Thursday was a big night for the community development clubs in Lauderdale County.

The annual awards banquet recognizes the charitable, volunteer, and civic work of the clubs.

"We strive to make our communities a better place to live," said past president Billy Allen. "We look at ourselves like the chamber of commerce in the cities. We're the chamber of commerce for the county."

The club of the year is the Collinsville Community Development Club. The man and woman of the year are a married team of Diane Howser and Patrick Howser of the Suqualena Community Development Club.