NEWS

Prattville sets aside parking spaces for veterans

Marty Roney
Montgomery Advertiser

PRATTVILLE – Just in time for Veterans Day, the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce is kicking off a program reserving parking for veterans.

The chamber's military affairs committee came up with the plan to set aside parking for veterans at local businesses and government buildings.

"Our community is very appreciative and thankful for our military and their families," said Patty VanderWal, president of the chamber. "This program reinforces that our veterans have a very special place in our community and in our hearts. And proves once again that the Prattville-Autauga area is Open for our Military."

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On Monday morning, a reserved parking sign was unveiled in front of Prattville City Hall. Other signs have gone up around the Autauga County Courthouse, and other county administration buildings in the area, as well as Larry Puckett Chevrolet and Trustmark Bank locations in the city.

"We have a large military contingent here in Prattville, both active duty and retired," said David Lewis, chairman of the military affairs committee. "And it is our goal to preserve the great qualities of our community that have attracted these people here. We thought what a great way to get our entire community behind this."

Other businesses and locations are welcome to join the effort, VanderWal said.

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Burt Williams, of Prattville, is a retired U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant. He was walking downtown Monday and stopped to see what all the fuss was about.

"Prattville is very patriotic and that's one of the reasons we decided to come back to Prattville when we retired," he said. "We lived here before when I was stationed at Maxwell in the early 80s. You know, it doesn't have to be something big all the time. Something like this is just a good way to show appreciation."

The Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce has kicked off a program reserving parking spaces in the city for veterans.