Manatee County Honor Purple Heart Recipients With Parking Spaces

BRADENTON,, FL – More than 50 new parking spots will be designated for Purple Heart recipients later this month as Manatee County Government honors the 40,000 veterans who call Manatee County home.

During a brief ceremony at 3 p.m. on April 18 at the Downtown Central Library, officials will dedicate the first of 53 designated parking spots for Purple Heart recipients. The parking spots will be located near the entrance of many county-owned public buildings. The signs are the result of a public-private partnership between the county and the Wounded Warrior’s Family Support Program, according to Veterans Services manager Lee Washington.

"Wounded Warriors contributed nearly $2,200 for the new signs and our own Property Management Department is bearing a similar cost for new poles and installation," Washington said. "The new signs are a simple but effective gesture to say 'thank you' to some of our most important veterans."

County commissioners next Tuesday will consider a proclamation declaring Manatee County as a Purple Heart County. Several of the estimated hundreds of local Purple Heart recipients are expected to attend Tuesday's proclamation.

Manatee County Veteran Services counselors are hosting veterans benefits seminars every Friday in April from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the third-floor conference room of the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. Coffee and snacks will be served at 10:30 a.m. before each seminar.

Seminar topics include: VA healthcare and proper filing of disability claims; veteran pensions; burial and survivor benefits; and an open forum on April 27 to cover education benefits, VA home loans and a summary of the prior seminar topics. Also on the 27th, community partners will share information on their veterans assistance programs.

The Purple Heart was the first American service award or decoration made available to the common soldier and is specifically awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces wounded or killed in combat with a declared enemy of the United States.

For more information, visit the county's website or call (941) 748-4501.

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