A Banner Day for Moorpark

After about two years in the making, banners celebrating Moorpark’s actively serving military personnel are going up along city streets.

The military banners, a project of American Legion Post 502 with help from the Rotary Club and city itself, each bear the name of a Moorpark resident and the branch of service in which they serve. They will line Spring and Tierra Rejada roads.

The first banners were placed on a street light post on Spring Road between Los Angeles Avenue and Flinn Road Monday morning following a short ceremony at Veterans’ Memorial.

The idea for the banner program came about approximately two years ago. American Legion members wanted to recognize Moorpark’s men and women serving the nation, who, said banner program chairperson Matt Valenzuela, “belong here with their loved ones not in harm’s way.”

But it wasn’t until they got a kick start from a Moorpark native that things truly got underway, explained Valenzuela.

Courtney Moore, 23, of Sacramento, approached the Legion to work on the banner program. Moore, who grew up in Moorpark, said she wanted to saw similar banners in other parts of Southern California and thought it would be perfect for Moorpark.

“Moorpark’s small and we know each other. We are going to see them and we are going to know these names,” she said. “These are the people we grew up with and these are the people we played baseball with.”

Moore, whose brother, Robert Moore serves in the Air Force and is currently stationed in New Mexico, and whose boyfriend is also in the military, said the banners help people remember the people who serve.

“We don’t realize it, sometimes,” she said, “but they have to work 365 days a year and sacrifice things we can’t even imagine sacrificing.”

Members of the American Legion thanked the city for helping negotiate some of the barriers they faced in getting the banners up.

“Things moved on then slowed down then sped up again and we even had to back up. But we’re here now,” said Pete Duncan, post adjutant.

But, he said, it was good to have the city working with them.

“I’m just so pleased the day has finally come where we can celebrate Moorpark’s heroes,” said Mayor Janice Parvin.