North Shore Bank will fund the restoration of a plaque dedicated to a World War II veteran! Here’s the story.

Last month, Milwaukee Capitol Branch Manager and AVP Carol Herrmann shared the story of a flagpole at the intersection of 76th and Appleton in Milwaukee — how it had been dedicated to her friend, WWII vet Norm Neitzke, a member of the famous “Band of Brothers,” and how the flagpole had fallen into disrepair since the Association for Northwest Advancement, which maintained it, dissolved.

The plaque dedicating the flagpole to Norm had disappeared and been found again, and the person who found it brought it back to Norm’s family. But unfortunately, it was in no condition to be reattached to the pole. Following Carol’s lead, several bank employees commented that they would be happy to donate funds to refurbish the old plaque or purchase a new one. However, the bank itself is picking up the cost of the project.

Carol and Marketing Communications Manager Kate Knox have been working together to find the best solution, and we’re happy to report they’ve found it:

Milwaukee’s RCB Awards will cut one new brass plaque, engrave it with the dedication information and attach it to the flagpole. RCB Awards will also clean up another existing plaque that is still attached to the flagpole, so that the whole presentation looks great. “You will be left with two similar brass plates on the pole, clean and gold in color with clean black letters. While over time, as you can see, they will weather, this will give you years of dedication to the honorees,” writes Curt from RCB.

The whole process should be finished by around the end of the month — just in time for North Shore Bank’s annual October worn-flag collection and the flag retirement ceremonies on Veterans Day in November.

Many thanks to Carol and Kate and everyone else who has helped bring things this far. We’ll let you know when the restoration is entirely wrapped up.