By By Kerry Whipple Bean and Lisa Tindell
Denise Alverson thought she was invited to the Brewton Area Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday night because she had nominated her friend Susan Krehbiel for Citizen of the Year.
She was half right.
Both Alverson and Krehbiel - co-workers at the Escambia County Courthouse and members of the local board of Habitat for Humanity - were honored by the chamber as Brewton's Citizens of the Year.
Krehbiel and Alverson helped organize Habitat's largest project last year - a building blitz of two homes that began in Lynchburg, Va., and ended with two homes built on Conoley Avenue in Brewton.
Both said they did not realize they were the recipients of the award until Glaize said that the winners worked together as court reporters.
In fact, Alverson said she nominated Krehbiel for the award.
Neither is native to Brewon. Alverson is a Flomaton native, and Krehbiel grew up in Kansas. Their families surprised them by showing up at Thursday evening's presentation.
In addition to Alverson's work as a court reporter, she also directs the drug court program.
Krehbiel is also an active member of First United Methodist Church, where she is involved in the personnel committee as well as Sunday school class and a Bible study group.
After the dinner at the Country Club of Brewton, friends, colleagues, family and chamber members congratulated Alverson and Krehbiel on their award.
The guest speaker for the dinner was Ralph Stacy, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama.
During his address to the capacity crowd, Stacy explained why business is so important to the nation.
Stacy urged the business people of Brewton to support their chamber of commerce. In doing so, Stacy believes everyone will benefit.
Stacy said the people who plan to get ahead, should be willing to bear the pain and pay the price for a better environment now and a better future.