This article and photos appeared in the November 2026 issue of North Dakota Living (Northern Plains Electric Cooperative edition) and come courtesy of the author.
By Brittnee Wilson
Street signs usually tell us where we’re going. In Cando, some tell the stories of those who came before us.
For the members of Hal Parker Post #79, honoring veterans is part of the American Legion’s longstanding commitment to patriotism, service and community. In Cando, that commitment has taken a permanent place on the city’s street corners.
The idea was simple: honor local veterans and make sure their service remains visible for generations to come through street signs bearing their names.
The Hal Parker Post #79 has been part of the Cando community since its establishment in 1919. The Legion advocates for veterans, supports active-duty personnel, runs youth programs and works to strengthen the local community.
With 105 members, the Legion took its tribute idea to the Cando City Council for approval. From there, members approached Northern Plains Electric Cooperative, which provides electricity to Cando, for permission to attach the signs to its poles.
With an American flag paired with each pole, the Legion can mount up to eight veteran signs on a single pole. Each sign displays the veteran’s name, rank and branch of service. The colors correspond with the branch: green for Army, white for Navy, blue for Air Force and red for Marines.
The signs honor veterans who have served and either currently live, previously lived or have another connection to Cando. Anyone can request a sign through the Legion. If approved, the Legion asks for a $50 donation to cover the sign, mountings and hardware. If a family is unable to cover the expense, the Legion will donate it.
“If someone cannot cover the expense, the Legion will donate it,” said Legion Commander and Post Adjutant Troy Reemtsma.
Legion members and other community volunteers donate their time to order and install the signs, with requests often coming through word of mouth or after people see the signs around town.
“It is amazing how many people in Cando or relatives of people in Cando have served. For a small town – the number is just incredible” said Alex Balazs, an active Legion member.
Today, the signs are scattered throughout Cando, each one carrying a name that connects a street corner to a person, a family and a story. To date, the Legion has placed over 250 veteran’s signs and more than 100 American flags.
“Our goal was to get as many flags and signs up as we could by the 250th anniversary this summer,” said Balazs.
Legion members and other community volunteers donate their time to order and install the signs.
Although all branches of service are represented throughout the town, Cando has a particularly strong connection to the Army National Guard. The National Guard has been part of the community since 1922. In 1990, the 132nd Quartermaster Company was mobilized for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. A total of 165 soldiers were deployed, representing 11% of Cando’s population at the time.
Placed from the heart
For many families, the signs are more than a tribute. They are personal reminders of someone they love. Families can request that a sign be placed near a former home or another location that holds a special meaning to them.
Balazs has seen that pride firsthand.
“I think this really means a lot to them. We have had people come out when we are literally bolting their sign to a post and they take a picture of the sign and we know they are sending it to someone. They are really proud of it.”
Both Balazs, who served in the Air Force, Navy and Army, and Reemtsma, who served in the Air Force, would like to see the flags fly year-round. However, because of North Dakota’s harsh winters, the flags are removed after September 11 and put back up before Memorial Day. While the street signs remain in place year-round.
The community’s response has been overwhelmingly supportive. But perhaps the most meaningful part of the project is how the names have become part of the resident’s daily lives. As people turn onto a street corner, they may see the name of a veteran they remember, or perhaps a name that sparks a question. That question could lead them to a family member, opening the door to a story that might otherwise have gone untold.
“We hope people see them and just ask a question – ask a family member and hopefully learn from what came before them,” Balazs said.
More than a sign
The Legion’s goal was to honor veterans and get the community involved. What members didn’t expect was how much they would learn about the people around them in the process.
“I serve on another volunteer board and never really spoke to a certain individual until after their family member’s sign was put up and now, we talk all the time. I guess it broke the ice,” said Balazs.
The project has created connections that may not have happened otherwise, giving residents another reason to learn about veterans who have shaped their community.
Street signs are meant to help people find their way. In Cando, these signs do something more. They invite residents to pause, remember and ask questions about the people whose names have become part of the community’s landscape.
And for the members of Hal Parker Post #79, there is no final sign on the horizon.
“We are always looking forward to more names and more stories,” Reemtsma said.
Volunteers Ted Asp, Bruce Ford and Alex Balazs help install the tributes to Cando veterans. Photo courtesy of the Legion.