The Vieyra Honors Foundation (VHF) was founded as a 501(c)(3) organization in July 2021 with a purpose to be intentional in the way our community remembers and honors its veterans. The foundation also serves as a tribute to my late father-in-law, Trunkalino “Trunkie” Vieyra, a decorated veteran of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions who served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. His legacy continues to inspire our mission.
Our largest fundraising initiative centers around an annual Veterans Honor Banners program. Just under 90 banners fly proudly in downtown Hutchinson each fall. From mid-September through Veterans Day, light poles up and down Main Street from Avenue C to 5th Street display the memories of those who served. Each banner bears a name, a branch of service, years served, and a proud photo, telling an individual story of duty and sacrifice.
The program allows families to purchase a banner for $200 to honor a veteran who has lived in Reno County. The banners hang prominently for several weeks, transforming our streets into a living gallery of gratitude, reminding us that freedom is a gift paid for by real men and women from right here in Reno County.
Each banner represents a connection and opportunity to keep history alive. This year, the program expanded, with 32 banners now up on The Wesley campus, a project made possible in partnership with The Wesley and Bold Logistics.
Thanks to the support that VHF has received for our banner program, visibility and respect for local veterans has become the root of our mission, “Honoring All Who Serve”. Of course, there’s still room to grow. More than 3,000 veterans call Reno County home, and the foundation’s goal is to make sure every one of them can be honored in time.
Over the years, we have raised funds to support local veterans’ programs and initiatives, including establishing the PFC Henry Lee Fisher Memorial Highway, sponsoring fundraisers such as the Hutchinson Regional Health System Veterans Golf Classic, partnering with the Fox theater to establish a Veterans Film Series and setting up the E. Olen Mitchell Veterans Relief Fund.
For more information about the Veterans Honor Banners Program, collaborating with VHF or donating to support our veterans in Reno County, visit vieyrahonorsfoundation.org.
Marla J. Booher—Hutchinson