At a gala dinner at the Point Lookout Resort in Northport, the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the winners of its annual awards, including the Citizen of the Year for the Chamber’s region.  

More than two hundred people attended the event, the major sponsor of which was Camden National Bank.  Congressman Bruce Poliquin, Senator Angus King’s regional representative Chris Rector, State Senate President Mike Thibodeau, State House Majority Leader Erin Herbig, and a number of Belfast city officials, including outgoing Belfast Mayor Walter Ash, attended the annual celebration.

The Citizen of the Year is regarded by many to be the most prestigious of the nine awards of the evening.  The recipient is kept secret until the actual moment of the award, and this year the revelation of the winner was again contained in a video prepared by Ned Lightner of Insight Productions.  

The tongue-in-cheek award video amounted to a mix of a roast and a tribute to the much accomplished recipient, Mike Hurley, of Belfast.  Hurley has served Belfast as a tavern owner and barkeep, business coalition founder and leader, mayor, city councilor and downtown organizer, as well as the owner of Belfast’s iconic Colonial Theater.  

Other award winners were:

• Growth Award - Private Home Care, Inc.   
• Building Community Award – Belfast Free Library
• Healthy Waldo County Award - Waldo County General Hospital    
• Community Event Award - Fiber College of Maine
• New Business Award - United Farmer's Market of Maine
• Hometown Heritage Award – Perry's Home Furnishings & Design    
• Community Volunteer of the Year - Mary Mortier

One attendee remarked that the event was lovely, and yet still reflected the unique nature of the Belfast area.  “It’s quirky,” he said, “and we like it that way.”  

Mike Rich, Kim Perry, Paul Naron, Mary Mortier, Mike Hurley, Ellen Hoyt, Astrig  Tanquay, Steve Norman, Steve Tanguay  (Photo: Rachel Epperly Photography)