Two Hall County women received a combined $4,500 for providing information that led to the conviction of an arsonist.

Marie Bryant and Angela Winters received their checks at Hall County Fire Services offices Monday from State Insurance and Safety Commissioner John Oxendine.

They gave information related to a December 2006 fire on Broome Road in East Hall.

“I never thought I’d get (the money), but I’m an honest person, so I’d rather tell the truth than hide and lie about it, then get in trouble later,” Bryant said.

Winters said she had “the choice of doing the right thing or not saying anything, so I decided to tell (authorities) what I knew, and that was it.”

She said she had no fear during the process.

“It was one of those things where you see something wrong happening, if you can help fix the situation, that’s what you need to do,” Winters said.

Authorities said a third person has received a reward check for providing vital information. That person, who lives in Alabama, chose to remain anonymous.

Oxendine thanked Bryant and Winters for their actions.

“We owe you a deep debt of gratitude,” he said.

His office and the Georgia Arson Control Board sponsor the Arson Control Reward Program, which gives rewards of up to $10,000 for information leading to conviction.

Since the program began in 1979, nearly $1.5 million has been handed out in rewards. Anyone with information about a suspicious fire is asked to call the hot line at 800-282-5804.