HUNTSVILLE LIVING / BEST OF HUNTSVILLE | MAY 2024 5
HUNTSVILLE
LIVING
STAFF
PUBLISHER Lange Svehlak lsvehlak @ athensreview . com
GENERAL MANAGER Traci Gallin traci @ itemonline . com
EDITOR Brenda Poe bpoe @ itemonline . com
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Ashley Horton ahorton @ itemonline . com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS George Oliver , Allyson Kelly , Dee Howard Mullins , Colton Foster
CHOOSING MCKENZIE
In my second year of participation at the SBDC Luncheon to honor small businesses and the Readers ’ Choice Awards , I was once again amazed at the sense of community felt in one hour of our lives .
First place winners , their loved ones and coworkers filled the Gibbs Center at the Katy and E . Don Walker Education Building . There were so many old friends and familiar favorites . There were new friends too .
But the real gem of the day was when I presented Vicki McKenzie a posthumous award for Fire Fighter of the Year to her late husband , Corby McKenzie . During the voting portion of this year ’ s contest , the staff and I could see who was clearly being voted the winner of the category . But after a few messages and phone calls , the Item decided to create a special award for Corby . Why ? Because he was a firefighter , a first responder and the epitome of what every young firefighter dreams of becoming - a good man .
Corby McKenzie lived and worshipped in Huntsville . He served his Fire Department in South Montgomery with a huge heart . But he was a brother and friend to those who truly knew him .
Brenda Poe
BRENDA POE
bpoe @ itemonline . com 936-295-5407
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Huntsville Living is published by The Huntsville Item and CNHI LLC . No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means , including electronic retrieval systems , without written permission of the publisher . Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine . Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative .
HUNTSVILLE LIVING / BEST OF HUNTSVILLE | MAY 2024 5