Enviva CEO presented with gifts

Published 9:10 am Friday, July 27, 2012

During Wednesday’s ground breaking for Enviva Pellets Southampton in the Turner Tract Industrial Park, Southampton County Jerusalem District Supervisor Dr. Alan Edwards presented company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Keppler with a few gifts.

Keppler received a basket of locally-grown peanuts and a road sign that read “Enviva Way.”

Edwards also presented Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling a basket of peanuts.

“I assure you they will be consumed in Virginia,” Bolling told the audience.

• More than 80 attended the Fashion Show & Luncheon on Tuesday at The Village at Woods Edge. Village residents, staff and friends modeled clothing from Belk.

Sponsored by The Village at Woods Edge’s Relay for Life Team, the event featured cancer survivor Anne Bryant as the speaker. Proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Dining Service’s Director Dail Gray prepared lunch and dessert.

• Debbie Johnston, owner of Care Advantage in Franklin, in September will be appear on the ABC reality show “Secret Millionaire.”

The show features millionaires from around the United States to spend a week in the country’s poorest areas and ultimately reward some unsung community heroes with thousands of dollars of their own money.

The millionaires keep their true identities hidden while living on welfare-level wages. At the end of the journey, they reveal their identity and donate their money.

Debbie ventured around with a camera crew for a week. Filming began at her home in Chesterfield County and her business.

ABC then took Debbie to one of the nation’s poorest, crime-stricken cities. There, she lived in local housing with minimal funds. Debbie also volunteered at three local non-profit organizations.

At the end of the week, she revealed her identity and gave money to three charities.

Debbie has always donated thousands of dollars yearly to local charities. She works closely with nonprofits all around Virginia in communities where Care Advantage has an office.

Debbie is planning a Secret Millionaire premier party to raise money for the American Cancer Society, YWCA and the Virginia Food Bank.

Debbie was able to donate over a million dollars to charity because of the home-health care company she started in 1988.