MONTROSE, Pa. — Back in 2019, Susquehanna County officials were able to officially declare the county a Purple Heart County.
The designation is to honor and remember military personnel from the area, wounded or killed in combat with hostile forces.
The Susquehanna County veteran's affairs office has worked with the commissioners to get signs designed to be posted in the county.
"We've tried to hit every state road that comes into our county, so there's quite a few of those. When you look at the four ends of our county, there's a lot of roads that come into this county, so there's about 35 to 40 signs," said Susquehanna County Commissioner Alan Hall.
Susquehanna County has a strong military presence. Rob Vermett is a member of the Montrose Kiwanis Club, which hangs hundreds of Hometown Hero banners in Montrose each year.
"I think it's tremendous. I mean, like I said, you just talk to anyone out here. They've got a family member who has served in the military at some time, so I think it's real good," said Vermett.
In addition, to the signs going up around the county, the Montrose Kiwanis Club has asked businesses in the area to donate to put up Purple Heart veteran parking signs as well.
"The veteran facilities were our first priority, and they both agreed to do that, and someone reached out to the Scarfallotos, and he thought that was a good idea too, so those are the three that we've done," Vermett said.
"We never do enough for our veterans in this country. And this is one county that we will go out of our way to do everything possible to honor veterans and take care of our veterans," Commissioner Hall added.
County crews are still in the process of posting the remainder of the signs along area roads entering the county.
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