Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga news
Cloud 9 Aviation hosted the first ever Super Dad Father’s Day celebration that one local dad won’t ever forget.
In conjunction with the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce and Cloud 9 Aviation and sponsored by River Bank and Trust, a cookout celebration was held for the community at the Prattville Airport last Saturday afternoon to celebrate all the dad’s within the Prattville community.
“We partner with Cloud 9 Aviation for many of their events and we like to help support our local airport in their endeavors. Our airport is a hidden gem in Prattville and Autauga County and anything that we can do to highlight them is good for us and our community,” President of the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce Patty VanderWal said.
Three dads were nominated by their daughters or family as their Super Dad. Submissions were sent in to Cloud 9 Aviation in advance where they provided anonymous judges. The only criteria for submissions was to tell the judges about your Super Dad.
“I wanted to do something to bring the community together and have people write something about their fathers that the fathers could keep. I framed all the submissions to give to the winners because I don’t think fathers hear it nearly enough,” Owner of Cloud 9 Aviation Elizabeth Gardner said.
Elizabeth and her husband Paul Gardner own and operate Cloud 9 Aviation and Prattville Airport, having five kids together. The Gardener’s both agreed that supporting local families and being able to give back in a way like this is something they want to continue to do.
Three prizes were given out to three very deserving dads. Scott Roberts and Preston Jennings were the second and third place recipients winning a dad themed bucket filled with fishing, grilling, yard games, tools, gift cards and more. The first-place recipient was nominated without his knowledge and was completely shocked when he won the grand prize.
Greg Paramore not only won a bucket of goodies, but also was taken up for a plane ride wearing his super dad cape with his wife Sandi Paramore that nominated him as the super dad.
Paramore is a stepdad to Sarah Waters and her three-year-old daughter. Waters stated that Paramore is the only father figure her daughter has ever known, stating he has always been there for herself and her daughter.
“The first time we met, we just clicked. He’s just an amazing dad and an amazing opa and I wouldn’t trade him for the world for anything,” Waters said.
There were many families and super dad in attendance for the Super Dad cookout. Kids were running around playing with bubbles, chalk and most importantly laughing and smiling with wonder why looking at airplanes with their dad.
“The Chamber gathered incredible prizes, and we just had a lot of fun. Next year, it will be bigger and better. We may have to have a big jet out here to take all the super dads at one time,” Elizabeth said.
Randy Grissett, with River Region Bank and Trust, provided the grill, the hamburgers and hotdogs, and stayed in that heat to cook for the dads in attendance, Elizabeth stated.
