To close out March, Franklin County took the opportunity to honor a few of the people who make our corner of north Alabama such a wonderful place.

The annual Partnership Banquet – jointly hosted by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and the Franklin County Development Authority – recognizes the best of the best among us. Whether in the spotlight or behind the scenes, those honored at the Partnership Banquet are dedicated community members who are impacting Franklin County for good through their service and commitment.

We feature this year’s winners on page A7, and we just want to add our own congratulations.

To this year’s winners, you have our gratitude for your efforts toward helping Franklin County continue as a wonderful place to live, work and play.

Our teachers, industry leaders, innovators and public servants all play a part in adding value to our communities. Whether they contribute to honoring our past, improving our present or preparing for our bright future, each is a crucial part of Franklin County.

This year’s awards banquet was a little different, thanks to the continuing coronavirus pandemic. Attendance was limited to the honorees and an invited guest for each.

Nevertheless, this year’s winners are no less deserving of praise for their contributions and accomplishments.

People who commit themselves to bettering their world deserve some recognition, so we’re glad the Partnership Banquet continued this year after the 2020 hiatus. It’s a great way to show our standout citizens that we see their efforts.