The Alabama Power Foundation announced it has donated $25,000 to a project supporting veterans returning from combat.

Dovetail Landing, an organization founded by Gold Star mother Alana Centilli in memory of her son Daniel, aims to provide veterans with a safe and comfortable place to gather and live. The campus currently under construction in Lincoln will provide veterans with housing and a variety of resources, including a “reverse boot camp” to help former soldiers get back on their feet.

The Alabama Power Foundation donation will help complete the Talladega County campus' first building, “Daniels Home,” named after Centilli's late son.

Centilli's father worked for Alabama Power for more than 30 years, and Centilli believes his father's work ethic helped pave the way for the Dovetail Landing project.

“I grew up on a farm in Talladega County and working hard was a given from day one,” Centilli said. “My dad worked as a power lineman for Alabama Power for 33 years. When the phone rang, you knew he was on the way. It was a hurricane or a tornado or an act of nature or some other event. He always went out and he was so proud of it. So as kids, we learned what we had to do.”

“You just do what it takes to get it done.”

To get the Dovetail Landing project off the ground, Centilli met with Talladega County District 1 Commissioner Darrell Ingram and Lincoln Mayor Carol “Lou” Watson, a Vietnam War veteran.

“[Centilli] “And I went to see Mr. Watson,” Ingram said.[She] She told us what she wanted to do and we asked for help. [Watson] I reached over and pulled out a map and saw that there was a facility here, and he said, “How about this? We own the whole lot, and we're thinking about building a complex where they could play softball and baseball and we're going to call it Veterans Park. What do you think?”

“[Centilli] “He started crying, and I started crying. That was it. They donated the 57 acres to Dovetail shortly after.”

“It's amazing. Every time you turn around there's someone wanting to join.”

“That original vision is becoming a reality,” said Chad Jones, chairman of the Dovetail Landing board of directors. “Over the last two years, the thought process has been building, developing and growing to establish this reverse boot camp, a welcoming place for veterans to come and socialize and talk one-on-one.”

The project is estimated to cost about $52 million and has already received funding from a variety of public and private sources, including the Alabama State Legislature.

Austin Shipley is a staff writer for Yellow Hammer News. You can follow him on X. @ShipleyAusten