The “Avenue of Our Heroes” — banners displaying the names of the 66 men who have fallen in combat from World War I through the War on Terror — will debut on April 29.

The banners will be display for the entire month of May along downtown streets. The banners will be displayed every year during May.

The endeavor known as “The Month to Honor and Remember” is the replacement endeavor of the Not Forgotten Foundation that for 15 years staged the Memorial Weekend event at Woodward Park.

“I did not want to close the book on our efforts to remember the fallen,” noted Pastor Mike Dillman, founder of the Not Forgotten Foundation. “We wanted to insure that every year in Manteca those who have given the ultimate sacrifice would continue to be remembered and honored.”

The Inaugural event will take place on Saturday, April 29, at 1p.m. in the parking lot of Manteca Bedquarters, at the corner of Main and Yosemite, in front of the Memorial Murals.

Eighty banners are being created to display the names of all the men who have given the ultimate sacrifice from Manteca going back to World War I.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6311 and American Legion Post 249 in Manteca along with many in the community are providing the funding to make this project possible.

Brian Johnson, Division Manager of Fusion Sign and Design, is providing the banners at their cost.

Cargill Meats will be providing the hot dogs. Others will be joining the effort.

The date of April 29  is also the Love Manteca event in the city. Hundreds of volunteers will come together and work throughout that day to do many different projects to clean and beautify the city.

Refreshments and hot dogs will be served during the 1 p.m. ceremony on April 29.