Honoring those who serve with a photo

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Steve Coven, owner of Portrait Designs in Princeton, holds some of the 8 by 10 photographs he has taken of servicemen and servicewomen currently serving this country. He will give the portraits to any actively serving person as well as retired veterans to show his appreciation for their service to this country. (BCR photo/Lyle Ganther)

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PRINCETON — Steve Coven, owner of Portrait Designs in Princeton, supports the country’s servicemen and servicewomen by giving them an 8 by 10 photograph for free.

“I registered for the draft right after Vietnam, but my number never came up to be drafted,” Coven said. “I then went to college, etc.

“I have always appreciated what these young men and women do for their country, and this is just a small way to help them,” he said. “I have been doing this for about 11 years and have taken around 70 pictures, but I have never kept count.”

Coven prefers taking the pictures with the people wearing their Class A uniforms, but has taken some people who didn’t have wear their uniforms.

“I took one father-son portrait where the father was a master sergeant, and the son was a private,” he said. “I want to put up a display at the store around Fourth of July or Memorial Day.

“They are doing a job that is so difficult,” he said. “Some today are serving in 120 degree heat and have 60 pounds of gear on their backs.

“I don’t think they get enough appreciation for their hard work. I had some friends who served in the Vietnam War, and I saw what they went through after coming back,” he added.

Coven said that usually the mother or grandmother of the servicemen or servicewoman get the free 8 by 10 he gives to them.

Coven usually takes pictures of people currently serving the country in the Armed Forces, but he will take those who are retired as well.

“I see people at events around town and tell them to come see me, if I know they are serving,” he said.

Any service personnel interested in getting their portrait taken can call Coven at (815) 872-4418.

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