LEWISTON – Lewiston has become one of more than 70 Maine towns and cities to display yellow ribbons in a coordinated show of support for soldiers in Iraq.

It’s called Operation Community Support.

In Lewiston, yellow ribbons have been wrapped around the flagpoles that decorate Veterans Memorial Park, located just north of Main Street at the entrance to Longley Bridge.

The initiative was begun by Gov. John Baldacci in late November, when he decorated a tree in a Brewer park.

Though the ribbons are not a new idea, this is the first time they have been put up in a coordinated way.

Lewiston Mayor Lionel Guay hopes they will be noticed.

“It is our hope that when passersby view the yellow ribbons, they will know that the city of Lewiston is a community of individuals who greatly care about the men and women serving abroad, as well as their families who eagerly await their return,” Guay said in a prepared statement.

The towns of Farmington, Lisbon, Hermon, Belfast, Caribou, Dexter and Pittsfield have posted similar displays.

In addition to the ribbons, Operation Community Support provides entertainment and other activities to military families.

Organized by Bangor area businessman Thomas “Skip” Chappelle, the group aims to ease the burden of having loved ones overseas.