Those at Cedar Ridge Veterans Facility know too well the toll that military service can take on veterans.

That’s why owner and manager Melani Pritchard is excited about the opportunity to do something special for the veterans who live at the facility in Clanton and also for other local veterans.

Cedar Ridge will host a memorial dedication and flag raising ceremony at 1 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the facility, located at 325 County Road 271 in Clanton, near the Collins Chapel community.

The idea for the event began when Shelly Mims with Charity Manager and Drew McCollum with the Rough Riders Motorcycle Club, a non-profit organization comprised of former and active-duty servicemen, organized a motorcyle ride that would benefit several veterans facilities.

Shortly thereafter, Pritchard and Tammy Noah, community relations manager at SouthernCare Hospice, developed the idea for a commemorative flag garden.

The commemorative garden, which will be located in front of Cedar Ridge, will feature flags representing the five branches of American military service: United States Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Army.

The five flags will be arranged to form a star around the centerpiece: an American Flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol on June 2 in honor of the late founders of Cedar Ridge, former Marine Sgt. and Vietnam veteran Jerry Glaze and his wife, Nell, who are also Pritchard’s parents.

The ceremony will include the raising of the six flags, and snacks and drinks will be served. All are invited.

Ogle Memorials is donating a four-foot monument that will be inscribed with the words from the American Flag certification, Matt Easterling with Unique Landscaping is performing the work at the site for a reduced rate and Shelby Concrete is donating gravel.

The long list of donors also includes Hickory Chip, Durbin Farms Market, Dr. Jay Patel, Carpet Store and More, Clanton Masonic Lodge, SouthernCare volunteer Maxine Stone, Amedisys Home Health, Greg Mims at Clanton Florist and Merchants Food Service.

“The community has been wonderful,” Noah said. “The flags themselves deserve for this to be done right.”

Facility provides important services for veterans

Cedar Ridge was first opened in Tallapoosa County in 1996 and moved to Chilton County in 2009. Pritchard, a Jemison native, has run the facility since 2000.

The facility is licensed by the national Veterans Affairs organization but does not receive VA funding.

It provides “community residential care” for the 22 veterans residents.

Pritchard said residents at Cedar Ridge have ranged from a 24-year-old Afghanistan veteran to World War II veterans.

“We’re fighting a different kind of war now,” she said about younger veterans. “When they’re coming out, [the system isn’t] ready for them.”

Clanton First United Methodist Church raised money to erect a fence around the back portion of the property, helping create a secure facility.

Dr. Patel is the facility’s medical director and comes out every three to six months for exams.

Most of the veterans have Medicaid and VA benefits, though Pritchard said an important part of her job is to make sure the veterans take advantage of any benefits they are entitled to.

Local home health agencies help provide medical care, as Cedar Ridge is not a “skilled” facility, meaning there are no nurses on staff as a way of keeping rates lower for the residents.

Residents at Cedar Ridge are bathed, given medication, taken to appointments and even taken on recreational trips.

Pritchard said she doesn’t think many Chilton County residents are aware of the facility, and that is one reason why she wanted to hold the flag ceremony.

“I think they deserve more honor,” Pritchard said about the men at the facility.

Anyone interested in donating to Cedar Ridge should consider blankets, warm socks, winter knit caps and other leisure wear such as sweat pants.

For more information, call the facility at (205) 688-3034 or Noah at (205) 389-0241.