Next week, residents will have the chance to hear the resounding and solemn echo of taps played along the St. Joseph River.

The event, hosted by the American Legion Post #26, will take place at 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday along the Riverfront Park corridor. Buglers will be stationed at the parking lot at Lakeland Hospital, 31 N. St. Joseph Ave. and at the War Memorial in Riverfront Park.

The community is invited to stop, listen and remember those who have served their country.

Odie Stewart, the vice president of the American Legion Post, created the event with this in mind.

“This has been in the back of my mind for years,” Stewart said. “As vice president, I recognized how awesome it would be to start having taps in recognition of military personnel.”

Stewart said the taps will also be in remembrance of 9/11 victims and emergency responders, as well as Native Americans and those around the world who sacrifice to serve their country.

“This is being done for the veterans, and family and friends of fallen heroes,” Stewart said.

The Niles man said he was inspired by a similar event he saw around 14 years ago on a beach. It was a tradition he said he wanted to bring to the City of Four Flags.

Stewart is a Vietnam War veteran who served from 1967 to 1969. Since returning to Niles, Stewart has been an avid volunteer with the American Legion Post #26 and has sought to bolster membership and community involvement with the organization.

City council member Gretchen Bertschy, who represents the first Ward, said it was heartening to see a volunteer with as much enthusiasm for veterans as Stewart.

“We are so happy when we have residents eager to support our veterans,” Bertschy said. “We look forward to working with [him] and other like-minded volunteers.”

Stewart has also been working with the Downtown Development Authority and the city of Niles to hopefully establish the event as a weekly occurrence.

Stewart felt there would be no better place than along the St. Joseph River, where the water will help to carry the notes, creating the desired echo effect.

Two Niles High School band students have volunteered to play the melody. Stewart thanked the community members involved who have helped the event to come to fruition, including band director Josh Doe, for helping to find volunteers.

Stewart also had to get approval from the Niles Parks Board for the event and Cindy Cataldo, the parks board chairwoman, said she thought the event was a great way to bring people together.

“I hope it brings people out. It is great to honor to everybody,” Cataldo said. “We have a beautiful war memorial, and there are people that don’t know even know we have it.”

Those interested in volunteering for the weekly event should it be approved may contact Stewart via email at oneodiemon@yahoo.com.