Politics & Government

Bringing Blue Star Banners Back

An Oak Park mother reaches to the past to bring back a tradition.

Natalie Cramer was out for a walk near Iowa Street and Taylor Avenue when she noticed a Blue Star Banner hanging in a neighbor's window.

The Blue Star Banner is a military tradition dating back to 1917, when a U.S. Army Captain designed and patented the design, which signifies a household has sent a child to the U.S. Armed Forces. More on the tradition from the American Legion.

"I thought 'how come nobody does that anymore?'"she said. "Nobody knows about it."

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So the 53-year-old mother of seven — her twin boys, Adam and Erik Stevenson, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2010 — is on a mission to bring the tradition back. She's hooked up with the Blue Star Banner Campaign to help bring free banners to anyone in the Oak Park and River Forest area who may want one.

She's contacting schools, alumni groups and local businesses, "just trying to build awareness."

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If you're interested in securing a banner for your household, contact Natalie Cramer at (630) 439-6444 or visit her newly created Facebook page.


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