BETHEL – On May 9, the 39th annual Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce awards dinner, sponsored by W.J. Wheeler & Co. Inc., Oxford Networks and Sunday River Ski Resort, was held at the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River.

Jim Mann, owner of Mt. Mann Jewelers, was presented the 2008 Business of the Year Award. With the support of a donor, he is in the process of putting together a world-class collection of western Maine gems to eventually be housed in the Bethel Historical Society’s Regional History Center.

The 2008 Henry H. Hastings Award for Citizenship was presented to Margaret (Peggy) Wight. She helps operate the Sunday River Inn and volunteers as a Bethel Library trustee and on Bethel Historical Society committees and West Parish Congregational Church committees.

The 2008 Forest Products Industry Award was awarded to Rodney Hanscom, a 40-year veteran of the sawmill operations of what is now the Hancock Lumber facility in Bethel. Hanscom has also been active with the Bethel Ambulance Service and at the West Bethel Union Church.

The 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award was presented, posthumously, to William (Bill) Cousins. In the nomination by his daughter, Carolyn Krahn, he was remembered as an active participant in all facets of Bethel area life, including the SAD 44 school board, Bethel town meeting moderator, the Masonic Lodge, the Shriners, Maine Handicapped Skiing and more. He died in July, 2007.

Brad Jerome, director of sales and marketing for the Bethel Inn Resort, was presented the President’s Award for his devotion and service to the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the chamber’s board of directors for six years, is the immediate past president of the board of directors. He has also served on the marketing committee, overseen the golf committee for several years, and has been a tremendous help on many other chamber projects.

The 2008 Public Service Award was given to Don Katlin of the Bethel Water District. He was cited for his 29 years of service to the people of Bethel, and his sustained and stalwart efforts during the 2007 flood disaster and the remediation and recovery efforts.

A new award this year is the Bethel Area Non-Profit Award. The Western Mountains Senior College nominated Rosabelle Tifft, a tireless champion of the organization for the past 3½ years. She has helped grow the membership, and has chaired or co-chaired several of their successful programs.

The chamber presents Employee of the Year Awards in four categories.

Receiving the Education Award was Burnie Rice, a 35-year veteran employee of SAD 44 in a number of capacities, most recently as supervisor of buildings, grounds and maintenance. Rice took on the additional responsibilities of transportation supervisor.

Michele Mador, a waitress at the Rooster’s Roadhouse, was presented the Hospitality Employee of the Year. She has been with the business since the doors opened in November of 2004. She also works a couple days a week at the Good Food Store and runs her own business, the Pleasant River Campground, with her husband.

Receiving the 2008 Retail and Service Employee of the Year was Lori Royer, a manager at Designs.

The 2008 Ski Industry Employee of the Year Award was presented this year to the entire lift operations department of Sunday River Ski Resort.

The chamber also presented three Telstar High School students with awards: Christopher Philip Schwarz, son of Peter and Kathy Schwarz, received the Taste of Bethel Award in his pursuit of post-secondary training in Hospitality Management. Two students were presented with Student Citizenship Awards: Esther Julia Pew, daughter of Sid and Eileen Pew of East Andover, and Andrew Robert Whitney son of Rick and Ellen Whitney of Bethel. These three students were selected by the staff at Telstar High School, and have been cited in exemplifying the highest qualities of school and community citizenship.

Volunteer of the Year was presented to Doug Zinchuk for his 21 years helping the chamber with its projects.