chosen for the 2022 calendar year will be placed on a waiting list for future installations. Completing a nomination form does not guarantee reservation or banner approval. 

Submissions will be accepted beginning Friday, April 8 at noon. For complete program details and guidelines, and to nominate a veteran, visit www.naperville.il.us/naperville-salutes.

About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 145,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.