Free holiday parking in Montpelier with generous twist

Parking in downtown Montpelier for holiday shopping comes with a twist.

It will be free to park at certain meters starting Monday, but paying anyway gets you more than just a place to put your car.

Feeding the meter means feeding those helped by the Montpelier Community Fund.

The group distributes funds to dozens of organizations working in the community. You can choose to pay at the meter or donate inside a downtown store.

More than 250 parking spaces will provide free two-hour parking, just look for the meters with signs.

You can choose to pay with cash or credit card.