In the summer of 2005, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce launched the Character Ed initiative by displaying 144 full-color banners along National Avenue, from Commercial Street to James River Freeway.  Spanning seven miles of Springfield, the banners have been sponsored by business and professional organizations to show their support of the initiative.

Since their debut, the banners have been a great success, creating community awareness of Character Ed.  The banners have been displayed for over seven months, with banners damaged by weather replaced with new ones.

As our inaugural year comes to an end and the banners are removed, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce would like to thank City Utilities for donating time and energy to hang the banners, and to each of the sponsoring organizations for their support.