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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

The Merchants Association of Chilton County has enlisted the help of a cute peachy friend to connect members and share business news with the community.

Penelope, an oversized plush peach, is visiting businesses throughout the county. Her stops are being chronicled at “The Adventures of Penelope Peach Chilton County Alabama Edition” on Facebook for community members to follow the page and keep up with what is available here.

“Penelope is the brain child of Nate Fuller from The Frozen Goat, and he gave me the idea, and I thought it was brilliant,” Maymay Helms, MACC president, said. “… Her whole job is to debunk the myth that there is nothing to do in Chilton County.”

Penelope is herself a recent arrival to Chilton County. Helms found the plush peaches at Pinedale Gardens when local businesses were decorating windows for the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce’s Peach Festival contest in June. The lovable peaches are now available for purchase at Mulberry Hill Boutique.

“The business owners will be sharing her in cute ways in their stores or their vendor set ups, wherever they are,” Helms said.

Business owners can reserve Penelope by emailing chiltonmacc@gmail.com. A photo or video of Penelope at the business is then emailed to MACC to be posted on the page.

“We are real excited, and we are going to try to just really spend some time with her and let her show people what there is to do all over the whole county,” Helms said.

Helms said the opportunity to participate is open to anyone in Chilton County with a community activity to share.