Tie a yellow ribbon

Jenny Marder

A newly formed group devoted to honoring servicemen and women wants

to blanket the city with yellow ribbons.

The Young Americans for Freedom, a nonprofit organization

committed to showing support for the troops and their families,

pleaded for the City Council’s support to coat the Huntington Beach

with yellow ribbons, and fix them to all city vehicles.

“Tens of thousands are out representing America for their safety

and freedom,” said Huntington Beach resident Brad White, the project

coordinator for the group. “Our goal is to have the city show a

universal sign of support.”

Councilman Gil Coerper drafted a resolution supporting the group’s

efforts, which he will ask his fellow council members to adopt

Monday.

“The aim is to get yellow ribbons all along Beach Boulevard,

Pacific Coast Highway and the pier,” Coerper said.

If the measure is approved, ribbons will be tied to lampposts,

tree trunks and attached to the antennas of all city vehicles. The

Young Americans for Freedom has offered to supply the ribbons free of

cost.

The group will also provide bumper stickers that display a yellow

ribbon and an American flag with the words “support our troops.”

“It’s not only for military folks in Iraq, but also for those

stationed elsewhere,” Coerper said.

The group has already provided yellow ribbons to the cities of

Garden Grove, Mission Viejo and Laguna Nigel. Coerper said he plans

to take the resolution to the Orange County Board of Supervisors and

the Los Angeles City Council to recommend that other cities do the

same thing.

“This is a small thing I can do for the military personnel over

there,” he said. “This is my way of saying that I want to support the

troops that are over there defending our freedom and peace.”

The councilman’s son Michael Coerper, 28, is an Army captain in

the 3rd Infantry Division, stationed in Iraq.

“It would make me feel good to know that the city supports

military family members in a hard time in our history,” White said.

“I think it would be seen as a sign of comfort and support for these

families.”