Kristi Heid, principal of Sabine Pass school, was named The Port Arthur News 2006 Citizen of the Year for her work in helping residents of the coastal community cope and recover from the devastation left by Hurricane Rita.

Heid was selected from 10 finalists chosen from a field of about 45 community volunteers nominated by readers of The News.

“I’m awed, completely humbled. To be sitting here, listening to the accolades of the others here and to hear my name called,” Heid said, visibly choked with emotion at the awards luncheon Friday at the Holiday Inn-Park Central.

Heid returned to Sabine Pass shortly after the storm and organized the relief effort for the community by establishing a Disaster Recovery Center at the school. Despite significant damage to her own home, she worked long hours to get help to the other residents of Sabine Pass.

“There is no better choice for Citizen of the Year than Kristi Heid,” Roger Cowles, editor of The News, said. “In a year that has been marked by recovery from Hurricane Rita, Kristi exemplifies the can-do spirit and putting neighbor before self that make people in Southeast Texas special. She is an example of citizenship we can all be proud of.”

Heid is the second Citizen of the Year chosen by The News. Sam Monroe, President of Lamar State College-Port Arthur, was named Citizen of the Year in 2004. No award was given in 2005 because of Hurricane Rita.

Dwight Wagner’s welcome song set the tone for Friday’s ceremony.

“The strongest evidence of love is sacrifice,” the singer said by way of introduction.

The day was a way to show honor to the community as a whole, Glenn Stifflemire, The News publisher, said.

Heid’s students gave a shout as her name was called.

“She was in great company,” her friend Adam Saunders said.

The Sabine Pass community, as a whole, nominated her.

Honorees, nominated by their friends and family, were noted for a variety of public works. The News began accepting nominations in July. They will be featured in a special section of The News to be published on Sunday.

The other finalists were:

• Johnnie “PaPa Sunnyman” Allen of Port Arthur, a volunteer disk jockey and youth mentor;