By Jaimie Julia Winters
As residents walk along the avenue beneath rows of Hometown Heroes banners, they can now do more than view the faces of local veterans — they can hear their stories.
This year, Kearny’s Hometown Heroes banner program is introducing a new oral history initiative that allows residents to listen to recorded interviews with veterans and their families, preserving the personal memories behind the military tributes displayed throughout town.
“We are delighted to announce that this year we are adding an exciting new component to our Hometown Heroes banner project,” said KUEZ Coordinator Linda D’Isa.
Library Director Josh Humphrey said the effort aims to preserve stories that might otherwise be lost over time.
“Securing and sharing these stories and memories of our local heroes is important for us both today and for future generations so we understand the human side of military service,” Humphrey said.
The recordings will be integrated into an interactive Google Map showing banner locations throughout town. Visitors will be able to click on participating veterans’ banners and listen to the stories connected to them while walking or driving along Kearny Avenue. The audio archives and transcripts will also be available on the Kearny Library website and linked through the town website.
So far, the library has completed about 25 oral histories, a small portion compared to the hundreds of veterans already represented in the banner program. Organizers hope the relaunch of the banners this Memorial Day will encourage more families to participate.
“We are really hoping that we can do a bunch more when the banners go up again,” Humphrey said.
The interview process has been designed to make participation as accessible as possible. Some families have visited the library in person to record their stories, while others have opted to participate remotely by phone. Humphrey said the split has been roughly even.
In both cases, the library uses new podcasting equipment purchased specifically for the project and future community storytelling initiatives.
For those uncomfortable with being recorded, organizers are also offering a written option.
“We would also like to encourage people who don’t want to be recorded that they can write up answers to our questions and we will record them ourselves,” Humphrey said. “We are really hoping this helps get more people to follow up with us.”
The interviews average around 10 minutes, some conversations have stretched closer to half an hour as families shared memories and stories that moved beyond the prepared questions.
“It just depends on their answers, which sometimes lead us into some very interesting tangents,” Humphrey said.
Participants are provided with a list of five or six questions in advance to help guide the conversation. The prompts typically focus on where the veteran served, their military experiences, what they loved most about Kearny, and the legacy they left behind.
In several cases, multiple relatives participated in a single interview. Siblings have recorded stories together about parents or grandparents, while some veterans participated alongside spouses.
“We are definitely open to any configuration that makes people more comfortable,” Humphrey said.
Conversations occasionally branch into memories about Kearny itself or unique personal experiences tied to military service.
Unlike some similar programs in other towns, the Kearny banners themselves will not feature QR codes. Instead, all audio content will remain accessible online through the interactive map and library website.
For organizers, the project represents an effort to ensure the banners become more than a visual tribute.
While the photographs and names hanging from lampposts recognize veterans publicly, the recordings offer residents an opportunity to hear directly from the families and individuals behind them — preserving stories of service, sacrifice, and community for future generations.
